| 摘要 |
Disclosed are techniques for efficiently inspecting defects on voltage contrast test structures. Improved test structures for facilitating such techniques are also provided. In one embodiment, the methodologies and test structures allow inspection to occur entirely within a charged particle (e.g., e-beam) system, such as a step and repeat e-beam system. In a specific embodiment, a method of localizing and imaging defects in a semiconductor test structure suitable for voltage contrast inspection is disclosed. A charged particle beam based tool is used to determine whether there are any defects (e.g., open or short defects) present within a voltage contrast test structure. The same charged particle beam based tool is then used to locate defects determined to be present within the voltage contrast test structure. For each localized defect, the same charged particle beam based tool may then be used to generate a high resolution image of the localized defect whereby the high resolution image can later be used to classify the each defect. In one embodiment, the determination as to whether there are any defects present within the voltage contrast test structure is accomplished by inspecting a single area of the voltage contrast test structure that fits within the charged particle beam based tool field of view. In an alternative embodiment, the defect's presence and location are determined without rotating the test structure relative to the charged particle beam.
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