Method of inspecgin a leakage current characteristic of a dielectric layer

Abstract

A method of inspecting a leakage current of a dielectric layer on a substrate including a cell array region having a plurality of cell blocks including a patterned structure, the dielectric layer formed on the patterned structure, and a peripheral circuit region includes depositing a corona ion charge on a cell block selected from the plurality of cell blocks and measuring a variance of a surface voltage caused by a leakage current through the dielectric layer on the selected cell block. The variance of the surface voltage is compared with reference data to determine a leakage current characteristic of the dielectric layer.

1 . A method of inspecting a leakage current characteristic of a dielectric layer on a substrate having a cell array region that includes a patterned structure, a plurality of cell blocks formed on the patterned structure and a peripheral circuit region, the method comprising: 
 depositing a corona ion charge on a cell block selected from the plurality of cell blocks;    measuring a variance of a surface voltage caused by a leakage current through the dielectric layer on the selected cell block on which the corona ion charge is deposited; and    comparing the measured variance of the surface voltage with reference data to determine the leakage current characteristic of the dielectric layer.    
   
   
       2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising, before depositing the corona ion charge: 
 obtaining an image of the substrate; and    aligning a corona charger for generating the corona ion charge with the selected cell block based on the image.    
   
   
       3 . The method as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising aligning a probe for measuring the variance of the surface voltage on the selected cell block based on the image.  
   
   
       4 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein measuring the variance of the surface voltage comprises: 
 providing a probe having a size corresponding to that of the selected cell block; and    aligning the probe with the selected cell block.    
   
   
       5 . The method as claimed in  claim 4 , further comprising selecting the probe from a plurality of probes having different sizes.  
   
   
       6 . The method as claimed in  claim 4 , further comprising selecting the probe from a plurality of probes having different shapes.  
   
   
       7 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , before depositing the corona ion charge, further comprising pre-aligning the substrate on the basis of a notch in the substrate.  
   
   
       8 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the reference data comprises reference spectra representing variances of reference surface voltages obtained from different reference dielectric layers.  
   
   
       9 . The method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein determining the leakage current characteristic comprises comparing the reference spectra with a measurement spectrum representing the measured variance of the surface voltage.  
   
   
       10 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the reference data comprises a reference spectrum representing a variance of a reference surface voltage obtained from a reference dielectric layer.  
   
   
       11 . The method as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein determining the leakage current characteristic comprises comparing an initial reference voltage of the reference spectrum with an initial measurement voltage obtained from a measurement spectrum representing the measured variance of the surface voltage.  
   
   
       12 . The method as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein determining the leakage current characteristic comprises comparing a voltage drop rate of the reference spectrum with a voltage drop rate of a measurement spectrum representing the measured variance of the surface voltage.  
   
   
       13 . The method as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein determining the leakage current characteristic comprises comparing a steady-state voltage of the reference spectrum with a steady-state voltage of a measurement spectrum representing the measured variance of the surface voltage.  
   
   
       14 - 30 . (canceled)  
   
   
       31 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising aligning a probe for measuring the variance of the surface voltage on the selected cell block.  
   
   
       32 . The method as claimed in  claim 31 , further comprising selecting the probe from a plurality of probes having different sizes.  
   
   
       33 . The method as claimed in  claim 32 , wherein the probe selected has a size corresponding to a width of the selected cell block.  
   
   
       34 . The method as claimed in  claim 31 , further comprising vibrating the probe.  
   
   
       35 . The method as claimed in  claim 5 , further comprising vibrating the probe.  
   
   
       36 . The method as claimed in  claim 6 , further comprising vibrating the probe.