Tunneling Current Probe for Noncontract Wafer-Level Photodiode Array Testing
Abstract
The Tunneling Current Probe (TCP) is an automated picometer-sensitive proximity sensor and current measurement system which measures the current through a photodiode detector array element by establishing a tunneling current between a metallic probe tip and the detector element contact pad. The non-contact performance evaluation of infrared photodiode detector arrays at the wafer-level entails the measurement of the current versus voltage (I-V) characteristic of each detector element at several illuminations. From this data the zero bias resistance, R0, and the responsively, R(lambda), of each element it a known temperature, T. are obtained. These parameters are used to predict each element's performance or theoretical detectivity, D(-). Mechanical cryoprobe measurements performed on witness devices can be replaced with the high throughput TCP nondestructive evaluation of photodiode arrays at the wafer level. This will yield a cost effective solution to the problem of collecting the necessary data to detect both materials imperfections and processing flaws prior to dicing and hybridization to readout circuits. Further application of this or other probes based on picometer-sensitive proximity sensors to other detector structures, and to the broad range of semiconductor devices and measures, may lead to a nondestructive quantitative alternative to mechanical probe and electron beam measurements.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1999
- Accession Number
- ADA376052
Entities
People
- Bruce Mcintosh
- Horacio Verdun