Eddy Current Microscopy for Non-contact Evaluation of Electrical Conductivity of Thin Films
Various kinds of thin films made of metallic, semiconductor and polymer materials have been indispensable elements for realizing the advanced integrated circuits in MEMS or NEMS, and the importance of evaluating the electrical conductivity of these films has recently come to the fore. According to the Faraday-Maxwell equation, a magnetic probe oscillating above the conductive film at high frequency locally induces the eddy currents in the film and these eddy currents are closely related with the electromagnetic properties of the film. The eddy current induced in the film generates the vertical magnetic field, and it brings the electromagnetic interaction between the probe tip and the film. The interaction can be observed as the phase changes in the probe oscillation. From the phase changes of oscillating probe, the electrical conductivity of the film may possible to be evaluated in non-contacting manner.
Fig.6 Formation of high density current flow
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