Photon assisted sub-tunneling electrical probe, probe tip, and probing method
OwnerJoseph M. Pattersoninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved non-contact electrical measurement system, method, probe assembly, and probe tip. A probe tip having a photoemissive coating deposited thereon is provided and disposed substantially adjacent a measurement site of a test sample. The photoemissive coating of the probe tip is illuminated by a light source, and electrical measurements are made upon the probe tip to determine the electrical characteristics of the measurement site.
Claims28
An electrical probe comprising:
- a probe tip;
- a photoemissive coating disposed upon said probe tip;
- a light source for generating photons of a selected wavelength and directing said photons toward said photoemissive coating disposed upon said probe tip;
- and
- an electrical sensor electrically coupled to said probe tip for measuring an electrical characteristic of said probe tip when said photons are directed by said light source to said photoemissive coating.
A non-contact electrical probe comprising:
- a probe tip;
- a photoemissive coating disposed upon said probe tip;
- a light source for generating photons of a selected wavelength and directing said photons toward said photoemissive coating disposed upon said probe tip;
- and
- a voltage sensor coupled to said probe tip for sensing a voltage of said probe tip, when said photons are directed to said photoemissive coating.
A photon assisted sub-tunneling electrical probe comprising:
- a probe having a sharpened probe tip;
- a photoemissive coating deposited upon said sharpened tip of said probe;
- a source of light for generating photons of a selected wavelength within a visible spectrum and directing said photons toward said photoemissive coating disposed upon said sharpened tip of said probe, said source of light comprising a laser;
- and
- a current sensor capable of being connected in circuit between said probe tip and a measurement site for sensing a flow of electrons between said photoemissive coating and said measurement site when said photoemissive coating is illuminated by said laser;
- and
- a voltage sensor coupled to said probe tip for sensing a voltage of said probe tip.
A photon assisted sub-tunneling electrical probe comprising:
- an optical fiber having a sharpened distal tip;
- a photoemissive coating disposed upon said sharpened distal tip of said optical fiber;
- a source of visible light coupled to a proximal end of said optical fiber;
- a current sensor capable of being connected in circuit between said photoemissive coating and a measurement site for sensing a flow of electrons between said photoemissive coating and said measurement site when said photoemissive coating is illuminated by light generated by said visible light source.
A method for measuring a voltage at a selected location on a semiconductor device, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing an electrical probe comprising a probe tip;
- a photoemissive coating disposed upon said probe tip;
- a light source for generating photons of a selected wavelength and directing said photons toward said photoemissive coating disposed upon said probe tip;
- and an electrical sensor electrically coupled to said probe tip;
- positioning said electrical probe at a distance between 0.1 and 1.0 microns from said selected location;
- illuminating said photoemissive coating with said photons generated by said light source;
- and
- sensing a voltage of said probe tip.
A method of electrical measurement comprising the steps of:
- positioning a photoemissive substance at a location sufficiently adjacent a measurement site to allow sub-tunneling of electrons between said photoemissive substance and said measurement site;
- illuminating said photoemissive substance with photons of light;
- and
- determining a voltage of said measurement site by measuring an electrical characteristic of said photoemissive substance when said photoemissive substance is illuminated by said photons.
A method for providing free electrons at a measurement site of a sample, said method comprising the steps of:
- positioning a photoemissive substance at a location sufficiently adjacent said measurement site to allow sub-tunneling of electrons between said photoemissive substance and said measurement site;
- and
- illuminating said photoemissive substance with photons of light having a preselected frequency.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.