Methods and systems of performing device failure analysis, electrical characterization and physical characterization
AssigneeDCG Systems, Inc.
InventorTheodore R. Lundquist
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An analysis system has a charged particle beam instrument and a scanning probe microscope operably coupled with the charged particle beam instrument. A stage defines an aperture, the stage is adapted to support the sample over the aperture and finely move the sample at least along an X and Y axis, the aperture further situated in an operable area of the charged particle beam. The charged particle beam is used to mill the sample, while the scanning probe microscope is used to measure elements exposed by the milling.
Claims24
A method of analyzing a sample using a charged particle beam column defining a charged particle beam axis and an in situ scanning probe microscope, comprising:
- positioning the sample so that a site of interest is positioned within a operable area of the charged particle beam;
- operating a charged particle beam column so as to mill a sectional area of the site of interest;
- and
- in situ operating the scanning probe microscope so as to image the exposed sectional area of the site of interest by scanning a probe tip over the sample to thereby produce a topographic image of the sectional area.
An analysis system comprising:
- a charged particle beam instrument defining a charged particle beam axis;
- a scanning probe microscope operably coupled with the charged particle beam instrument, the scanning probe comprising a probe tip configured for scanning over exposed surface of a sample to thereby produce a topographic image of the exposed surface;
- a stage defining an aperture, the stage adapted to support the sample over the aperture and finely move the sample at least along an X and Y axis, the aperture further situated in an operable area of the charged particle beam and the probe tip.
An analysis system comprising:
- a charged particle beam instrument defining a charged particle beam axis;
- a scanning probe microscope operably coupled with the charged particle beam instrument, the scanning probe microscope comprising a probe tip configured for scanning over exposed surface of a sample to thereby produce a topographic image of the exposed surface;
- a stage defining an aperture, the stage adapted to support the sample over the aperture and finely move the sample at least along an X, Y and rotational axis, the aperture further situated in an operable area of the charged particle beam.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.