Detection of Deep Levels in High Power Semiconductor Materials and Devices

TSM and other deep level measurement techniques are used to detect, characterize, and identify deep level defects which control lifetime and leakage in semiconductor devices. These measurements are performed on an apparatus which is capable of handling full-sized wafers as well as die-sized devices. Measurements of "wafer maps" of the gold acceptor defect density in silicon reveal inhomogeneity in the defect distribution which is directly reflected in the leakage current distribution. The wafer handling capabilities make this apparatus a useful extension of routine fabrication-line diagnostic tools.