Patent ID: 6861666
Filing Date: 2005-03-01
Classification: G01R,H01L

Abstract:
1. A semiconductor test structure suitable for a voltage contrast inspection comprising: one or more test layers corresponding to one or more product layers selected from a plurality of product layers of an integrated circuit (IC) product structure, wherein a number of the selected one or more test layers is less than a total number of the plurality of product layers of the product structure, wherein the test layers comprise a first portion that is designed to have a first potential during the voltage contrast inspection and a second portion that is designed to have a second potential during the voltage contrast inspection, the first potential differing from the second potential; and a substrate, wherein the second portion of the test layers comprises a plurality of second test stubs corresponding to a plurality of second stubs of the IC product structure, wherein the second stubs of the IC product structure are isolated from each other and the second test stubs are coupled together, and wherein the first portion of the test layers comprises a plurality of first test stubs corresponding to a plurality of first stubs of the IC product structure, the first test stubs each being coupled to the substrate or a large conductive structure that is sized to allow the first portion to charge significantly slower than the second portion during the voltage contrast inspection.