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Continuous movement scans of test structures on semiconductor integrated circuits

  • US 6,524,873 B1
  • Filed: 08/25/2000
  • Issued: 02/25/2003
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1999
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method for detecting electrical defects on test structures of a semiconductor die, the semiconductor die comprising a plurality of first test structures that are designed to have a first voltage potential during a voltage contrast inspection and a plurality of second test structures that are designed to have a second voltage potential during a voltage contrast inspection, wherein the first voltage potential differs from the second voltage potential, comprising:

  • a. with a charged particle beam, inspecting a region of the semiconductor die continuously in a first direction so that a plurality of field of views of portions of the region are continuously obtained, thereby obtaining voltage contrast data from the multiple field of views indicative of whether there are defective test structures in the region; and

    b. analyzing the voltage contrast data to determine whether there are one or more defective test structures.

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