Patent · US Expired

Apparatus and method for characterizing thin film and interfaces using an optical heat generator and detector

US5748317A · kind A · utility

66Cited by
15References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 21, 1997
Grant dateMay 5, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 21, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N21/171
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An optical heat generation and detection system generates a first non-destructive pulsed beam of electromagnetic radiation that is directed upon a sample containing at least one interface between similar or dissimilar materials. The first pulsed beam of electromagnetic radiation, a pump beam (21a), produces a non-uniform temperature change within the sample. A second non-destructive pulsed beam of electromagnetic radiation, a probe beam (21b), is also directed upon the sample. Physical and chemical properties of the materials, and of the interface, are measured by observing changes in a transient optical response of the sample to the probe beam, as revealed by a time dependence of changes in, by example, beam intensity, direction, or state of polarization. The system has increased sensitivity to interfacial properties including defects, contaminants, chemical reactions and delaminations, as compared to conventional non-destructive, non-contact techniques. One feature of this invention is a determination of a Kapitza resistance at the interface, and the correlation of the determined Kapitza resistance with a characteristic of the interface, such as roughness, delamination, the prese…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.