Patent ID: 7107158

Claim:
An analysis method for inspecting a surface of a sample, comprising the steps of: providing a processing system including a sample scanning system for analyzing defects; fixing the sample upon a sample stage of the sample scanning system; providing a contact potential difference (CPD) sensor having a vibrating contact potential difference (vCPD) sensor mode and a non-vibrating contact potential difference (nvCPD) sensor mode; engaging a positioning mechanism in communication with the CPD sensor in an nvCPD mode whereby the CPD difference sensor is positionable in relation to the sample stage via the positioning mechanism; continuously scanning, via relative motion, the CPD sensor about the sample; generating relative CPD data from the nvCPD mode of the CPD sensor during at least the scanning of the sample relative to the CPD sensor, the relative CPD data being representative of relative CPD along a track of the sample surface relative to the CPD sensor; assembling the relative CPD data to form CPD data representative of the sample surface; identifying at least one point on the sample surface to measure absolute CPD; positioning the CPD sensor above the at least one point in vCPD mode; and generating absolute CPD data for the at least one point.