1 Minute

Januar 06, 2026

Device and method for determining properties of electrically conductive or dielectric layers

Veröffentlicht von Udo Krause , IFW-Dresden (3 Monate, 1 Woche her aktualisiert)

The patent relates to a device and method for determining material properties of thin layers, in particular electrically conductive or dielectric layers, using acoustic surface waves.The invention is based on an arrangement comprising:at least two interdigital transducers (IDTs) arranged on a solid-state substrate,a layer system applied to the substrate, anda measurement and optimization unit.Acoustic surface waves are generated and detected by the IDTs.The electrical reflection factor as a function of frequency is measured and compared with calculated values derived from an optimization algorithm.The method enables the determination of at least one material property of the layer system, including:elastic constants,density, and/orlayer thickness.A central feature of the invention is the use of an optimization software that iteratively varies the material parameters until a global or local minimum of an objective function is reached, based on the difference between measured and calculated reflection factors.

The Challenge

Determining elastic and structural properties of thin conductive or dielectric layers is often:

  • destructive,

  • limited to single parameters, or

  • dependent on complex sample preparation.

This restricts process control and material qualification.

 

The Patented Solution

A non-destructive measurement system using:

  • interdigital transducers generating acoustic surface waves, and

  • an optimization-based evaluation of frequency-dependent reflection factors.

The method enables simultaneous determination of multiple material parameters from a single measurement setup.

 

Key Technical Advantages

  • Non-destructive characterization

  • Applicable to conductive and dielectric layers

  • Multi-parameter evaluation (elastic constants, density, thickness)

  • Optimization-based accuracy using measured and calculated data

  • Suitable for single- and multi-layer systems

 

Application Scope

  • Thin-film characterization

  • Electronic and microsystem materials

  • Coating analysis and quality control

  • Research and industrial measurement environments

 

Value for License Partners

  • Enhanced material characterization capabilities

  • Integration into existing measurement and testing systems

  • Improved process monitoring and quality assurance

  • Differentiation through patented measurement methodology

 

Licensing Models

  • Device licensing

  • Method licensing

  • Application-specific licensing

 

Target License Partners

  • Manufacturers of measurement and testing equipment
    Companies developing instruments for material, thin-film, or coating analysis.

  • Suppliers of acoustic or sensor-based characterization systems
    Organizations specializing in surface acoustic wave technologies.

  • Industrial electronics and microsystems companies
    Firms requiring precise, non-destructive evaluation of thin-layer materials.

  • Research infrastructure and laboratory equipment providers
    Suppliers of advanced characterization tools for R&D environments.

 

Options for Joint Development

  • Integration into existing measurement platforms
    Joint development to embed the patented method into established test systems.

  • Application-specific system development
    Adaptation of the device and method to defined layer systems or materials.

  • Software and evaluation co-development
    Extension of optimization algorithms for specific industrial use cases.

  • Field-limited licensing with validation cooperation
    Licensing combined with joint experimental validation on application-relevant samples.





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