Automatic sequencing of FIB operations
US6031229A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 20, 1998 |
| Grant date | Feb 29, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 20, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01J37/3053
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method of processing a semiconductor device comprises: applying a focused ion beam to a structure of a semiconductor device to be processed; producing a live detector signal by detecting secondary electrons emitted as the focused ion beam is applied to the structure; comparing the live detector signal with a reference trace having a region indicative of an expected material boundary and a stop marker within said region; and terminating or altering a FIB operation when the live detector signal exhibits a characteristic corresponding to said region of the reference trace. The reference trace can be generated in accordance with the invention by applying a focused ion beam to a reference structure of a semiconductor device; producing a reference detector signal by detecting secondary electrons emitted as the focused ion beam is applied to the reference structure; and preparing from the reference signal a reference trace defining said region indicative of said expected material boundary and said stop marker within the region. The reference trace and the live detector signal are preferably normalized by compensating their average contrast levels, e.g., by applying automatic gain contro…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.