Charged particle beam device probe operation

• US 7,675,300 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2007
• Issued: 03/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DCG Systems Incorporated (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Zyvex Instruments LLC (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Folaron, Robert J., Nelson, Jay C., Hartman, Adam, Stallcup, Richard E. II, Baur, Christof, Foster, Philip C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Ha Tran T
• Assistant Examiner(s): BENITEZ ROSARIO, JOSHUA
• Application Number:
  US11/957,835
• Publication Number:
  US 20080150557A1
• Time in Patent Office: 813 Days
• Field of Search: 324/158.1, 324750-752, 324/758, 324/765, 250306-311, 250/397, 250/442.11
• US Class Current: 324/754.22
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/28 Preparing specimens for investigation including physical details of (bio-)chemical methods covered elsewhere, e.g. G01N33/50, C12Qmounting specimens on microscopic slides G02B21/34; means for supporting the objects or the materials to be analysed in electron microscopes H01J37/20 ; laboratory gas handling apparatus B01L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/32 Polishing; Etching
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/307 of integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/20 Positioning, supporting, modifying or maintaining the physical state of objects being observed or treated
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/2008 specially adapted for studying electrical or magnetical properties of objects
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/206 Modifying objects while observing
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/24592 Inspection and quality control of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/2594 Measuring electric fields or potentials
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/28 Scanning microscopes
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/2817 Pattern inspection
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/31745 for preparing specimen to be viewed in microscopes or analyzed in microanalysers
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3056 for microworking, e.g. etching of gratings, trimming of electrical components trimming of resistors H01C17/22

Abstract

An apparatus including a positioner control device, a measuring device and a control routine. The positioner control device is communicatively coupled to a chamber of a charged particle beam device (CPBD) and is configured to individually manipulate each of a plurality of probes within the CPBD chamber to establish contact between ones of the plurality of probes and corresponding ones of a plurality of contact points of a sample positioned in the CPBD chamber. The measuring device is communicatively coupled to the CPBD and the positioner control device and is configured to perform one of a measurement and a detection of a characteristic associated with one of the plurality of contact points. The control routine is configured to at least partially automate control of at least one of the CPBD, the positioner control device and the measuring device.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

transferring a probe to a chamber of a charged particle beam device (CPBD);

establishing contact between the probe and a contact point of a device under test (DUT) positioned within the CPBD chamber;

measuring a characteristic of the DUT while the probe is contacting the DUT contact point;

contacting a first probe tip of the probe with a second probe tip of another probe within the CPBD chamber, prior to establishing contact between the probe and the DUT contact point; and

heating the first probe tip such that a portion of material forming the first probe tip dislodges to sharpen the first probe tip, prior to establishing contact between the probe and the DUT contact point;

wherein at least one of the transferring, the establishing and the measuring is via substantial automation.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the transferring, the establishing and the measuring is via substantial automation.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising mechanically coupling the probe and a probe positioner via substantial automation prior to transferring the probe to the CPBD chamber.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising at least one of:

positioning the DUT within the CPBD chamber via substantial automation prior to establishing contact between the probe and the CPBD;

de-processing the DUT via substantial automation prior to establishing contact between the probe and the DUT contact point;

preparing the DUT via substantial automation prior to establishing contact between the probe and the DUT contact point;

assessing via substantial automation an electrical quality of contact between the probe and the DUT contact point after establishing the contact;

conditioning the probe via substantial automation if the assessed electrical quality does not fall within predetermined acceptance criteria; and

retracting the DUT from the CPBD chamber via substantial automation after measuring the DUT characteristic.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising at least one of preparing, conditioning and characterizing the probe via substantial automation within the CPBD chamber.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing the probe within the CPBD chamber via substantial automation.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising exchanging the probe with an additional probe positioned within the CPBD chamber, wherein the exchanging is via substantial automation.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the probe is one of first and second probes positioned in the CPBD chamber, and wherein measuring the DUT characteristic includes:

exposing one of the first and second probes to a charged particle beam (CPB) of the CPBD; and

examining a current in at least one of the first and second probes, wherein the current is indicative of which of the first and second probes is exposed to the CPB.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one of the transferring, the establishing and the measuring via substantial automation includes controlling a positioner controller to position at least one of the DUT and the probe within the CPBD chamber.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein transferring the probe to the CPBD chamber includes storing at least one end-effector in a storage structure that is positioned within the CPBD chamber.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein establishing contact between the probe and the contact point of the DUT comprises positioning control by at least partial automation of at least one of:

orientation of the DUT within the CPBD chamber;

orientation of the probe within the CPBD chamber; and

relative orientation of the probe and the DUT within the CPBD chamber.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising, after measuring the characteristic:

collecting data regarding the characteristic;

storing the collected data;

processing the stored data; and

transferring electronically the processed data to an apparatus configured to electronically communicate with the CPBD;

wherein at least one of the collecting, storing, processing and transferring is via substantial automation.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein measuring the characteristic includes:

examining at least one of a shift and motion of an image of at least one of the probe and the DUT; and

determining at least one of a status and a change in status of an electrical characteristic of at least one of an environment of the CPBD chamber, the DUT located with the CPBD chamber, and the probe located within the CPBD chamber, wherein the determining is based on the at least one of the image shift and motion.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one of the transferring, the establishing and the measuring via substantial automation includes controlling a positioner controller to position at least one of the DUT and the probe within the CPBD chamber.

15. A method, comprising:

transferring a probe to a chamber of a charged particle beam device (CPBD);

establishing contact between the probe and a contact point of a device under test (DUT) positioned within the CPBD chamber; and

measuring a characteristic of the DUT while the probe is contacting the DUT contact point;

wherein at least one of the transferring, the establishing and the measuring is via substantial automation;

wherein transferring the probe to the CPBD chamber includes storing at least one end-effector in a storage structure that is positioned within the CPBD chamber; and

wherein the probe is an examination probe, wherein the end-effector includes the examination probe and an assembly probe extending in opposing directions, and wherein the assembly probe is configured to couple with a positioner.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising establishing a connection between the assembly probe and a corresponding socket of the positioner.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein each of the transferring, the establishing and the measuring is via substantial automation.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising mechanically coupling the probe and a probe positioner prior to transferring the probe to the CPBD chamber.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising at least one of:

positioning the DUT within the CPBD chamber via substantial automation prior to establishing contact between the probe and the CPBD;

de-processing the DUT via substantial automation prior to establishing contact between the probe and the DUT contact point;

preparing the DUT via substantial automation prior to establishing contact between the probe and the DUT contact point;

assessing via substantial automation an electrical quality of contact between the probe and the DUT contact point after establishing the contact;

conditioning the probe via substantial automation if the assessed electrical quality does not fall within predetermined acceptance criteria; and

retracting the DUT from the CPBD chamber via substantial automation after measuring the DUT characteristic.

20. The method of claim 15 further comprising at least one of preparing, conditioning and characterizing the probe via substantial automation within the CPBD chamber.

21. The method of claim 15 further comprising storing the probe within the CPBD chamber.

22. The method of claim 15 further comprising exchanging the probe with an additional probe positioned within the CPBD chamber.

23. The method of claim 15 wherein the probe is one of first and second probes positioned in the CPBD chamber, and wherein measuring the DUT characteristic includes:

exposing one of the first and second probes to a charged particle beam (CPB) of the CPBD; and

examining a current in at least one of the first and second probes, wherein the current is indicative of which of the first and second probes is exposed to the CPB.

24. The method of claim 15 further comprising, after measuring the characteristic:

collecting data regarding the characteristic;

storing the collected data;

processing the stored data; and

transferring electronically the processed data to an apparatus configured to electronically communicate with the CPBD;

wherein at least one of the collecting, storing, processing and transferring is via substantial automation.

25. The method of claim 15 wherein measuring the characteristic includes:

examining at least one of a shift and motion of an image of at least one of the probe and the DUT; and

determining at least one of a status and a change in status of an electrical characteristic of at least one of an environment of the CPBD chamber, the DUT located with the CPBD chamber, and the probe located within the CPBD chamber, wherein the determining is based on the at least one of the image shift and motion.

26. The method of claim 15 wherein transferring the probe to the CPBD chamber includes storing at least one end-effector in a storage structure that is positioned within the CPBD chamber.

27. The method of claim 15 wherein establishing contact between the probe and the contact point of the DUT comprises positioning control by at least partial automation of at least one of:

orientation of the DUT within the CPBD chamber;

orientation of the probe within the CPBD chamber; and

relative orientation of the probe and the DUT within the CPBD chamber.