DETECTION OF MICROSTRUCTURE DEFECT

• Main Authors: PEREZ PIERRE, LO CHIWOEI WAYNE
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 05.12.2013
• Subjects: APPLICATIONS OF SCANNING-PROBE TECHNIQUES, e.g. SCANNING PROBEMICROSCOPY [SPM]; BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; MEASURING; MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES; PHYSICS; SCANNING-PROBE TECHNIQUES OR APPARATUS; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; TESTING

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method and a device for detecting the defect especially of a microstructure including a through hole.SOLUTION: The method for detecting the defect of a microstructure includes a step for introducing a charged particle beam to a wafer 220 so that a region having a contact hole or a via hole is charged with the negative polarity, a step for scanning with a charged particle beam while detecting secondary particles so as to generate a detection output signal, a step for determining the apparent dimensions of a through hole from the detection output signal, and a step for comparing the apparent dimensions of a through hole with the reference information so as to detect a defect. The reference information can be configured with a conventional voltage contrast image, or the design data designating the expected physical size of a contact hole and the electrical connection of a material in or below the contact hole. The wafer is charged by setting the voltage of an energy filter 206 so as to return the secondary electrons to the wafer while directing an electron flood from a flood gun 208 toward the wafer surface.