Joule Expansion Imaging Techniques on Microlectronic Devices

TL;DR

This paper compares Joule expansion imaging with optical interferometry and thermal microscopy to analyze surface displacements in microelectronic devices, highlighting SJEM's advantages for high-frequency, high-resolution measurements.

Contribution

It introduces an experimental approach combining SJEM and SThM for detailed surface displacement analysis in microelectronics, emphasizing SJEM's suitability for high-frequency applications.

Findings

SJEM effectively measures off-plane surface displacement.

Comparison shows consistency between SJEM and optical interferometry.

SJEM offers improved spatial resolution at higher frequencies.

Abstract

We have studied the electrically induced off-plane surface displacement on two microelectronic devices using Scanning Joule Expansion Microscopy (SJEM). We present the experimental method and surface displacement results. We show that they can be successfully compared with surface displacement images obtained using an optical interferometry method. We also present thermal images using Scanning Thermal Microscopy (SThM) technique to underline that SJEM is more adapted to higher frequency measurements, which should improve the spatial resolution.