High-Speed Transient Thermoreflectance Imaging of Microelectronic Devices and Circuits

This article discusses the setup and use of thermoreflectance imaging, a thermal mapping technique with a spatial resolution in the submicron range and a time resolution down to tens of nanoseconds. It describes the basic physics of thermoreflectance measurements and the advantages and limitations of the approach. It also provides examples showing how thermoreflectance imaging is used for thermal characterization, design optimization, and reliability analysis of high-power transistors, electrostatic discharge devices, and copper vias.