A method of testing a substrate, particularly a packaging substrate, with at least one electron beam column is described. The packaging substrate can be a panel level packaging substrate or an advanced packaging substrate. The method includes: placing the substrate on a stage in a vacuum chamber; directing the electron beam of the at least one electron beam column with a landing energy U.sub.pe, a first beam diameter BD.sub.1 and a first impact angle .sub.1 on one or more first surface contact points on the substrate; directing the electron beam with at least one of a second beam diameter BD.sub.2 and a second impact angle .sub.2 on one or more second surface contact points different from the one or more first surface contact points, wherein at least one of the following applies: i) the first impact angle .sub.1 is different from the second impact angle .sub.2, and ii) the second beam diameter BD.sub.2 is different from the first beam diameter BD.sub.1; and detecting signal electrons emitted upon impingement of the electron beam for testing at least a first device-to-device electrical interconnect path of the substrate.

A method of defect detection includes providing a wafer including an insulating layer formed over a conductive layer. An opening is formed in the insulating layer by an etch process. A metal material is deposited in the opening and then etched to form a recess in the insulating layer so that a top surface of the metal material is below a top surface of the insulating layer. The wafer is polished so that the top surface of the metal material and the top surface of the insulating layer are co-planar. The wafer is characterized by electron beam inspection in voltage contrast mode to determine whether a defect of the etch process exists. The defect exists when a VC signal of the opening is below a threshold, and the defect does not exist when the VC signal of the opening is at or above the threshold.

A method of defect detection includes providing a wafer including an insulating layer formed over a conductive layer. An opening is formed in the insulating layer by an etch process. A metal material is deposited in the opening and then etched to form a recess in the insulating layer so that a top surface of the metal material is below a top surface of the insulating layer. The wafer is polished so that the top surface of the metal material and the top surface of the insulating layer are co-planar. The wafer is characterized by electron beam inspection in voltage contrast mode to determine whether a defect of the etch process exists. The defect exists when a VC signal of the opening is below a threshold, and the defect does not exist when the VC signal of the opening is at or above the threshold.

A method for testing an array of devices, each having an electrical connection between two electrodes controllable by a signal applied to a control element, comprises: applying a reference electric potential to a first electrode of the two electrodes of each device; directing a charged particle beam onto a second electrode of the two electrodes of each device; varying a signal applied to the control element of each device; and monitoring, for each signal applied, signal charged particles from the second electrode of each device.

A method for testing a packaging substrate with at least one electron beam column is described, wherein the packaging substrate is a panel level packaging substrate or an advanced packaging substrate. The method includes placing the packaging substrate on a stage in a vacuum chamber; directing at least one electron beam of the at least one electron beam column on at least a first portion of the packaging substrate; directing the at least one electron beam of the at least one electron beam column on at least a second portion of the packaging substrate; detecting signal electrons emitted upon impingement of the at least one electron beam for testing a first device-to-device electrical interconnect path of the packaging substrate; and illuminating at least a third portion of the packaging substrate with UV radiation.

A method for testing a packaging substrate with at least one electron beam column is described, wherein the packaging substrate is a panel level packaging substrate or an advanced packaging substrate. The method includes placing the packaging substrate on a stage in a vacuum chamber; directing at least one electron beam of the at least one electron beam column on at least a first portion of the packaging substrate; directing the at least one electron beam of the at least one electron beam column on at least a second portion of the packaging substrate; detecting signal electrons emitted upon impingement of the at least one electron beam for testing a first device-to-device electrical interconnect path of the packaging substrate; and illuminating at least a third portion of the packaging substrate with UV radiation.

A method for testing a packaging substrate with at least one electron beam column is described. The packaging substrate is a panel level packaging substrate or an advanced packaging substrate. The method includes placing the packaging substrate on a stage in a vacuum chamber; flooding at least portions of the vacuum chamber with positive ions and/or negative charges; generating an electric field between one or more electrodes and the packaging substrate, the electric field being configured to accelerate the positive ions or the negative charges towards the substrate; and testing the packaging substrate in the vacuum chamber with at least one electron beam column.

Embodiments of the present disclosure improve the performance of charged particle beam systems during imaging and/or microanalysis, at least in part by permitting a system and/or user to account for the influence of electromagnetic interference on beam direction and/or shape. Techniques are described for identifying, tracking, and/or correcting electromagnetic interference-induced beam drifts, as well as techniques for localizing defects in integrated circuit devices.

Embodiments of the present disclosure improve the performance of charged particle beam systems during imaging and/or microanalysis, at least in part by permitting a system and/or user to account for the influence of electromagnetic interference on beam direction and/or shape. Techniques are described for identifying, tracking, and/or correcting electromagnetic interference-induced beam drifts, as well as techniques for localizing defects in integrated circuit devices.

Provided is a sample inspection apparatus capable of identifying a capacitive fault or a potential faulty point where an electrical tolerance is low. The sample inspection apparatus includes: a charged particle optical system configured to irradiate a sample 19 with a charged particle beam; a first probe 21a configured to come into contact with the sample; an amplifier 23 having an input terminal to which the first probe is connected; and a phase detection unit 40 to which an output signal of the amplifier is input, in which an AC voltage is applied to the first probe, and the phase detection unit detects the output signal of the amplifier using a reference signal synchronized with the AC voltage and having the same frequency as the AC voltage.