The Spatial Resolution and Defect Contrast of Optical Beam Induced Reflectance (OBIR) Scans

There is substantial current interest in developing non-contact, non-destructive probes of semiconductor surfaces.[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] A major reason for this activity is that micro-stuctural flaws near the surface of silicon wafers generally impair the successful manufacture of integrated circuits.[6] Detrimental defects such as stacking faults, dislocations, and metallic precipitates are often 1 to 2 microns in size. Thus, a probing system would need to exhibit both high spatial resolution and contrast at defective sites.