Abstract: A scanning electron microscope capable of properly determining a step of a step pattern formed on a sample regardless of combination of material of a groove of the step pattern and material of a projection of the step pattern, the scanning electron microscope includes a beam source, a detection unit having a first detection unit that detects a secondary electron emitted from the sample at an angle between an optical axis direction of the primary electron beam which is equal to or less than a predetermined value, and a second detection unit that detects a secondary electron emitted from the sample at an angle between the optical axis direction of the primary electron beam which is greater than the predetermined value, and a processing unit to obtain information on the step pattern using the information on a ratio between signals outputted from the first and the second detection unit.

Abstract: In order to allow detecting backscattered electrons (BSEs) generated from the bottom of a hole for determining whether a hole with a super high aspect ratio is opened or for inspecting and measuring the ratio of the top diameter to the bottom diameter of a hole, which are typified in 3D-NAND processes of opening a hole, a primary electron beam accelerated at a high accelerating voltage is applied to a sample. Backscattered electrons (BSEs) at a low angle (e.g. a zenith angle of five degrees or more) are detected. Thus, the bottom of a hole is observed using “penetrating BSEs” having been emitted from the bottom of the hole and penetrated the side wall. Using the characteristics in which a penetrating distance is relatively prolonged through a deep hole and the amount of penetrating BSEs is decreased to cause a dark image, a calibration curve expressing the relationship between a hole depth and the brightness is given to measure the hole depth.

Abstract: A scanning electron microscope capable of properly determining a step of a step pattern formed on a sample regardless of combination of material of a groove of the step pattern and material of a projection of the step pattern, the scanning electron microscope includes a beam source, a detection unit having a first detection unit that detects a secondary electron emitted from the sample at an angle between an optical axis direction of the primary electron beam which is equal to or less than a predetermined value, and a second detection unit that detects a secondary electron emitted from the sample at an angle between the optical axis direction of the primary electron beam which is greater than the predetermined value, and a processing unit to obtain information on the step pattern using the information on a ratio between signals outputted from the first and the second detection unit.

Abstract: Beforehand, the device characteristic patterns of each critical dimension SEM are measured, a sectional shape of an object to undergo dimension measurement is presumed by a model base library (MBL) matching system, dimension measurements are carried out by generating signal waveforms through SEM simulation by inputting the presumed sectional shapes and the device characteristic parameters, and differences in the dimension measurement results are registered as machine differences. In actual measurements, from the dimension measurement results in each critical dimension SEM, machine differences are corrected by subtracting the registered machine differences. Furthermore, changes in critical dimension SEM's over time are monitored by periodically measuring the above-mentioned device characteristic parameters and predicting the above-mentioned dimension measurement results. According to the present invention, actual measurements of machine differences, which require considerable time and effort, are unnecessary.

Abstract: In order to allow detecting backscattered electrons (BSEs) generated from the bottom of a hole for determining whether a hole with a super high aspect ratio is opened or for inspecting and measuring the ratio of the top diameter to the bottom diameter of a hole, which are typified in 3D-NAND processes of opening a hole, a primary electron beam accelerated at a high accelerating voltage is applied to a sample. Backscattered electrons (BSEs) at a low angle (e.g. a zenith angle of five degrees or more) are detected. Thus, the bottom of a hole is observed using “penetrating BSEs” having been emitted from the bottom of the hole and penetrated the side wall. Using the characteristics in which a penetrating distance is relatively prolonged through a deep hole and the amount of penetrating BSEs is decreased to cause a dark image, a calibration curve expressing the relationship between a hole depth and the brightness is given to measure the hole depth.

Abstract: An pattern evaluation method includes a step of estimating imaging deviation allowed to evaluate an overlay position on one or more evaluation point candidates based on pattern layout information, a step of deciding one or more evaluation points from among the evaluation point candidates based on the allowed imaging deviation, a step of deciding an imaging sequence for imaging the selected evaluation point, and a step of evaluating an overlay position between first and second patterns based on an image obtained by imaging the evaluation point according to the imaging sequence.

Abstract: A model based measurement method is capable of estimating a cross-sectional shape by matching various pre-created cross-sectional shapes with a library of SEM signal waveforms. The present invention provides a function for determining whether or not it is appropriate to create a model of a cross-sectional shape or a function for verifying the accuracy of estimation results to a conventional model based measurement method, wherein a solution space (expected solution space) is obtained by matching library waveforms and is displayed before measuring the real pattern by means of model based measurement. Moreover, after the real pattern is measured by means of model based measurement, the solution space (real solution space) is obtained by matching the real waveforms with the library waveforms and is displayed.

Abstract: Provided is a pattern inspection device for accurately simulating an electron beam image of a circuit pattern on a wafer from design data, and implementing high-precision defect detection based on the comparison between the simulated electron beam image and a real image. A pattern inspection device comprises: an image capturing unit for capturing an electron beam image of a pattern formed on a substrate; a simulated electron beam image generation unit for generating a simulated electron beam image using a parameter indicating the characteristics of the electron beam image on the basis of design data; and an inspection unit for comparing the electron beam image of the pattern, which is the image captured by the image capturing unit, and the simulated electron beam image generated by the simulated electron beam image generation unit, and inspecting the pattern on the substrate.

Abstract: A charged particle microscope system with a charged particle microscope including an irradiation unit that irradiates a subject to be inspected with a charged particle beam and a detection unit having a detector that detects a charged particle signal from the subject to be inspected irradiated by the irradiation unit; a signal processing unit that converts the charged particle signal detected by the detector of the charged particle microscope into an image signal; and an arithmetic processing unit that corrects the image signal converted by the signal processing unit with the use of signal conversion characteristics.

Abstract: Provided is a pattern inspection device for accurately simulating an electron beam image of a circuit pattern on a wafer from design data, and implementing high-precision defect detection based on the comparison between the simulated electron beam image and a real image. A pattern inspection device comprises: an image capturing unit for capturing an electron beam image of a pattern formed on a substrate; a simulated electron beam image generation unit for generating a simulated electron beam image using a parameter indicating the characteristics of the electron beam image on the basis of design data; and an inspection unit for comparing the electron beam image of the pattern, which is the image captured by the image capturing unit, and the simulated electron beam image generated by the simulated electron beam image generation unit, and inspecting the pattern on the substrate.

Abstract: The invention relates to a technique of improving a contrast of a lower-layer pattern in a multi layer by synthesizing detected signals from a plurality of detectors by using an appropriate allocation ratio in accordance with pattern arrangement. In a charged particle beam device capable of improving image quality by using detected images obtained from a plurality of detectors and in a method of improving the image quality, a method of generating one or more output images from detected images corresponding to respective outputs of the detectors that are arranged at different locations is controlled by using information of a pattern direction, an edge strength, or others calculated from a design data or the detected image.

Abstract: A defect inspection method comprising: picking up an image of a subject under inspection to thereby acquire an inspection image; extracting multiple templates corresponding to multiple regions, respectively from design data of the subject under inspection; finding a first misregistration amount between the inspection image and the design data using a first template as any one template selected from among the plural templates; finding a second misregistration amount between the inspection image and the design data using a second template other than the first template, the second template being selected from among the plural templates, and the first misregistration-amount; and converting the design data, misregistration thereof being corrected using the first misregistration-amount, and the second misregistration-amount, into a design data image, and comparing the design data image with the inspection image to thereby detect a defect of the subject under inspection.

Abstract: An pattern evaluation method includes a step of estimating imaging deviation allowed to evaluate an overlay position on one or more evaluation point candidates based on pattern layout information, a step of deciding one or more evaluation points from among the evaluation point candidates based on the allowed imaging deviation, a step of deciding an imaging sequence for imaging the selected evaluation point, and a step of evaluating an overlay position between first and second patterns based on an image obtained by imaging the evaluation point according to the imaging sequence.

Abstract: The present invention aims at proposing a library creation method and a pattern shape estimation method in which it is possible, when estimating a shape based on comparison between an actual waveform and a library, to appropriately estimate the shape. As an illustrative embodiment to achieve the object, there are proposed a method of selecting a pattern by referring to a library, a method of creating a library by use of pattern cross-sectional shapes calculated through an exposure process simulation in advance, and a method for selecting a pattern shape stored in the library.

Abstract: A defect inspection method comprising: picking up an image of a subject under inspection to thereby acquire an inspection image; extracting multiple templates corresponding to multiple regions, respectively from design data of the subject under inspection; finding a first misregistration amount between the inspection image and the design data using a first template as any one template selected from among the plural templates; finding a second misregistration amount between the inspection image and the design data using a second template other than the first template, the second template being selected from among the plural templates, and the first misregistration-amount; and converting the design data, misregistration thereof being corrected using the first misregistration-amount, and the second misregistration-amount, into a design data image, and comparing the design data image with the inspection image to thereby detect a defect of the subject under inspection.

Abstract: A model based measurement method is capable of estimating a cross-sectional shape by matching various pre-created cross-sectional shapes with a library of SEM signal waveforms. The present invention provides a function for determining whether or not it is appropriate to create a model of a cross-sectional shape or a function for verifying the accuracy of estimation results to a conventional model based measurement method, wherein a solution space (expected solution space) is obtained by matching library waveforms and is displayed before measuring the real pattern by means of model based measurement. Moreover, after the real pattern is measured by means of model based measurement, the solution space (real solution space) is obtained by matching the real waveforms with the library waveforms and is displayed.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A system for controlling a tool-to-tool disparity between a plurality of scanning electron microscopes includes a measuring unit for measuring a tool-to-tool disparity between plural scanning electron microscopes based on information extracted from secondary electron images which are captured by imaging a reference pattern, a tool state monitoring unit for monitoring tool states of each of the plural scanning electron microscopes, and an output unit for displaying on a screen a relationship between the tool-to-tool disparity between the plural scanning electron microscopes and tool states of each of the plural scanning electron microscopes monitored by the tool state monitoring unit. The tool state monitoring unit monitors the tool states of each of the plural scanning electron microscopes while imaging the reference pattern by using each of the plural scanning electron microscopes.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: Beforehand, the device characteristic patterns of each critical dimension SEM are measured, a sectional shape of an object to undergo dimension measurement is presumed by a model base library (MBL) matching system, dimension measurements are carried out by generating signal waveforms through SEM simulation by inputting the presumed sectional shapes and the device characteristic parameters, and differences in the dimension measurement results are registered as machine differences. In actual measurements, from the dimension measurement results in each critical dimension SEM, machine differences are corrected by subtracting the registered machine differences. Furthermore, changes in critical dimension SEM's over time are monitored by periodically measuring the above-mentioned device characteristic parameters and predicting the above-mentioned dimension measurement results. According to the present invention, actual measurements of machine differences, which require considerable time and effort, are unnecessary.