US 12,455,313 B2
Method for testing a packaging substrate, and apparatus for testing a packaging substrate
Bernhard G. Mueller, Finsing (DE); Axel Wenzel, Augsburg (DE); Nikolai Knaub, Munich (DE); and Georg Jost, Munich (DE)
Assigned to Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Appl. No. 18/856,722
Filed by Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
PCT Filed Apr. 28, 2022, PCT No. PCT/EP2022/061388
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 14, 2024,
PCT Pub. No. WO2023/208350, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 2, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2025/0251446 A1, Aug. 7, 2025
Int. Cl. G01R 31/305 (2006.01); G01R 31/28 (2006.01); H01L 21/66 (2006.01)
CPC G01R 31/305 (2013.01) [G01R 31/2896 (2013.01); H01L 22/12 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for testing a packaging substrate (10) for multi-device in-package integration, with at least one electron beam column, the method comprising: placing the packaging substrate (10) on a stage (105) in a vacuum chamber (101); 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; illuminating at least a third portion of the packaging substrate with UV radiation; and providing a reference potential via a conductive stage while illuminating the third portion with UV radiation.
 
15. An apparatus for testing a packaging substrate in accordance with the method for testing a packaging substrate (10) for multi-device in-package integration, with at least one electron beam column, the method comprising: placing the packaging substrate (10) on a stage (105) in a vacuum chamber (101); 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; and providing a reference potential via a conductive stage while illuminating the third portion with UV radiation.
 
16. An apparatus (100) for contactless testing of a packaging substrate (10) for multi-device in-package integration, comprising: a vacuum chamber (101); a stage (105) within the vacuum chamber, the stage being configured to support the packaging substrate and having a conductive stage surface connected directly or indirectly to ground for providing a reference potential; a charged particle beam column (120) configured to generate an electron beam, the charged particle beam column comprising: an objective lens (124) configured to focus the electron beam on the packaging substrate; a scanner configured to scan the electron beam to different positions on the packaging substrate; and an electron detector (140) for detecting signal electrons (113) emitted upon impingement of the electron beam on the packaging substrate; the apparatus further comprising: a UV source assembly configured to illuminate the packaging substrate in the vacuum chamber with one or more pulses of UV radiation while the reference potential is provided; and an analysis unit (141) for determining, based on the signal electrons (113), if a first device-to-device electrical interconnect path (20) is defective.