Characterization of semiconductors
Semiconductors characterization is aimed at analyzing several parameters of a semiconductor including the depletion width, defect concentration and optical generation among others. This characterization has been achieved courtesy of three techniques including electric, optical and physical/chemical methods. Electric techniques can be used to determine a number of parameters that include carrier lifetime, mobility of the charges, electric resistivity and depletion layer among others. On the other hand, optical characterization comes in handy in distinguishing parameters related to structural lattice. These properties include reflectance modulation, microscopy and cathodoluminescence technique among others. The physical/chemical techniques are classified into three categories: X-Ray techniques which include among others X-ray topography technique; Ion Beam technology which analyzes the splattering characteristics of semiconductors as well as the SMIS (Secondary Mass Ion Spectrometry); the Electron Beam technology which uses an electron beam to distinguish semiconductors.7Â Under Electron Beam technology, one can use the electron scanning to distinguish semiconductors. Ideally, nearly all of these techniques are silicone-biased. However, with the evolution in technology as manufactures begin to embrace other technologies, for instance, power electronics and photovoltaics, there is need to develop techniques that can analyze other materials apart from silicon.
