Method of detecting semiconductor defects
US6297503A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 9, 1999 |
| Grant date | Oct 2, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 9, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01J2237/2817
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method of detecting defects within a semiconductor device is disclosed. An ion beam is focused in predetermined directions onto an area of a semiconductor device that is believed to have a suspected defect. A portion of the semiconductor device is milled and forms a thin film specimen to be removed from the semiconductor device. The thin film specimen is removed from the semiconductor device and placed onto an insulated film mount. Electrical connection points are created on previously unexposed portions of the thin film specimen by depositing a line of conductive material using a focused ion beam. The surface of the thin film specimen is scanned with an electron beam in a scanning electron microscope and observed for contrast. Processing errors are determined and the lateral resolution is about the electron beam size.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.