An inspection method for inspecting a semiconductor device which is an object to be inspected includes a step of inputting an input signal to the semiconductor device, a step of irradiating the semiconductor device with light, a step of outputting a result signal indicating a change in a state of the semiconductor device based on an output signal which is output from the semiconductor device to which the input signal is input while the semiconductor device is irradiated with the light, and a step of deriving time information relating to a time from the input of the input signal to the semiconductor device to the output of the result signal.

Defects in an electronic device are detected by capturing a first image from a first side of the electronic device, and capturing a second image from a second side of the electronic device which is different from the first side. The first and second images are captured when an inside of the electronic device is illuminated by light rays passed therethrough. If a defect is present in the electronic device, a profile of the defect is determined based on the first and second images and the electronic device is rejected if it is assessed from the profile of the defect that it is of a type for which the electronic device should be rejected.

Methods of precisely analyzing and modeling band gap energies and electrical properties of a thin film are provided. One method includes: obtaining a substrate and a thin film disposed above the substrate, the thin film including an interfacial layer above the substrate, and a high-k layer above the interfacial layer; determining a thickness of the thin film; analyzing the thin film using deep ultraviolet spectroscopy ellipsometry to determine the photon energy of reflected light; using a model to determine a set of bandgap energies extracted from a set of results of the photon energy of the analyzing step; and determining at least one of: a leakage current from a main bandgap energy, a nitrogen content from a sub bandgap energy, and an equivalent oxide thickness from the nitrogen content and a composition of the interfacial layer.

A method for characterizing a semiconductor sample, said method comprising: shining light on one or more points in said semiconductor sample; measuring one or more voltage decay curves corresponding to said shining of light on said one or more points in said semiconductor sample; extracting one or more intermediate voltage decay curves corresponding to one or more measured voltage decay curves; obtaining one or more normalized decay curves corresponding to one or more intermediate voltage decay curves, each of the said one or more normalized decay curves corresponding to one or more discrete estimates of survival functions; and analyzing said obtained one or more normalized decay curves, said analyzing comprising obtaining one or more discrete estimates of the probability of recombination corresponding to the one or more normalized decay curves, and computing one or more summary statistics corresponding to each of said obtained one or more discrete estimates.

A method for inspecting a semiconductor device structure is provided. The method includes receiving a semiconductor device structure having a to-be-inspected feature. The semiconductor device structure has a first surface and a second surface. The method also includes applying a polymer-containing solution over the first surface of the semiconductor device structure. The method further includes disposing a transparent substrate over the first surface of the semiconductor device structure and the polymer-containing solution. In addition, the method includes irradiating the polymer-containing solution with a light to form an adhesive layer between the transparent substrate and the semiconductor device structure. The adhesive layer bonds the transparent substrate and the semiconductor device structure. The method also includes inspecting the to-be-inspected feature.

A method for inspecting a semiconductor device structure is provided. The method includes receiving a semiconductor device structure having a to-be-inspected feature. The semiconductor device structure has a first surface and a second surface. The method also includes applying a polymer-containing solution over the first surface of the semiconductor device structure. The method further includes disposing a transparent substrate over the first surface of the semiconductor device structure and the polymer-containing solution. In addition, the method includes irradiating the polymer-containing solution with a light to form an adhesive layer between the transparent substrate and the semiconductor device structure. The adhesive layer bonds the transparent substrate and the semiconductor device structure. The method also includes inspecting the to-be-inspected feature.

A heat source position inside a measurement object is identified with high accuracy by improving time resolution. An analysis system according to the present invention is an analysis system that identifies a heat source position inside a measurement object, and includes a condition setting unit that sets a measurement point for one surface of the measurement object, a tester that applies a stimulation signal to the measurement object, a light source that irradiates the measurement point of the measurement object with light, a photo detector that detects light reflected from a predetermined measurement point on the surface of the measurement object according to the irradiation of light and outputs a detection signal, and an analysis unit that derives a distance from the measurement point to the heat source position based on the detection signal and the stimulation signal and identifies the heat source position.

A method and a device for measuring a plurality of semiconductor chips in a wafer array are disclosed. In an embodiment a method for measuring the semiconductor chips in a wafer array, wherein the wafer array is arranged on an electrically conductive carrier so that in each case back contacts of the semiconductor chips are contacted by the carrier, wherein a contact structure is arranged on a side of the wafer array facing away from the carrier, and wherein the contact structure includes a contact element and/or a plurality of radiation-emitting measurement semiconductor chips, includes applying a voltage between the contact structure and the carrier and measuring the semiconductor chips depending on a luminous image which is generated by emitted radiation which is caused simultaneously by fluorescence when the semiconductor chips are illuminated or by a radiation-emitting operation of the measurement semiconductor chips when the voltage is applied.

Methods and systems are presented for analysing semiconductor materials as they progress along a production line, using photoluminescence images acquired using line-scanning techniques. The photoluminescence images can be analysed to obtain spatially resolved information on one or more properties of said material, such as lateral charge carrier transport, defects and the presence of cracks. In one preferred embodiment the methods and systems are used to obtain series resistance images of silicon photovoltaic cells without making electrical contact with the sample cell.

Systems, devices, and methods for performing a non-contact electrical measurement (NCEM) on a NCEM-enabled cell included in a NCEM-enabled cell vehicle may be configured to perform NCEMs while the NCEM-enabled cell vehicle is moving. The movement may be due to vibrations in the system and/or movement of a movable stage on which the NCEM-enabled cell vehicle is positioned. Position information for an electron beam column producing the electron beam performing the NCEMs and/or for the moving stage may be used to align the electron beam with targets on the NCEM-enabled cell vehicle while it is moving.