Patent ID: 6088474
Filing Date: 2000-07-11
Classification: B81C

Abstract:
A method for inspecting micromechanical devices, comprising the steps of:(a) providing a semiconductor device containing movable micromechanical elements as a part thereof which are movable in response to predetermined voltages applied to said semiconductor device;(b) selecting a first micromechanical element of said micromechanical elements in a first region on said device for inspection;(c) sending a first predetermined voltage to said first micromechanical element to provide said micromechanical element with power;(d) capturing an image of the response of said first micromechanical element to said first predetermined voltage;(e) optically analyzing said image to determine if said micromechanical element is operational at said first predetermined voltage;(f) incrementing said voltage to a second predetermined voltage different from said first predetermined voltage;(g) repeating said steps of sending, capturing and optically analyzing; and(h) selecting a second micromechanical element in a second region on said device and repeating all of said steps (c) through (g) on said second micromechanical element until a characterization of electrical operation of each of said micromechanical elements has been produced.