True temperature measurements on microscopic semiconductor targets

Thermal imaging of microscopic targets has become a critical need in the manufacturing of semiconductors and other electronic devices as thermal budgets become ever more demanding and devices become more compact and powerful. This paper describes the third generation of thermal microimagers, representing the newest advances in a twenty-year evolution of instruments having the unique capability of spatial emissivity correction for 'true' surface temperature measurement. The detection and identification of design and process defects and the management of device thermal budgets are described. The achievement of a measurement spatial resolution of better than 3 micrometers, previously unattainable, is also described.