Electromigration: Studied with the Optical Microscopy Imaging Method

Electromigration is a microscopic phenomenon involving electric field-induced diffusion, which is very relevant to damage in interconnections. A common method for monitoring interconnection degradation is through electrical resistance measurements, which requires direct electrical contact. It is desirable to develop non-contact methods to monitor electromigration damage formation. In this thesis, we propose a novel Optical Microscopy Imaging Method (OMIM), and we provide a theoretical description and experimental results. OMIM not only provides a new method for studying electromigration, but also provides a useful method for studying other micro-devices and materials in a non- contact mode.