Abstract: A continuous-wave laser beam is chopped to form pulses synchronized to the activity of a device under testing and/or to acquisition electronics. Chopping the laser beam to reduce the duty-cycle of the beam allows the power delivered to the device during the actual probing time interval to be increased while maintaining a lower average power. Chopping the laser beam improves the signal-to-noise ratio of the continuous-wave laser voltage probing measurements. Chopping the laser beam improves the performance of the continuous-wave laser based laser voltage probing system, which may be used for measuring the internal signals of an operating integrated circuit device.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for analyzing photon emission data to discriminate between photons emitted by transistors and photons emitted by background sources. The analysis involves spatial and/or temporal correlation of photon emissions. After correlation, the analysis may further involve obtaining a likelihood that the correlated photons were emitted by a transistor. After correlation, the analysis may also further involve assigning a weight to individual photon emissions as a function of the correlation. The weight, in some instances, reflecting a likelihood that the photons were emitted by a transistor. The analysis may further involve automatically identifying transistors in a photon emission image.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for analyzing photon emission data to discriminate between photons emitted by transistors and photons emitted by background sources. The analysis involves spatial and/or temporal correlation of photon emissions. After correlation, the analysis may further involve obtaining a likelihood that the correlated photons were emitted by a transistor. After correlation, the analysis may also further involve assigning a weight to individual photon emissions as a function of the correlation. The weight, in some instances, reflecting a likelihood that the photons were emitted by a transistor. The analysis may further involve automatically identifying transistors in a photon emission image.

Abstract: A scanned optical system for use in optical probing applications provides a large Field of View (FOV) for objective lenses having high Numerical Aperture (NA), such as Solid Immersion Lenses (SIL's). This enables high resolution imaging of semiconductor devices for such applications as laser probing, TIVA/LIVA, OBIRCH, and photon emission timing analysis. A hybrid scanning optics configuration is disclosed to provide high resolution imaging over a small area along with low resolution imaging over a large area.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for analyzing photon emission data to discriminate between photons emitted by transistors and photons emitted by background sources. The analysis involves spatial and/or temporal correlation of photon emissions. After correlation, the analysis may further involve obtaining a likelihood that the correlated photons were emitted by a transistor. After correlation, the analysis may also further involve assigning a weight to individual photon emissions as a function of the correlation. The weight, in some instances, reflecting a likelihood that the photons were emitted by a transistor. The analysis may further involve automatically identifying transistors in a photon emission image.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for analyzing photon emission data to discriminate between photons emitted by transistors and photons emitted by background sources. The analysis involves spatial and/or temporal correlation of photon emissions. After correlation, the analysis may further involve obtaining a likelihood that the correlated photons were emitted by a transistor. After correlation, the analysis may also further involve assigning a weight to individual photon emissions as a function of the correlation. The weight, in some instances, reflecting a likelihood that the photons were emitted by a transistor. The analysis may further involve automatically identifying transistors in a photon emission image.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for analyzing photon emission data to discriminate between photons emitted by transistors and photons emitted by background sources. The analysis involves spatial and/or temporal correlation of photon emissions. After correlation, the analysis may further involve obtaining a likelihood that the correlated photons were emitted by a transistor. After correlation, the analysis may also further involve assigning a weight to individual photon emissions as a function of the correlation. The weight, in some instances, reflecting a likelihood that the photons were emitted by a transistor. The analysis may further involve automatically identifying transistors in a photon emission image.

Abstract: Optical interferometery is used to probe an integrated circuit device under test (DUT). During each cycle of a repetitive electrical test pattern applied to the DUT a reference pulse is provided at a fixed time relative to the test pattern, and a probe pulse is provided at a time scanned through the test pattern in the manner of equivalent time sampling. The probe and reference light pulses are each split to provide at least a second probe pulse and a second reference pulse. One probe pulse and one reference pulse interact with the DUT at the same physical location, but at displaced times with respect to each other. The second probe pulse and the second reference pulse travel an optical delay path with length controlled to compensate for motions of the DUT. The probe pulses are recombined and detected to provide a probe interference signal. The reference pulses are recombined and detected to provide a reference interference signal.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for optically probing an electrical device while the device is operating under control of a tester of the kind that applies test vectors and that has a test head in which the device can be mounted. An optical probe system has a light delivery and imaging module that is configured to be docked to a test head and that has imaging optics and a fine scanner. An optical processing subsystem can generate an incoming beam of light to illuminate the device through an optical fiber to a fiber end in the module. The fiber end is mounted in a fixed position on the optical axis of the imaging optics, and the fiber end and imaging optics are mounted in a fixed position to the platform of the fine scanner. Operating the fine scanner moves the fiber end, the imaging optics, the optical axis, and the focal point as a rigid unit.

Abstract: An optical system for a particle beam device such as an electron microscope, e-beam device or FIB device, including a particle beam column having an optical axis along which a beam of particles is projected and an apertured plate positioned in the column having an aperture which is coaxial with the optical axis, the plate being moveable in a direction which is parallel to the optical axis.

Abstract: A probe beam is used to sample the waveform on an IC device under test (DUT) during each cycle of a test pattern applied to the DUT. A reference laser beam is also used to sample the DUT. For each cycle of the test pattern, the reference and probe beams sample the DUT at the same physical location, but at displaced times with respect to each other. Each reference measurement is made at a fixed time relative to the test pattern while the probe measurements are scanned through the test-pattern time portion of interest, in the manner normal to equivalent time sampling, to reconstruct the waveform. For each test cycle, the ratio of these two measurements is taken. The fluctuations of these ratios due to noise is greatly reduced as compared to fluctuations of the probe measurements taken alone. Thus, a smaller number of averages is required to reconstruct the waveform.