Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (Suwon-si, KR)

A pattern design that is suitable for inspection of defects, the design including a first floating conductive line, a second floating conducting line; and finally a grounded conductive line disposed between the first floating conductive line and the second floating conductive line. The grounded conductive lines, the first and second floating conductive lines, and grounded conductive lines are divided into a main region subregion, subregions, and a variety of sub-pad areas. The main pad region is located in the first part of the pattern. The ground region is situated at a second end portion of the pattern design. The plurality of subregions and the plurality of sub-pad regions are situated between the pad and ground region.

These creative concepts are related to patterns for integrated circuits. They also include methods of examining the pattern.

Design rules, contact areas and critical dimensions, among other physical characteristics of semiconductor devices, have continuously been reduced as the degree of integration of integrated circuits fabricated using semiconductors has improved.Consequently, electronic circuits formed on substrates have become more complicated and circuit packing density of integrated circuits in substrates has gradually increased. The high circuit packing density of integrated circuits requires highoperational precision during processing/fabrication of circuit units. Accordingly, there is a requirement for more advanced detection technologies to detect problems in electronic circuits.

Embodiments are intended to create a pattern of integrated circuits and an approach to inspecting the design.

The inventive concepts embody the design of a pattern that comprises a first floating and second floating conductive lines as well as an conductive and grounded line in between. The first floating conductive line, the second conductive line floating in the water, and the grounded conductive line are separated into a main pad region as well as a number of subregions, a plurality of sub-pad regions, and an area of ground. The main pad region is situated in the first region of the design. The second end of the design includes the ground area. The plurality of subregions and the plurality of sub-pad regions are positioned between the mainpad region and the ground.

Examples of the inventive ideas further provide a pattern design comprising a first comb line and an additional comb line as well as a serpentine line placed between the first comb line and the second comb line. The first comb line has a horizontal firstmain line and a plurality perpendicular first branch lines. The second comb line includes a second main line extending horizontally and a plurality of second branch lines extendingperpendicularly from the second main line. The serpentine line connects the numerous first branch lines and a number of second branch lines. It is the shape of a serpentine. The first comb line includes a first main pad disposed at the beginning of the main line, and a multitude of first sub-pads, each at the ends of different single branch lines derived from the numerous first branch lines. The second comb line has two mainpads at the first end portion of the second line, and a plurality second sub-pads at the ends of different single branch lines. The serpentine line has an additional mainpad located at the beginning of the serpentine and third sub-pads that are located between the plurality and the second sub-pad.

Implementations of the inventive ideas are further able to provide a defect inspection method of a pattern design that is used with an electronic beam inspection apparatus comprising the controller. The method for defect inspection includes scanning the controller amain pad region formed in the first portion of a design pattern by using a particle beam and creating main pad information; scanning by the controller a first sub-pad region that is formed at the first end part of a first subregion of the pattern design using the particle beam, and generating first sub-pad information and determining by the controller, the status of the pattern using the primary pad information and the information from the first sub-pad.

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