Inspection of inconsistencies in and on semiconductor devices and structures

摘要

Disclosed embodiments are generally related to semiconductor device inspection. One such embodiment involves positioning a detector at a distance from a surface of the semiconductor device being inspected and applying an energy to the semiconductor device. In the disclosed embodiment, the detector receives back-scattered energy resulting from applying the energy to the semiconductor device and the resultant back-scattered energy is processed and analyzed to determine whether defects are beneath the surface of the semiconductor device. The magnitude of the applied energy and the distance between the detector and the surface of the semiconductor device are selected so as to allow back-scattered electrons returned from applying to be effectively received by the detector.

主权项

1. A method of inspecting a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
positioning a detector at a first distance from a surface of the semiconductor device; applying, from an energy source, an energy of a first magnitude to the semiconductor device; receiving, by the detector, a resultant energy of a second magnitude returned from the applying; processing the received resultant energy; and determining a presence of an inconsistency buried under the surface of the semiconductor device based on the processing; wherein at least one of the first magnitude and the first distance is selected so as to allow back-scattered electrons returned from the applying to be received by the detector.