This work analyses samples of the widely used encapsulant of photovoltaics modules, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA). The samples were cross-linked using a lamination technique for different curing times (0 - 20 minutes). The cross-linking characterization is done by determinating the material dispersion with the aid of a combined temporal- and spectral domain white-light interferometer. With the proposed technique it was possible to discriminate the differences in crosslinking for the given curing times. One important feature of this approach is the possibility to perform space resolved measurements of the crosslinking state with μm-resolution. Furthermore the paper discusses the mathematical analysis and processing of measurement data and shows a prototype solution for the fast and automated data acquisition for industrial application

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The increase in efficiency and precision in the production of semiconductor structures under the use of polymeric materials like SU-8 is crucial in securing the technological innovation within this industry. The manufacturing of structures on wafers demands a high quality of materials, tools and production processes. In particular, deviations in the materials' parameters (e.g. cross-linking state, density or mechanical properties) could lead to subsequent problems such as a reduced lifetime of structures and systems. In particular problems during the soft and post-exposure bake process can lead to an inhomogeneous distribution of material properties. This paper describes a novel approach for the characterization of SU-8 material properties in relation to a second epoxy-based material of different cross-linking by the measurement of optical dispersion within the material. A white-light interferometer was used. In particular the setup consisted of a white-light source, a Michelson-type interferometer and a spectrometer. The investigation of the dispersion characteristics was carried out by the detection of the equalization wavelength for different positions of the reference arm in a range from 400 to 900 nm. The measured time delay due to dispersion ranges from 850 to 1050 ps/m. For evaluation purposes a 200 µm SU-8 sample was characterized in the described setup regarding its dispersion characteristics in relation to bulk epoxy material. The novel measurement approach allowed a fast and high-resolution material characterization for SU-8 micro structures which was suitable for integration in production lines. The outlook takes modifications of the experimental setup regarding on-wafer measurements into account.