Patent ID: 8908348
Filing Date: 2014-12-09
Classification: B82Y,H01J

Abstract:
1. A wafer grounding and biasing apparatus adaptable to a charged particle beam apparatus, comprising: a wafer mount for supporting a wafer substrate; a single grounding pin arranged to be in contact with at least one backside film formed on a backside of the wafer substrate; and a grounding pulse generator for providing at least one pulse current to the single grounding pin via a switch for driving the single grounding pin such that dielectric breakdown occurring at the backside films forms a current path through the backside films, wherein said switch only connecting the single grounding pin to either the grounding pulse generator or a wafer bias supply, and the switch does not connect to a ground; wherein said pulse current flows in the wafer substrate through the current path and then only flows out of the wafer substrate via at least one current return path formed from capacitive coupling between the wafer substrate and the wafer mount.