Imaging of large-scale integrated circuits using laser terahertz emission microscopy

We present the redesign and improved performance of the laser terahertz emission microscope (LTEM), which is a potential tool for locating electrical failures in integrated circuits. The LTEM produces an image of the THz waves emitted when the circuit is irradiated by a femtosecond laser; the amplitude of the THz emission is proportional to the local electric field. By redesigning the optical setup and improving the spatial resolution of the system to below 3 μm, we could extend its application to examining of large-scale integration circuits. As example we show the THz emission pattern of the electric field in an 8-bit microprocessor chip under bias voltage.