Apparatus and method for characterizing structures within an integrated circuit

摘要

An apparatus and method of utilizing an electron beam and ion beam microscope in combination with nanomanipulators to improve the accuracy of the characterization of structures within an integrated circuit. Probes attached to the nanomanipulators, i.e., nano-probes, are applied to the features of interest via a first trench, while physical dimensions of the features of interest are altered via a second trench. As such, the nano-probes may remain attached to the feature being characterized, while alteration of the feature is conducted from the second trench to obtain 3-dimensional characterization of the feature of interest with improved accuracy. The nano-probes may also be used to apply the test stimulus to the features of interest, or conversely, an electron beam microscope may be used.