Method of repairing defect of structure

A method of repairing a bump defect of a structure obtained by forming a predetermined pattern on a substrate, comprising the steps of:

• flattening an upper portion of the bump defect by providing a coating formed of a photosensitive resin or a resin which cross-links or decomposes in the presence of charged particles;
• forming a flattening film locally in a region where the bump defect is present, by irradiating only said region with light or charged particles and developing;
• simultaneously removing the bump defect and those portions of the flattening film which are located on and around the bump defect by FIB assisted etching wherein at least one of FIB energy, a gas selection, a gas combination, a gas pressure and a ratio of partial gas pressures is controlled, said bump defect and said portions of the flattening film being simultaneously removed at a substantially identical processing rate;
• and
• removing those portions of the flattening film which remain after the simultaneous removing step.

A method of repairing a divot defect of a structure obtained by forming a predetermined pattern on a substrate, comprising the steps of:

• filling the divot defect with a filling material and forming a projection protruding from a surface of the substrate;
• covering a region where the projection is present with flattening film which is formed of a material different from a material of the substrate, so as to flatten an upper portion of the projection;
• simultaneously removing the projection and those portions of the flattening film which are located on and around the projection by use of a charged particle beam;
• and
• removing those portions of the flattening film which remain after the simultaneous removing step.