Semiconductors are everywhere—from the processors in our laptops to the inverters powering electric vehicles. But behind each device is a carefully engineered material system, where even the slightest variation in structure or composition can impact performance, reliability, and yield. 

As we push the limits of device performance, we also push the limits of what needs to be measured, and advanced material characterisation is essential. That’s where multimodal confocal microscopy comes in. 

What is Multimodal Confocal Microscopy? 

Multimodal confocal microscopy brings together several characterisation techniques, typically Raman spectroscopy, photoluminescence (PL), and fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM), into a single platform. Each one tells a different part of the story: 

• Raman reveals structural details: strain, crystallinity, and even chemical phase. 
• PL tells us how the material behaves electronically, especially around defects and interfaces. 
• FLIM gives temporal insights about how long charge carriers survive before recombining. 

By combining them, we get a more complete picture of what’s really going on inside the material, all without physically touching or damaging the sample. 

The Classics: Silicon, SiC, and GaN 

Let’s start with the materials that make up most of today’s electronic infrastructure. 

• Silicon (Si) has been the workhorse of the industry for decades. It’s well understood, but that doesn’t make it simple, especially not at today’s feature sizes. Strain engineering, doping gradients, and thermal effects are now central to device performance. Raman microscopy is excellent for mapping local stress and identifying damage at the microscale. PL is a powerful for imaging recombination efficiency, critical in solar cells and power devices. 

• Silicon carbide (SiC) is the material of choice for high-power and high-temperature applications, especially in EVs and industrial electronics. Its performance depends on crystal quality, dopant distribution, and polytype—all of which can be analysed using Raman imaging. Shifts and shape changes in phonon modes give you a window into carrier concentration and structural uniformity.  

• Gallium nitride (GaN) is a key material in RF and power conversion. It allows for faster switching and greater efficiency, but only if the layer quality is right. Strain from lattice mismatch or processing defects can hurt performance. Raman picks up on these issues quickly, while PL highlights emission efficiency and defect levels. Imaging both modes side-by-side gives you a direct link between structural quality and device functionality. 

What About the Up and Comers? 

Materials like GaAs, InP, and 2D semiconductors are increasingly used in photonics, quantum devices, and flexible electronics. Others, like perovskites, CdTe, and organic semiconductors, are pushing the boundaries in solar cells and sensors. These materials are often sensitive, tunable, and highly defect-dependent.  

In each case, the ability to cross-reference data from different contrast mechanisms, vibrational, optical, and temporal, gives researchers and engineers the confidence to move fast without missing critical details. 

Real-World Case Studies: What We’ll Cover 

In our upcoming webinar, we’ll walk through several case studies showing how multimodal microscopy is being used in both research and industry: 

• Simultaneous Raman and PL imaging in silicon wafers. 

• Doping, polytype, and defect mapping in SiC power electronics. 

• Correlated Raman/PL imaging of GaN LEDs. 

• Carrier dynamics in perovskites using FLIM. 

• Correlated Raman, PL, and photocurrent imaging in organic solar cells.  

• Full-wafer analysis for uniformity and process control. 

We’ll also show how instruments like the RM5 and RMS1000 are configured for these workflows, equipped with multiple lasers and automated mapping systems to make these measurements accessible and repeatable. 

Why It Matters 

As semiconductors get more complex, characterisation needs to keep pace. It’s no longer enough to ask, “What’s the defect?”—we need to understand where it is, how it affects performance, and whether it can be avoided in the next batch. 

Multimodal microscopy gives us that insight. Whether you’re troubleshooting device failures or developing the next generation of materials, it helps you make smarter decisions, faster. 

We hope you’ll join us. 

Sign up today.