Method and apparatus for measurement of microscopic electrical characteristics
AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated
InventorsThomas John Aton, Leigh Ann Files
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Abstract
The improved method for microscopic measurement of electrical characteristics comprises a standard atomic force microscope (AFM). The AFM includes a pointed, conductively coated tip attached to one end of a softly compliant cantilever arm, also capable of conducting electricity. The other end of the cantilever arm is attached to the top of a piezo-electric z-axis driver which will raise and lower the cantilever arm as the AFM tip is scanned across the surface of a sample. A piezo-electric X-Y scanstage controller may also be provided and connected to the bottom of the z-axis driver. The X-Y scanstage is preferably capable of scanning the movement of the entire system including the Z-axis driver, cantilever arm and AFM tip.
Claims21
A method of microscopic electrical measurement comprising the steps of:
- connecting a volt measurement system at two spaced apart points on a sample;
- connecting a conductive probe to the sample at a point on said sample between said two spaced apart points;
- injecting a measured current from a current source through the conductive probe and into the sample;
- moving the conductive probe to different locations on the sample between said two spaced apart points;
- recording the voltage across the two spaced apart points resulting from said injecting of a measured current as a function of the location of the probe on the sample;
- and
- recording the current injected into the sample as a function of the location of the probe on the sample.
A method of measuring the electrical characteristics as a function of position on a semiconductor device comprising the steps of:
- connecting a volt measurement system at two spaced apart points on a semiconductor device;
- providing a conductive probe;
- injecting a measured electric current into said conductive probe using a current source;
- providing a conductive tip on said conductive probe;
- contacting the conductive tip of the conductive probe with the semiconductor device at points on said semiconductor device between said two spaced apart points to allow current to flow through the semiconductor device from the current source to said two spaced apart points;
- recording the voltage measured by the volt measurement system across the two spaced apart points resulting from said injecting of a measured electric current as a function of the location of the conductive tip of the conductive probe on the semiconductor device;
- and
- recording the measured electric current as a function of the location of the conductive tip of the conductive probe on the sample.
A system for microscopic measurement of an electric field in a sample, said sample having a first end and a second end comprising:
- a sample having a first end and a second end;
- a voltmeter connected across said first end and said second end of said sample;
- a conductive probe connected to a current source for injecting current from the current source through the conductive probe and into the sample between said first end and said second end;
- a scanstage controller for scanning the conductive probe along the sample;
- and
- a recorder to record current flow and location of said conductive probe and voltage across said first end and said second end on the sample resulting from said injecting current and from said current source into said sample.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.