Measurement system and probe tip landing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12474371-B2
Application number	US-202318170760-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 17, 2023
Priority date	Feb 17, 2023
Publication date	Nov 18, 2025
Grant date	Nov 18, 2025

Abstract

A probe tip landing method for a measurement system is provided. The probe tip landing method includes performing a first descending operation to lower a probe toward a sample by a first descending distance; performing a second descending operation to lower the probe toward the sample; and performing an inspection operation during the second descending operation. The inspection operation includes an imaging operation, scanning the sample to obtain a first image including a probe tip of the probe; and a determining operation, checking the first image to determine that in the first image, whether a region connected with the probe tip becomes bright. The probe tip landing method further includes in response to the region connected with the probe tip in the first image becoming bright, determining that the probe has contacted a surface of the sample and the probe has landed successfully.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A probe tip landing method for a measurement system including a scanning electron microscope, comprising:
performing a first descending operation to lower a probe of the measurement system toward a first region of a sample by a first descending distance; after the first descending operation, performing a second descending operation to lower the probe toward the first region of the sample; performing an inspection operation during the second descending operation, wherein the inspection operation comprises:
an imaging operation, scanning the sample to obtain a first image through the scanning electron microscope, wherein the first image includes a probe tip of the probe; and
a determining operation, checking the first image to determine that in the first image, whether a region connected with the probe tip becomes brighter due to more secondary electrons generated at the region; and
in response to the region connected with the probe tip in the first image becoming brighter, determining that the probe has contacted a surface of the first region of the sample and the probe has landed successfully.

2 . The probe tip landing method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to the region connected with the probe tip in the first image not becoming brighter, determining that the probe has not contacted the surface of the first region of the sample; and repeatedly performing the inspection operation until determining that the probe has contacted the surface of the first region of the sample and the probe has landed successfully.

3 . The probe tip landing method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the second descending operation has a maximum descending distance, and the probe tip landing method further comprises a first ascending operation, the first ascending operation comprises:
when the second descending operation has lowered the probe by the maximum distance, but the inspection operation still determines that the probe has not contacted the surface of the first region of the sample, stopping lowering the probe; and raising the probe in the opposite direction of the sample by the maximum descending distance.

4 . The probe tip landing method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the first descending distance is less than the maximum descending distance.

5 . The probe tip landing method as claimed in claim 3 , further comprising repeatedly performing the first descending operation, the second descending operation, the inspection operation, and the first ascending operation until determining that the probe has contacted the surface of the first region of the sample and the probe has landed successfully.

6 . The probe tip landing method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising after determining that the probe has contacted the surface of the first region of the sample and the probe has landed successfully, performing a second ascending operation to raise the probe in the opposite direction of the sample by a second distance.

7 . The probe tip landing method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the second distance is equal to a descending amount that the probe is lowered in the second descending operation when it is determined that the probe has contacted the surface of the first region of the sample and the probe has landed successfully.

8 . The probe tip landing method as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising performing a measurement operation, the measurement operation lowers the probe by the second distance to make the probe contact metal pads in the first region of the sample and execute measurement.

9 . The probe tip landing method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the first region is a test key, and the probe tip landing method further comprising a measurement operation, the measurement operation moves the probe to a second region of the sample and lowers the probe by the second distance to make the probe contact metal pads in the second region of the sample and execute measurement.

10 . A measurement system including a scanning electron microscope (SEM), the SEM has an electron source, a lens system, and a detector, the measurement system comprises:
a probe; a stage, configured to carry a sample; a motor system, configured to raise and lower the probe, wherein the motor system includes a coarse motor and a fine motor; and a processing device, configured to perform following operations: driving the coarse motor to perform a first descending operation to lower the probe toward a first region of the sample by a first descending distance; after the first descending operation, driving the fine motor to perform a second descending operation to lower the probe toward the first region of the sample; performing an inspection operation during the second descending operation, the inspection operation comprises:
an imaging operation, scanning the sample to obtain a first image through the scanning electron microscope, wherein the first image includes a probe tip of the probe; and
a determining operation, checking the first image to determine that in the first image, whether a region connected with the probe tip becomes brighter due to more secondary electrons generated at the region; and
in response to the region connected with the probe tip in the first image becoming brighter, determining that the probe has contacted a surface of the first region of the sample and the probe has landed successfully.

11 . The measurement system as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the processing device is further configured to perform:
in response to the region connected with the probe tip in the first image not becoming brighter, determining that the probe has not contacted the surface of the first region of the sample; and repeatedly performing the inspection operation until determining that the probe has contacted the surface of the first region of the sample and the probe has landed successfully.

12 . The measurement system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the second descending operation has a maximum descending distance, and the processing device is further configured to perform a first ascending operation, the first ascending operation comprises:
when the second descending operation has lowered the probe by the maximum distance, but the inspection operation still determines that the probe has not contacted the surface of the first region of the sample, stopping lowering the probe; and driving the fine motor to raise the probe in the opposite direction of the sample by the maximum descending distance.

13 . The measurement system as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the first descending distance is less than the maximum descending distance.

14 . The measurement system as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the processing device is further configured to repeatedly perform the first descending operation, the second descending operation, the inspection operation, and the first ascending operation until determining that the probe has contacted the surface of the first region of the sample and the probe has landed successfully.

15 . The measurement system as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the processing device is further configured to perform:
after determining that the probe has contacted the surface of the first region of the sample and the probe has landed successfully, performing a second ascending operation to raise the probe in the opposite direction of the sample by a second distance.

16 . The measurement system as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the second distance is equal to a descending amount that the probe is lowered in the second descending operati

Assignees

• Winbond Electronics Corp
• Windbond Electronics Corp

Inventors

• Liao Hsueh-Cheng

Classifications

• G01Q20/00

  Monitoring the movement or position of the probe · CPC title

• G01R31/307

  of integrated circuits · CPC title

• H01J2237/24564

  Measurements of electric or magnetic variables, e.g. voltage, current, frequency · CPC title

• H01J37/20

  Means for supporting or positioning the object or the material; Means for adjusting diaphragms or lenses associated with the support · CPC title

• H01J37/28

  with scanning beams {(H01J37/268, H01J37/292, H01J37/2955 take precedence)} · CPC title