Method and apparatus for inspecting patterns

Details Method and apparatus for inspecting patterns Method and apparatus for inspecting patterns

2008-07-01

2008-07-01

Vanore, David A. (Department: 2881)

Radiant energy

Inspection of solids or liquids by charged particles

Electron probe type

C250S306000, C250S307000, C250S311000, C250S492200, C250S492300

Reexamination Certificate

active

11314020

ABSTRACT:
When the electrode potential of a charge control electrode above a wafer is reduced, image brightness is reduced. A point of change in the image brightness is a switching point between a positively charged state of the image and a negatively charged state of the image, showing the weakly charged state of the image. By setting this point of change as an inspecting condition, the amount of electric charges on the surface of the wafer can be reduced, and stable wafer inspection can be performed. It is estimated that an applied voltage V1in FIG.14corresponds to the point of the change and is roughly included in the voltage range of a region enclosed by a broken line in the vicinity of the applied voltage V1. Within this voltage range, the influence of charge on an inspection under the inspecting condition can be reduced.

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