NU 2012-022

Inventors

Matthew Grayson*

Wang Zhou

Abstract

Northwestern researchers have developed a contactless proximity probe that is capable of characterizing the conductivity of a conducting layer that is buried below an insulating layer, as is standard for transistor substrates (e.g. MOSFET substrates, quantum wells and semiconductor heterojunctions) in the semiconductor industry. The probe enables separate measures of conductance and carrier mobility density. Unlike the industry standard for four-point electrical characterization of buried conducting layers, however, this new Northwestern technology permits the electrical characterization in a non-destructive manner with extremely fast high throughput. In fact, it provides the capability to rapidly characterize new materials with conducting layers which lack ohmic contacts and is effective with any material, carrier type and carrier density.

Applications

• Semiconductor Characterization Instrument
• Measurement of conductance
• Measurement of carrier density

Advantages

• Rapid and time-efficient (seconds vs. days)
• Non-destructive: No need to cut test samples. Samples are reusable.
• High throughput capability
• Independent of material, carrier type and carrier density

IP Status

US and International patents have been submitted.