Abstract: A semiconductor wafer is irradiated with a linearly polarized infrared light beam. On the basis of changes in the polarized state of the light reflected from the wafer, the distribution of the density of carriers depthwise in the wafer is determined. Distribution of the carrier density in the semiconductor wafer can be measured very rapidly in a contactless manner without destroying the wafer.

Abstract: A device for measuring semiconductor characteristics, wherein electrodes are installed maintaining a gap on the front and back sides of a semiconductor specimen of which the characteristics are to be measured, at least one of the electrodes being transparent, the surface of the semiconductor specimen is scanned with a pulsed narrow photon beam via the transparent electrode, and a photovoltage generated between the front and back surfaces of the semiconductor specimen is taken out from the two electrodes via the capacitive coupling, in order to observe the distribution of characteristics in the surface of the semiconductor specimen.