The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
Feb. 13, 2018

Filed:

Dec. 02, 2016
Applicant:

Fei Efa, Inc., Fremont, CA (US);

Inventors:

Vladimir A. Ukraintsev, Allen, TX (US);

Richard Stallcup, Frisco, TX (US);

Sergiy Pryadkin, McKinney, TX (US);

Mike Berkmyre, Princeton, TX (US);

John Sanders, Dallas, TX (US);

Assignee:

FEI EFA, Inc., Fremont, CA (US);

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G01R 31/317 (2006.01); G01Q 60/18 (2010.01); G01R 31/311 (2006.01); G01Q 10/06 (2010.01); G01Q 30/04 (2010.01); G01Q 60/10 (2010.01); G01Q 60/30 (2010.01); G01Q 60/46 (2010.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G01R 31/31728 (2013.01); G01Q 10/065 (2013.01); G01Q 30/04 (2013.01); G01Q 60/10 (2013.01); G01Q 60/18 (2013.01); G01R 31/311 (2013.01); G01Q 60/30 (2013.01); G01Q 60/46 (2013.01);
Abstract

A method for testing an integrated circuit (IC) using a nanoprobe, by using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to register the nanoprobe to an identified feature on the IC; navigating the nanoprobe to a region of interest; scanning the nanoprobe over the surface of the IC while reading data from the nanoprobe; when the data from the nanoprobe indicates that the nanoprobe traverse a feature of interest, decelerating the scanning speed of the nanoprobe and performing testing of the IC. The scanning can be done at a prescribed nanoprobe tip force, and during the step of decelerating the scanning speed, the method further includes increasing the nanoprobe tip force.


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