PURPOSE: To achieve an upgrading of operability and the quality of picture in an IC testing apparatus for analyzing defective points in a IC chip by a method wherein the chip of an IC to be tested is irradiated with an electron beam and the amount of secondary electrons released from the surface of the chip is taken in as image data to display a potential distribution in the IC chip.
CONSTITUTION: A test pattern generator 200 is provided with a stoppage pattern setting means 203 which enables the setting of patterns in plurality to stop the operation of updating patterns and the operation of updating the patterns of the test pattern generator is stopped as each pattern set on the stoppage pattern setting means 203 is generated. Every time the pattern is stopped, a stopping signal is sent to an electron beam tester 300 to start the operation of gaining an image data. When the gaining of the image data is completed, a data gaining completion signal generating means 308 transmits a gaining completion signal and the test pattern generator resumes the pattern updating operation by the gaining completion signal. As a result, different test patterns can be applied alternately to an element to be tested. This achieves an upgrading of the quality of picture by adding image data to be obtained by the different test patterns.
GOSEKI AKIRA
UEDA KOJI
