ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we discuss characterization techniques that provide spatially resolved information about semiconductor materials, from micron to Angstrom length scales. These methods provide a way to identify extended defects such as dislocations and stacking faults. As the detail continues to reach smaller length scales, our atomiclevel understanding of these defects improves. The chapter begins with a discussion of optical microscopy which, when combined with selective etchants, allows researchers to rapidly evaluate defect concentrations and types. We then discuss techniques that involve scanning electron microscopy, including cathodoluminescence and electron beam induced current measurements. After a brief summary of x-ray and electronbeam diffraction, the principles of transmission electron microscopy are outlined. We conclude with scanning-probe techniques that push spatial resolution to the atomic scale and elucidate phenomena in nanoscale semiconductors.
