Comparison of Contactless Measurement and Testing Techniques to a New All-Silicon Optical Test and Characterization Method

The rapid improvement in performance and increased density of electronic devices in integrated circuits has provided a strong motivation for the development of contactless testing and diagnostic measurement methods. This paper first reviews existing contactless test methodologies and then compares these with an all-silicon contactless testing approach that has been recently developed and demonstrated. This cost-effective approach utilizes silicon-generated optical signals and has the advantages of easy test setup, low equipment cost, and noninvasiveness over existing contactless test and measurement methods.