Patent ID: 7183546
Filing Date: 2007-02-27
Classification: G01R,H01J,H01L

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: (a) scanning a surface of a semiconductor wafer with a charged particle beam along at least one scan line while maintaining an electrode located at a vicinity of the wafer at a first voltage that is more positive than a voltage level of a first scanned portion of the wafer, collecting charged particles scattered from the first scanned portion; and generating an image of the first scanned portion in response to characteristics of the collected charged particles; (b) scanning the charged particle beam along at least one other scan line while maintaining the electrode at a second voltage that is lower than a voltage level of a second scanned portion of the wafer so as to passivate a positive charge generated in the wafer during scanning of the first scanned portion; (c) repeating scanning steps (a) and (b) until an image of a predefined section of the wafer is generated.