Electron beam-induced current

Among other parameters, the performance of electronic devices is also affected by the lifetime, ?, of the minority carriers of the semiconductors they are built from. The electron beam-induced current (EBIC) method in association with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) is one of the most powerful techniques for measuring ? owing to its high (submicrometer) spatial resolution and accuracy, especially for small ?. By the EBIC method it is also possible to detect and analyze electrically active defects that are very detrimental in semiconductor devices, as they strongly reduce ? locally and eventually can cause device failure. Another technique that is able to give similar information is cathodoluminescence