Image generating method, image generating device, image generating program, and storage medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10656187-B2
Application number	US-201615770536-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 5, 2016
Priority date	Oct 30, 2015
Publication date	May 19, 2020
Grant date	May 19, 2020

Abstract

An image generating device is an apparatus for acquiring an image which shows a direction of an electric current flowing through a semiconductor device. The image generating device comprises a signal application unit configured to apply a stimulation signal to the semiconductor device, a magnetic detection unit configured to output a detection signal based on a magnetism generated by an application of the stimulation signal, and an image generation unit configured to generate phase image data comprising a phase component which indicates a phase difference based on the phase difference between the detection signal and a reference signal which is generated based on the stimulation signal and generate an electric current direction image which shows the direction of the electric current based on the phase image data.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of generating an image which shows a direction of an electric current flowing through a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
applying a stimulation signal to the semiconductor device;
detecting a magnetism generated by an application of the stimulation signal and outputting a detection signal;
generating phase image data comprising a phase component which indicates a phase difference based on the phase difference between the detection signal and a reference signal which is generated based on the stimulation signal; and
generating an electric current direction image which shows the direction of the electric current based on magnetism direction data in the thickness direction of the semiconductor device, derived from the phase image data.

2. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the electric current direction image shows the direction of the electric current with a plurality of colors set according to the direction.

3. The method of claim 2 ,
wherein the plurality of colors are different colors set with respect to at least four angle ranges divided to correspond to the direction of the electric current.

4. The method of claim 2 ,
wherein generating the electric current direction image comprises changing a correspondence relationship between the direction of the electric current and the plurality of colors.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating data in which the magnetism direction data is added to intensity image data indicating an intensity of the magnetism generated from the detection signal and generating an electric current intensity image showing an intensity of the electric current based on the data.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
generating an electric current image showing the intensity and the direction of the electric current based on the electric current intensity image and the electric current direction image.

7. An image generating device for acquiring an image which shows a direction of an electric current flowing through a semiconductor device, the image generating device comprising:
a signal applicator configured to apply a stimulation signal to the semiconductor device;
a magnetic detector configured to output a detection signal based on a magnetism generated by an application of the stimulation signal; and
a processor configured to generate phase image data comprising a phase component which indicates a phase difference based on the phase difference between the detection signal and a reference signal which is generated based on the stimulation signal and generate an electric current direction image which shows the direction of the electric current based on magnetism direction data in the thickness direction of the semiconductor device, derived from the phase image data.

8. The image generating device of claim 7 ,
wherein the processor is configured to show the direction of the electric current with a plurality of colors set according to the direction.

9. The image generating device of claim 8 ,
wherein the plurality of colors are different colors set with respect to at least four angle ranges divided to correspond to the direction of the electric current.

10. The image generating device of claim 8 ,
wherein the processor has a color table comprising data of the plurality of colors and an angle table comprising data of the angle ranges divided to correspond to the direction of the electric current, and
the processor is configured to change a correspondence relationship between the color table and the angle table.

11. The image generating device of claim 7 ,
wherein the processor is configured to generate data in which the magnetism direction data is added to intensity image data indicating an intensity of the magnetism generated from the detection signal and generate an electric current intensity image showing an intensity of the electric current based on the data.

12. The image generating device of claim 11 ,
wherein the processor is configured to generate an electric current image showing the intensity and the direction of the electric current based on the electric current intensity image and the electric current direction image.

13. The image generating device of claim 7 ,
wherein the magnetic detector comprises a light source which generates light, a magneto-optical crystal which is disposed to face the semiconductor device, an irradiation optical system which irradiates the magneto-optical crystal with the light and guides light reflected from the magneto-optical crystal, and a light detector which detects the light reflected from the magneto-optical crystal and outputs the detection signal.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium recording an image generating program for causing a computer to execute a process of acquiring an image showing a direction of an electric current flowing through a semiconductor device by applying a stimulation signal to the semiconductor device, the image generating program causing a computer to function as:
a phase image data generation unit configured to generate phase image data comprising a phase component which indicates a phase difference based on the phase difference between a detection signal based on a magnetism generated by the application of the stimulation signal and a reference signal generated based on the stimulation signal; and
an image generation unit configured to generate an electric current direction image which shows the direction of the electric current based on magnetism direction data in the thickness direction of the semiconductor device, derived from the phase image data.

Assignees

• Hamamatsu Photonics Kk

Inventors

• Otaka Akihiro
• Nakamura Tomonori

Classifications

• G01R31/311 Primary

  of integrated circuits {(G01R31/31728 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• G01R19/14 Primary

  Indicating direction of current; Indicating polarity of voltage · CPC title

• G01N27/72

  by investigating magnetic variables · CPC title

• G01R31/2601

  Apparatus or methods therefor (G01R31/2607, G01R31/2642 take precedence) · CPC title

• G01R15/245

  using magneto-optical modulators, e.g. based on the Faraday or Cotton-Mouton effect · CPC title