Contactless electrical testing of large area specimens using electron beams

Abstract
An e‐beam test system has been developed to detect opens and shorts in three‐dimensional networks of conductors embedded in a dielectric matrix. The specimens, which measure up to 100×100 mm, are tested electrically without making physical contact and without mechanical stepping. The system comprise two flood beams and a focused probe beam deflected over the full specimen area at a resolution of better than 3000 lines at 1–2 kV beam energy. One flood gun is located at the rear, the other at the front of the specimen. The change in secondary emission imposed by impinging electrons charging or discharging the surface is detected as voltage contrast which allows one to discriminate between uninterrupted and interrupted as well as shorted pairs of conductors. The physical concept, the contrast mechanism, and the electron optics of the system will be presented together with experimental results.