Abstract: The present application discloses various implementations of a laser scanning module. In one implementation, such a laser scanning module comprising an optical isolator including first and second linear polarizers, a collimating optics configured to receive light produced by a laser light source and to pass a substantially collimated light beam to the first linear polarizer, and a scanning unit situated to receive light passed by the second linear polarizer. The first linear polarizer is separated from the collimating optics by a first distance less than a second distance separating the second linear polarizer from the scanning unit.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an optical isolation module includes first and second linear polarizers, a Faraday rotator situated between the first and second linear polarizers and a transmissive element including a half-wave plate also situated between the first and second linear polarizers. In one embodiment, a method for performing optical isolation includes rotating an axis of polarization of a linearly polarized light beam by a first rotation in a first direction, and selectively rotating a portion of the linearly polarized light beam by a second rotation in the first direction to produce first and second linearly polarized light beam portions. As a result, the first linearly polarized light beam portion undergoes the first rotation, and the second linearly polarized light beam portion undergoes the first and second rotations. The method further includes filtering one of the first and second linearly polarized light beam portions to produce a light annulus.

Abstract: The present application discloses various implementations of a laser scanning module. In one implementation, such a laser scanning module comprising an optical isolator including first and second linear polarizers, a collimating optics configured to receive light produced by a laser light source and to pass a substantially collimated light beam to the first linear polarizer, and a scanning unit situated to receive light passed by the second linear polarizer. The first linear polarizer is separated from the collimating optics by a first distance less than a second distance separating the second linear polarizer from the scanning unit.

Abstract: A silicon photon detector device and methodology are provided for detecting incident photons in a partially depleted floating body SOI field-effect transistor (310) which traps charges created by visible and mid infrared light in a floating body region (304) when the silicon photon detector is configured in a detect mode, and then measures or reads the resulting enhanced drain current with a current detector in a read mode.

Abstract: Lithography using solid immersion lenses is disclosed. In one aspect, an apparatus is provided that includes a resist film that has a first side and a second and opposite side. One or more solid immersion lenses are positioned over the first side of the resist film. In another aspect, a method of manufacturing is provided that includes forming a resist film and exposing the resist film with radiation transmitted through one or more solid immersion lenses.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an optical isolation module comprises first and second linear polarizers, a Faraday rotator situated between the first and second linear polarizers and a transmissive element including a half-wave plate also situated between the first and second linear polarizers. In one embodiment, a method for performing optical isolation comprises rotating an axis of polarization of a linearly polarized light beam by a first rotation in a first direction, and selectively rotating a portion of the linearly polarized light beam by a second rotation in the first direction to produce first and second linearly polarized light beam portions. As a result, the first linearly polarized light beam portion undergoes the first rotation, and the second linearly polarized light beam portion undergoes the first and second rotations. The method further comprises filtering one of the first and second linearly polarized light beam portions to produce a light annulus.

Abstract: A silicon photon detector device and methodology are provided for detecting incident photons in a partially depleted floating body SOI field-effect transistor (310) which traps charges created by visible and mid infrared light in a floating body region (304) when the silicon photon detector is configured in a detect mode, and then measures or reads the resulting enhanced drain current with a current detector in a read mode.

Abstract: Various apparatus and methods of testing a semiconductor chip for soft defects are disclosed. In one aspect, a method of testing a semiconductor chip that has a surface and plural circuit structures positioned beneath the surface is provided. An external stimulus is applied to a series of fractional portions of the surface to perturb portions of the plural circuit structures such that at least one of the series of fractional portions is smaller than another of the series of fractional portions. The semiconductor chip is caused to perform a test pattern during the application of external stimulus to each of the fractional portions to determine if a soft defect exists in any of the series of fractional portions.

Abstract: Various apparatus and methods of testing a semiconductor chip for soft defects are disclosed. In one aspect, a method of testing a semiconductor chip that has a surface and plural circuit structures positioned beneath the surface is provided. An external stimulus is applied to a series of fractional portions of the surface to perturb portions of the plural circuit structures such that at least one of the series of fractional portions is smaller than another of the series of fractional portions. The semiconductor chip is caused to perform a test pattern during the application of external stimulus to each of the fractional portions to determine if a soft defect exists in any of the series of fractional portions.

Abstract: Various devices for mounting circuit devices and methods of making the same are provided. In aspect, a device is provided that includes a member for holding an integrated circuit. The member contains a first plurality of carbon nanotubes to enhance the thermal conductivity thereof. At least one conductor member projects from the member. In another aspect, a method of fabricating an interface for an electronic component is provided that includes forming a member containing a first plurality of carbon nanotubes and forming at least one conductor on the member.

Abstract: Analysis of a semiconductor die having silicon-on-insulator (SOI) structure is enhanced by accessing the circuitry within the die from the back side without necessarily breaching or needing to breach the thin insulator layer of the SOI structure. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, a portion of substrate is removed from the back side of a semiconductor die having a SOI structure and a backside opposite circuitry in a circuit side. An exposed region is formed where the substrate has been removed. A detectable response from the exposed region is induced, for example, by an electron beam, as a function of a portion of the active circuitry within the die.

Abstract: A light reflected from a semiconductor die is used for enhanced control of substrate removal from the die. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, light reflected from a semiconductor die as it is undergoing substrate removal is used to detect the progress of the substrate removal process, and the removal process is controlled therefrom. In different embodiments, the reflected light is used to detect the removal of a portion of a layer of material in the die and to detect the removal of an entire layer of material.

Abstract: Various devices for mounting circuit devices and methods of making the same are provided. In aspect, a device is provided that includes a member for holding an integrated circuit. The member contains a first plurality of carbon nanotubes to enhance the thermal conductivity thereof. At least one conductor member projects from the member. In another aspect, a method of fabricating an interface for an electronic component is provided that includes forming a member containing a first plurality of carbon nanotubes and forming at least one conductor on the member.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the disclosure and a particular example application directed to a flip-chip packaged die, a method for detecting a defect in a surface of the die includes directing light through a first beam splitter; directing light of a known wavelength at the beam splitter, wherein the first beam splitter is adapted to direct a first beam of light into the back side of the semiconductor die which reflects a second beam of light back; and redirecting the second beam to a second beam splitter, the second beam splitter generating third and fourth beams of light. Analysis of the third and fourth beams of light is then performed, and this analysis can include using detectors in respective paths of the third and fourth beams of light to generate an arrival time differential and then comparing the differential with a reference previously generated using a nondefective die.

Abstract: Circuitry within a semiconductor die is analyzed by applying an electric field without necessarily directly accessing the circuitry. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, an electric field is applied to a semiconductor die and used to stimulate circuitry therein. A photoemission response of the die to the electric field is detected and used to detect an electrical characteristic of the die. This is particularly useful in applications where it is desired to direct stimulation to the die from an external source and to also externally detect a response of the die to the stimulation. In this manner, the die can be tested without necessarily directly contacting the die and, when the electric field is applied in a scanning mode over the die, can be effected without necessarily knowing the location of a defect in the die.

Abstract: Circuitry within a semiconductor die is analyzed by applying an electric field without necessarily directly accessing the circuitry. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, an electric field is applied to a semiconductor die and used to stimulate circuitry therein. A response of the die to the electric field is detected and used to detect an electrical characteristic of the die. This is particularly useful in applications where it is desired to direct stimulation to the die on a nanoscale level, such as when using a fine probe tip (e.g., a scanning probe microscope tip) to apply the electric field. In this manner, the response of the die can be mapped to circuitry within a few nanometers of the probe tip.

Abstract: According to an example embodiment, a system for testing a semiconductor die is provided. The semiconductor die has circuitry on one side and silicon on an opposite side, and the opposite side may be AR coated. The opposite side is thinned, the die is powered, and a portion of the circuitry is heated to cause a reaction (e.g., a circuit failure or recovery) in a target region. The circuitry is monitored, and the circuit that reacts to the heat is detected and analyzed.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is analyzed and manufactured using a heat-exchange probe. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, a heat-exchange probe is controlled to exchange heat to a portion of a semiconductor device using sub-micron resolution. In one implementation, sub-micron resolution is achieved using a navigational arrangement, such as microscope, adapted to direct light to within about one micron of a target circuit portion on a plane of the device. In another implementation, a physical heat probe tip (e.g., a metal probe having about a one micron diameter probe tip) is navigated to a selected portion of the device using sub-micron navigational resolution. In each of these implementations, as well as others, the heat exchange is preponderantly confined to within about a one micron radius of a target portion of circuitry on lateral plane of the device.

Abstract: An integrated circuit die having silicon on insulator (SOI) structure is analyzed in a manner that improves the ability to obtain a signal from the SOI structure. According to one example embodiment, a stimulating device is adapted to stimulate an integrated circuit having SOI structure. An electro-optic probe arrangement is focused on a selected portion of the integrated circuit in a manner that makes possible the detection of a response to the stimulation from the SOI selected portion. In this manner electro-optic probing portions of an integrated circuit having SOI structure is enhanced.

Abstract: According to an example embodiment of the present invention, a portion of substrate in the back side of a semiconductor chip is removed as a function of photons emitted through substrate remaining at the back side. The use of emitted photons is used to control the substrate removal process.