Method of inspecting pattern and inspecting instrument

A method of inspecting a semiconductor device comprising the steps of:

• irradiating a face of a semiconductor wafer formed with a junction with an electron beam at predetermined intervals by a previously designated number of times under a condition in which the junction constitutes rearward bias;
• detecting a signal of electrons secondarily generated from the face of the wafer by the electron beam;
• displaying a potential contrast image by the signal of the detected electrons;
• and
• detecting a charge alleviated state of the face of the wafer by the potential contrast image and specifying a location of causing retention leakage in the face of the wafer by a degree of the charge alleviated state,
• wherein the intervals for irradiating the electron beam are shorter than charge alleviating time in the face of the wafer.

An inspection system of a semiconductor device comprising:

• an electron source;
• an electron beam optics unit for irradiating an electron beam to a substrate of a semiconductor device formed with a junction;
• a sample base for mounting the substrate;
• a detector for detecting a signal of electrons secondarily generated by irradiating the electron beam to the substrate;
• a means for visualizing the signal of the detected electrons;
• a controlling means for controlling to irradiate the electron beam to the same location on the substrate at predetermined intervals by a plurality of times;
• and
• a means for deriving a charge alleviated state of the substrate by using an image of the electron beam at and after an n-th time previously designated in the plurality of times of irradiations in images of the electron beam provided by irradiating the electron beam and specifying a location of causing retention leakage at a surface of the substrate by a degree of the charge alleviated state,
• wherein the intervals for irradiating the electron beam are shorter than a charge alleviating time in the face of wafer, and
• wherein the image of the electron beam at a designated region of the substrate is successively acquired by moving the sample base by step and repeat.