Method and apparatus for creating time-resolved emission images of integrated circuits using a single-point single-photon detector and a scanning system

A Scanning Time-Resolved Emission (S-TRE) microscope, comprising:

• an optical system configured to collect light from spontaneous emissions of light from a device under test (DUT);
• a scanning system configured to permit the spontaneous emissions of light to be collected from particular positions across the DUT in accordance with a scan pattern;
• a triggering signal generated from one of the DUT and an external timing generator which indicates an instant when an event occurs on the DUT;
• a timing photodetector configured to detect a single photon or photons of the spontaneous emissions of light from the particular positions across the DUT such that the spontaneous emissions of light are correlated to the positions;
• and
• a time correlated single photon counting (TCSPC) system configured to receive the particular position information from the scanning system and correlate the position to a detected photon or photons, wherein the TCSPC system receives a photon arrival signal from the photodetector and the trigger signal and computes a delay between the photon arrival signal and the trigger signal to determine a time for the occurrence of the spontaneous light emission.

A laser scanning microscope adapted to be a Scanning Time-Resolved Emission Microscope (S-TRE), comprising:

• a navigation mode, including:
• an active laser source;
• a first optical system configured to direct light to a device under test (DUT), collect and redirect light from excited emissions of light from the device under test (DUT);
• a scanning system configured to position the first optical system to permit the excited emissions of light to be collected from particular positions across the DUT;
• a static photodetector configured to detect the excited emissions of light from the particular positions across the DUT to determine an initial position on the DUT;
• and
• a moveable mirror configured to be out of an optical path of the laser beam during the navigation mode;
• and, a Picosecond Imaging for Circuit Analysis (PICA) mode, including:
• the moveable mirror positioned in the optical path to redirect spontaneous emissions from the DUT;
• a second optical system configured to collect light from the spontaneous emissions of light from the moveable mirror;
• and
• the scanning system configured to position the second optical system to permit the spontaneous emissions of light to be collected from particular positions across the DUT in accordance with a scan pattern;
• a timing photodetector configured to detect a single photon or photons of the spontaneous emissions of light from the particular positions across the DUT such that the spontaneous emissions of light are correlated to the positions to create a map of the spontaneous emissions of light across the DUT.