| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20080197280 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MEASURING PATTERN DIMENSIONS - It is difficult for a material having low resistance to electron beam irradiation to obtain an electron microscopic image having a high S/N ratio. A conventional image smoothing process can improve stability of measurement, but this process has a problem of measurement errors for absolute values, reduction of sensitivity, deterioration of quality of cubic shape information and the like. In the present invention, by performing an image averaging process without deteriorating cubic shape information of a signal waveform in consideration of dimension deviation of a measurement target pattern, measurement stability is compatible with improvement of precision and sensitivity. Accordingly, it is possible to realize measurement of pattern dimensions and shapes with high precision and control of a highly sensitive semiconductor manufacturing process using the measurement. | 08-21-2008 |
| 20080204405 | Method and System of Displaying an Exposure Condition - There is provided a device which may easily and visually judge which chip in an FEM wafer has a normal exposure condition, or which chip has an abnormal exposure condition. | 08-28-2008 |
| 20090208090 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INSPECTING DEFECT OF PATTERN FORMED ON SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - In the inspection apparatus for a defect of a semiconductor and the method using it for automatically detecting the defect on a semiconductor wafer and presuming the defect occurrence factor using the circuit design data, a plurality of shapes are formed from the circuit design data by deforming the design data with respect to shape deformation items stipulated for respective defect occurrence factor for comparison with the inspection object circuit pattern. The defect is detected by comparison of the group of shapes formed and the actual pattern. Further, the occurrence factors of these defects are presumed, and the defects are classified according to respective factor. | 08-20-2009 |
| 20090212211 | Electron Microscope System and Method for Evaluating Film Thickness Reduction of Resist Patterns - The invention provides a system for achieving detection and measurement of film thickness reduction of a resist pattern with high throughput which can be applied to part of in-line process management. By taking into consideration the fact that film thickness reduction of the resist pattern leads to some surface roughness of the upper surface of the resist, a film thickness reduction index value is calculated by quantifying the degree of roughness of the part corresponding to the upper surface of the resist on an electron microscope image of the resist pattern which has been used in the conventional line width measurement. The amount of film thickness reduction of the resist pattern is estimated by applying the calculated index value to a database previously made for relating a film thickness reduction index value to an amount of film thickness reduction of the resist pattern. | 08-27-2009 |
| 20090212212 | Scanning Electron Microscope system and Method for Measuring Dimensions of Patterns Formed on Semiconductor Device By Using the System - The present invention is for providing a scanning electron microscope system adapted to output contour information fitting in with the real pattern edge end of a sample, and is arranged to generate a local projection waveform by projecting the scanning electron microscope image in the tangential direction with respect to the pattern edge at each point of the pattern edge of the scanning electron microscope image, estimate the cross-sectional shape of the pattern transferred on the sample by applying the local projection waveform generated at each point to a library, which has previously been created, correlating the cross-sectional shape with the electron beam signal waveform, obtain position coordinate of the edge end fitting in with the cross-sectional shape, and output the contour of the pattern as a range of position coordinates. | 08-27-2009 |
| 20090212215 | SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE AND METHOD OF MEASURING PATTERN DIMENSION USING THE SAME - In dimension measurement of semiconductor pattern by CD-SEM, the error value between dimensional measurement value and actual dimension on the pattern is much variational as it is dependent on the cross-sectional shape of the pattern, and a low level of accuracy was one time a big problem. In the present invention, a plurality of patterns, each different in shape, were prepared beforehand with AFM measurement result and patterns of the same shape measured by CD-SEM. These measurement results and dimensional errors were homologized with each other and kept in a database. For actual measurement of dimensions, most like side wall shape, and corresponding CD-SEM measurement error result are called up, and the called-up error results are used to correct CD-SME results of measurement object patterns. In this manner, it becomes possible to correct or reduce dimensional error which is dependent on cross-sectional shape of the pattern. | 08-27-2009 |
| 20090214103 | METHOD FOR MEASURING A PATTERN DIMENSION - In SEM image based pattern measurement using electron beam simulation, accuracy of simulation is very influential. For matching between a simulated image and an actual image, it is needed to properly model the shape and material of a target being measured and reflect them in simulated images. In the present invention, highly accurate pattern measurements are achieved by using simulated images with properly set parameters of shape and dimension having a large influence on the accuracy of matching for measurement between simulated and actual images, based on SEM images or information obtained by another measurement apparatus such as AFM. | 08-27-2009 |
| 20100133426 | Sample and method for evaluating resolution of scanning electron microscope, and electron scanning microscope - A method of evaluating a resolution of a scanning electron microscope includes picking up a first image of a concave and convex pattern formed on a surface of a sample utilizing a first scanning electron microscope, picking up a second image of the concave and convex pattern on the sample utilizing a second scanning electron microscope, respectively processing the first image and the second image in order to evaluate unevenness in resolution between the first scanning electron microscope and the second scanning electron microscope, and determining whether a height of the concave and convex pattern as measured from a bottom thereof is sufficient so that no affection by a secondary electron emitted from the bottom of the concave and convex pattern is exhibited. | 06-03-2010 |
