Abstract: A method of quantum efficiency (QE) photovoltaic measurement is provided that includes coupling measurement electronics to a p-n junction of a Cell Under Test (CUT) that are capable of measuring a pulsed DC photocurrent. The measurement electronics output a response by the CUT to turning on and turning off the pulsed DC photocurrent that are digitized and analyzed for the magnitude that is representative of a conversion efficiency of the CUT to a wavelength of the DC photocurrent, where a measured decay time represents the p-n junction or the minority carrier lifetime. The CUT is exposed to the pulsed DC photocurrent, where signatures of the response to turning off and on to the pulsed DC photocurrent overlap, where a combined amplitude of the response is proportional to an efficiency of a production of photocarriers, where a value of a spectral response at a wavelength is determined.

Abstract: A method of quantum efficiency (QE) photovoltaic measurement is provided that includes coupling measurement electronics to a p-n junction of a Cell Under Test (CUT) that are capable of measuring a pulsed DC photocurrent. The measurement electronics output a response by the CUT to turning on and turning off the pulsed DC photocurrent that are digitized and analyzed for the magnitude that is representative of a conversion efficiency of the CUT to a wavelength of the DC photocurrent, where a measured decay time represents the p-n junction or the minority carrier lifetime. The CUT is exposed to the pulsed DC photocurrent, where signatures of the response to turning off and on to the pulsed DC photocurrent overlap, where a combined amplitude of the response is proportional to an efficiency of a production of photocarriers, where a value of a spectral response at a wavelength is determined.

Abstract: The present invention provides a high-speed Quantum Efficiency (QE) measurement device that includes at least one device under test (DUT), at least one conditioned light source with a less than 50 nm bandwidth, where a portion of the conditioned light source is monitored. Delivery optics are provided to direct the conditioned light to the DUT, a controller drives the conditioned light source in a time dependent operation, and at least one reflectance measurement assembly receives a portion of the conditioned light reflected from the DUT. A time-resolved measurement device includes a current measurement device and/or a voltage measurement device disposed to resolve a current and/or voltage generated in the DUT by each conditioned light source, where a sufficiently programmed computer determines and outputs a QE value for each DUT according to an incident intensity of at least one wavelength of from the conditioned light source and the time-resolved measurement.

Abstract: The current invention provides a shunt defect detection device that includes a device under test (DUT) that is fixedly held by a thermally isolating mount, a power source disposed to provide a directional bias condition to the DUT, a probe disposed to provide a localized power to the DUT from the power source, an emission detector disposed to measure a temporal emission from the DUT when in the directional bias condition, where the measured temporal emission is output as temporal data from the emission detector to a suitably programmed computer that uses the temporal data to determine a heating rate of the DUT and is disposed to estimate an overheat risk level of the DUT, where an output from the computer designates the DUT a pass status, an uncertain status, a fail status or a process to bin status according to the overheat risk level.

Abstract: The present invention provides a high-speed Quantum Efficiency (QE) measurement device that includes at least one device under test (DUT), at least one conditioned light source with a less than 50 nm bandwidth, where a portion of the conditioned light source is monitored. Delivery optics are provided to direct the conditioned light to the DUT, a controller drives the conditioned light source in a time dependent operation, and at least one reflectance measurement assembly receives a portion of the conditioned light reflected from the DUT. A time-resolved measurement device includes a current measurement device and/or a voltage measurement device disposed to resolve a current and/or voltage generated in the DUT by each conditioned light source, where a sufficiently programmed computer determines and outputs a QE value for each DUT according to an incident intensity of at least one wavelength of from the conditioned light source and the time-resolved measurement.

Abstract: The current invention provides a shunt defect detection device that includes a device under test (DUT) that is fixedly held by a thermally isolating mount, a power source disposed to provide a directional bias condition to the DUT, a probe disposed to provide a localized power to the DUT from the power source, an emission detector disposed to measure a temporal emission from the DUT when in the directional bias condition, where the measured temporal emission is output as temporal data from the emission detector to a suitably programmed computer that uses the temporal data to determine a heating rate of the DUT and is disposed to estimate an overheat risk level of the DUT, where an output from the computer designates the DUT a pass status, an uncertain status, a fail status or a process to bin status according to the overheat risk level.

Abstract: A method of improving the precision and speed of probe microscopy. Direct geometric measurement of relevant date points allows more rapid determination of critical dimensions while improving measurement precision through minimized system drift. Precision and throughput is further improved by deflection-based measurement. Sensitivity to soft contacts is improved by using diagonal approach trajectories for the probe tip (20). And throughput is improved while risk of damage to tip and/or surface is reduced by using lateral force detection.

Abstract: An electron analyzer and its method of operation useful for determining the intensity of a peak in the electron spectrum. The invention is particularly useful for determining the intensity of an Auger peak of a given element in the sample being probed and associating the intensity with a concentration of that element in the sample. The electron spectrum is measured above and below the anticipated peak. The data near the peak are not used. The remaining data above the peak and below the peak are fit to respective equations linearly dependent upon the measurement energy. The difference of the two equations at the value of the peak energy is associated with the peak intensity and the elemental concentration. The invention can be applied to measuring nitrogen concentration in a thin protective film of amorphous carbon or diamond.

Abstract: An electron analyzer and its method of operation useful for determining the intensity of a peak in the electron spectrum. The invention is particularly useful for determining the intensity of an Auger peak of a given element in the sample being probed and associating the intensity with a concentration of that element in the sample. The electron spectrum is measured above and below the anticipated peak. The data near the peak are not used. The remaining data above the peak and below the peak are fit to respective equations linearly dependent upon the measurement energy. The difference of the two equations at the value of the peak energy is associated with the peak intensity and the elemental concentration. The invention can be applied to measuring nitrogen concentration in a thin protective film of amorphous carbon or diamond.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring the thickness of a thin coating, having a thickness on the order of 1 to 10 nm, of one material formed over a substrate of another material of significantly different atomic number, for example, a carbon coating on a ferromagnetic substrate. A primary radiation source, for example, of electrons or X-ray, creates low-energy secondary electrons in the substrate. The intensity of inelastically scattered electrons generally increases with film thickness. The secondary electron spectrum measured for a test sample is compared with the spectra for a plurality of similar reference samples of the same set of compositions, and a test thickness is thereby determined. The method may be practice on conventional electron spectrometers with the addition of some programmed analysis. Various techniques are available for extracting the data and comparing the test and reference data.