STTR Phase I: Rapid, Nondestructive Residual Stress Characterization of Semiconductor Materials

这个小型企业技术转移(STTR)第一阶段项目计划利用类似于可见光光弹性的尖端技术来生产红外光弹性应力分析系统，并首次应用于光学不透明但红外透明的材料。该设备将允许以适用于在线检测的速度对硅、化合物半导体、光子材料、薄膜、界面和埋层进行无损、全场应力表征。目前，由于没有有效的商业可用的技术，残余应力没有被常规测量。第一阶段的结果将是一种工业驱动的设计标准，该仪器可以以一种快速、负担得起、易于掌握和易于证明的方式测量这些残余应力。原型应力成像仪将在微电子工业的几乎每一个部分都有应用，包括晶片制造、器件制造、微电子封装和MEMS器件。拟议的仪器将相对便宜，对小型大学、FAB和工程力学实验室来说足够负担得起。最后，确定了电子工业以外的商业应用，包括：检查热障涂层、测量陶瓷中的烧结应力以及聚合物和聚合物复合材料中的固化应力。

This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project proposes to produce an infrared photo-elastic stress analysis system utilizing cutting edge technology analogous to visible light photo-elasticity and applied for the first time to optically opaque, yet infrared transparent, materials. The device will allow nondestructive, full-field stress characterization of silicon, compound semi-conductors, photonic materials, thin films, interfaces, and buried layers at a speed applicable to on-line inspection. Currently, residual stresses are not routinely measured because there are no efficient commercially available techniques. The result of Phase I will be an industrially driven design criteria for an instrument that can measure these residual stresses in a manner that is rapid, affordable, easy to master, and easy to justify. A prototype stress imager will find applications in nearly every portion of the micro-electronics industry including; wafer manufacture, device manufacture, microelectronics packaging, and MEMS devices. The proposed instrument will be relatively inexpensive, affordable enough for small universities, fabs, and engineering mechanics laboratories. Finally, commercial applications outside the electronics industry have been identified, including; inspecting thermal barrier coatings, measuring sintering stresses in ceramics as well as curing stresses in polymers and polymer composites.