Static capacitance contrast of LSI covered with an insulator film in low accelerating voltage scanning electron...

A new image contrast is reported for LSIs covered with an insulator film in a low accelerating voltage scanning electron microscope. The surface region above the conducting lines is often observed brighter than that without conducting lines. This contrast is quasi-stationarily observed contrary to well-known capacitive-coupled voltage contrast, and is called static capacitance contrast. The optimum irradiation conditions for the maximum image contrast is studied and its mechanism is discussed.