High resolution heat exchange
US6836132B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 29, 2002 |
| Grant date | Dec 28, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 29, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01R31/303
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
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. With this approach, heat exchange can be controlled to selectively stimulate circuitry within the device, which is particularly useful in high-density circuit implementations.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.