Apparatus and method for characterizing structures within an integrated circuit

A semiconductor die characterization system, comprising:

• a dual beam microscope, the dual beam microscope being adapted to generate an electron beam and a focused ion beam;
• a semiconductor die including a feature of interest, wherein milled trenches generated on either side of the feature of interest by the focused ion beam exposes two sides of the feature of interest;
• and
• a plurality of nano-probes coupled to a first side of the feature of interest, the plurality of nano-probes being adapted to characterize the feature of interest while physical dimensions of the feature of interest are iteratively altered by the focused ion beam.

A method of characterizing a device under test contained within a semiconductor die using a semiconductor die characterization system, the method comprising:

• identifying the device under test contained within the semiconductor die;
• milling first and second trenches to expose first and second sides of the device under test utilizing a focused ion beam of the semiconductor die characterization system;
• iteratively altering the device under test using the focused ion beam;
• and
• characterizing the device under test after each iterative alteration, wherein a test stimulus used to characterize the device under test remains in contact with the device under test during the iterative alterations,
• wherein iteratively altering the device comprises iteratively extending the second trench toward the first trench.