US5196802A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and apparatus for characterizing the quality of electrically thin semiconductor films
Assignee: United States Department of the Navy
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Filing: 1990-04-23
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Granted: 1993-03-23
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Expires: 2010-04-23
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for characterizing the quality of an electrically thin semiconductor film and its interfaces with adjacent materials by employing a capacitor and a topside electrical contact on the same side of the electrically thin semiconductor film to thereby permit the taking of capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurements. A computer controlled C-V measuring system is operatively coupled to the contact and capacitor to modulate the potential on the capacitor. Variation of the voltage applied to the capacitor enables modulation of the potential applied to the film to thereby vary the conductivity of the film between the capacitor gate node and the topside contact.
Inventors
- 👤 Mark L. Burgener
- 👤 Graham A. Garcia
- 👤 Ronald E. Reedy
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 07:22
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01R; G01R31/00; G01R31/28; G01R31/282; G01R31/2831
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 48
Claim 1
Independent Claim
51 words
A method of characterizing electrically thin semiconductor films, comprising the steps of: (a) forming a capacitor and a separate electrical contact on the same side of said electrically thin semiconductor film; and (b) measuring electrical transfer characteristics of said capacitor to determine the electrical characteristics of said electrically thin semiconductor film.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
51 words
A method of characterizing electrically thin semiconductor films, comprising the steps of: (a) forming a capacitor and a separate electrical contact on the same side of said electrically thin semiconductor film; and (b) measuring electrical transfer characteristics of said capacitor to determine the electrical characteristics of said electrically thin semiconductor film.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said electrically thin semiconductor film is formed on an insulating substrate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 2 wherein forming said capacitor and forming said separate electrical contact are performed substantially concurrently.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said measuring includes connecting a measuring system to said capacitor and said separate electrical contact.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 4 wherein said measuring also includes taking capacitance and voltage measurements of said capacitor to determine the electrical characteristics of said electrically thin semiconductor film and its interfaces with adjacent materials.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said measuring includes taking capacitance and voltage measurements to determine the electrical transfer characteristics of said capacitor.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said measuring includes: applying a small amplitude sinusoidal driving signal to said capacitor; and measuring in-phase and out-of-phase components of said capacitor's response to the application of said driving signal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said measuring of in-phase and out-of-phase components is performed using a lock-in amplifier.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said step of measuring includes the step of substantially simultaneously deriving the capacitance and resistance of the region of said electrically thin semiconductor film between said capacitor and said separate electrical contact.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
58 words
An apparatus for characterizing an electrically thin semiconductor film comprising: an electrically thin semiconductor film having a capacitor and a separate electrical contact constructed on the same side of said film; and means electrically connected to said capacitor and said electrical contact for measuring electrical transfer characteristics of said capacitor to thereby characterize said electrically thin semiconductor film.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
58 words
An apparatus for characterizing an electrically thin semiconductor film comprising: an electrically thin semiconductor film having a capacitor and a separate electrical contact constructed on the same side of said film; and means electrically connected to said capacitor and said electrical contact for measuring electrical transfer characteristics of said capacitor to thereby characterize said electrically thin semiconductor film.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said apparatus includes: a layer of insulating substrate supporting said electrically thin semiconductor film.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said measuring means is a capacitance-voltage measuring system electrically connected to said capacitor and said separate electrical contact.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
57 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said measuring means comprises: means for applying a small amplitude sinusoidal driving signal to said capacitor; and means connected to said capacitor and said electrical contact and to said signal applying means for measuring in-phase and out-of-phase components of the response of said capacitor to the application of said driving signal.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said response measuring means is a lock-in amplifier.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said signal applying means is a function generator.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said means for measuring includes means for substantially simultaneously deriving the capacitance and resistance of the region of said electrically thin semiconductor film between said capacitor and said separate electrical contact.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
53 words
A method of characterizing the quality of an electrically thin semiconductor film comprising the steps of: modulating the electrical potential at one location on a surface of said film; and measuring the variation in electrical conductivity of said film between said one location and another location on said same surface of said film.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
53 words
A method of characterizing the quality of an electrically thin semiconductor film comprising the steps of: modulating the electrical potential at one location on a surface of said film; and measuring the variation in electrical conductivity of said film between said one location and another location on said same surface of said film.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 17 wherein said film is a fully depleted film.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 18 wherein said step of modulating includes the step of forming a capacitor on said surface.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 19 wherein said capacitor is an integrated circuit capacitor having said semiconductor film as a portion thereof.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 19 wherein said step of measuring includes forming a contact on said surface of said film, said contact being remote from said capacitor.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 21 wherein said step of modulating includes applying a voltage to said capacitor and varying said voltage.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 22 wherein said step of measuring includes the step of measuring the capacitance of the region of said semiconductor film between said capacitor and said contact.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 17 wherein said step of measuring includes the step of substantially simultaneously deriving the capacitance and resistance of the region of said electrically thin semiconductor film between said one location and said other location.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
63 words
A method of characterizing the quality of a semiconductor film comprising the steps of: modulating the electrical potential at one location on a surface of said film, said modulating including the step of forming a capacitor on said surface; and measuring the variation in electrical conductivity of said film between said one location and another location on said same surface of said film.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
63 words
A method of characterizing the quality of a semiconductor film comprising the steps of: modulating the electrical potential at one location on a surface of said film, said modulating including the step of forming a capacitor on said surface; and measuring the variation in electrical conductivity of said film between said one location and another location on said same surface of said film.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 25 wherein said film is a fully depleted film.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 26 wherein said capacitor is an integrated circuit capacitor having said semiconductor film as a portion thereof.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 27 wherein said step of measuring includes forming a contact on said surface of said film, said contact being remote from said capacitor.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 28 wherein said step of modulating includes applying a voltage to said capacitor and varying said voltage.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 29 wherein said step of measuring includes the step of measuring the capacitance of the region of said semiconductor film between said capacitor and said contact.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
77 words
An apparatus for characterizing the quality of a semiconductor film on an insulating substrate comprising: means for modulating the electrical potential at one location on the surface of said film; means for measuring the variation in electrical conductivity of said film between said one location and another location on the same surface of said film; a capacitor formed on a surface of said film; and a separate electrical contact formed on said same surface of said film.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
77 words
An apparatus for characterizing the quality of a semiconductor film on an insulating substrate comprising: means for modulating the electrical potential at one location on the surface of said film; means for measuring the variation in electrical conductivity of said film between said one location and another location on the same surface of said film; a capacitor formed on a surface of said film; and a separate electrical contact formed on said same surface of said film.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 25 wherein said step of measuring includes the step of substantially simultaneously deriving the capacitance and resistance of the region of said semiconductor film between said one location and said other location.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 31 wherein said modulating means comprises: a function generator operatively connected to said capacitor.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 33 wherein said measuring means comprises: a phase sensitive amplifier.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 34 wherein said phase sensitive amplifier is a lock-in amplifier.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 35 further comprising a computer operatively connected to said amplifier.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 34 further comprising a computer operatively connected to said amplifier.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 31 wherein said film is a semiconductor film for which there exists some surface potential such that a change in this potential results in a change in the potential at the semiconductor/substrate interface.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 31 wherein said means for measuring includes means for substantially simultaneously deriving the capacitance and resistance of the region of said semiconductor film between said one location and said other location.
Claim 45
Independent Claim
82 words
An apparatus for characterizing the quality of a semiconductor film on an insulating substrate comprising: means for modulating the electrical potential at one location on the surface of said film; and means for measuring electrical variations in said film between said one location and another location on the same surface of said film, said means for measuring including means for substantially simultaneously deriving the capacitance and resistance of the region of said semiconductor film between said one location and said other location.
Claim 46
Independent Claim
82 words
An apparatus for characterizing the quality of a semiconductor film on an insulating substrate comprising: means for modulating the electrical potential at one location on the surface of said film; and means for measuring electrical variations in said film between said one location and another location on the same surface of said film, said means for measuring including means for substantially simultaneously deriving the capacitance and resistance of the region of said semiconductor film between said one location and said other location.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 40 wherein said film is a semiconductor film for which there exists some surface potential such that a change in this potential results in a change in the potential at the semiconductor/substrate interface.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 41 wherein said means for measuring includes means for substantially simultaneously deriving the capacitance and resistance of the region of said semiconductor film between said one location and said other location.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-03-22 | 1996-09-21 | 1997-03-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-03-22 | 2000-09-21 | 2001-03-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-03-22 | 2004-09-21 | 2005-03-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |