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: An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus that quickly and precisely measures or evaluates a distortion in a field of view and a charged particle beam apparatus. To attain the object, an image processing apparatus or the like is proposed which acquires a first image of a first area of an imaging target and a second image of a second area that is located at a different position than the first area and partially overlaps with the first area and determines the distance between a measurement point in the second image and a second part of the second image that corresponds to a particular area for a plurality of sites in the overlapping area of the first image and the second image.

Abstract: A calibration standard specimen is provided to have formed therein calibrating patterns of a lattice shape discontinuously arrayed, and particular alignment patterns respectively disposed near the calibrating patterns so that the positioning of the specimen can be made to match the calibrating patterns to the measurement points.

Abstract: Disclosed herewith is a length measurement system, which obtains a value closer to its true one when figuring out the size and edge roughness of a pattern from a noise-included pattern image. Among plural band-like regions representing a portion around an edge in an image respectively, the system calculates the dependency of the edge point position on the image processing parameter at each of a narrow width band-like portion and a wide width band-like portion to calculate an image processing condition that calculates each measured value closer to its true value or estimates the true value itself.

Abstract: The SEM has a dynamic range reference value setting unit for setting dynamic range reference values, a dynamic range adjustment unit for receiving an observation image signal delivered out of a secondary electron detector, adjusting the dynamic range of the observation image signal on the basis of the dynamic range reference values and outputting the thus adjusted observation image signal as an observation image signal after adjustment, a display image generation unit for determining luminous intensity levels of individual pixels of an image to be displayed based on the observation image signal after adjustment to generate a display image, a histogram generation unit for generating a histogram of luminous intensity levels of the display image and extracting, as a luminous intensity peak value, at which the frequency of luminous intensity is maximized, and a display unit for displaying the generated histogram and the extracted luminous intensity peak value.

Abstract: Edge points are extracted by specifying a height (values indicating a distance from a substrate) on a pattern when edges of the pattern are extracted from a CD-SEM image. Further, LER values obtained by the extraction of a Fourier spectrum of the LER are obtained. When the same sample is previously observed with the AFM and the CD-SEM, a size of the LER obtained by specifying a height, an auto-correlation distance of the LER, or an index called the spectrum is obtained from results of the AFM observation. Further, theses indices obtained by specifying image processing conditions for detecting the edge points from the CD-SEM observation result are obtained. Also, it is determined that heights providing values when the values are matched correspond to the image processing conditions and then, the edge points are extracted from the CD-SEM IMAGE instead of the AFM observation by using the image processing conditions.

Abstract: The present invention provides a charged particle beam apparatus used to measure micro-dimensions (CD value) of a semiconductor apparatus or the like which captures images for measurement. For the present invention, a sample for calibration, on which a plurality of polyhedral structural objects with known angles on surfaces produced by the crystal anisotropic etching technology are arranged in a viewing field, is used. A beam landing angle at each position within a viewing field is calculated based on geometric deformation on an image of each polyhedral structural object. Beam control parameters for equalizing the beam landing angle at each position within the viewing field are pre-registered. The registered beam control parameters are applied according to the position of the pattern to be measured within the viewing field when performing dimensional measurement.

Abstract: An image forming method and a charged particle beam apparatus suitable for suppressing the inclination of charging when scanning a two-dimensional area with a charged particle beam. A third scanning line located between a first scanning line and a second scanning line is scanned. After the first, second and third scanning lines have been scanned, a plurality of scanning lines are scanned between the first and third scanning lines and between the second and third scanning lines.

Abstract: Provided are a semiconductor inspection device and a semiconductor inspection method such that in a specimen image in a single field of view obtained by an electron microscope, it is possible to suppress variations in the edge position measurement error attributable to the materials and structures of the lower layers of measured patterns by a first method, wherein the area in the field of view obtained by electron beam scanning is divided into a plurality of regions on the basis of information regarding the structures and materials of the object to be observed and the electron beam scanning conditions are changed for individual regions (805, 806), a second method, wherein, the image processing conditions are changed for individual regions resulting from division of the obtained images, or a third method, wherein the edge detection conditions are changed for individual regions resulting from the division within the edge inspection regions of the obtained images.

Abstract: The present invention suppresses decreases in the volumes of the patterns which have been formed on the surfaces of semiconductor samples or of the like, or performs accurate length measurements, irrespective of such decreases. In an electrically charged particle ray apparatus by which the line widths and other length data of the patterns formed on samples are to be measured by scanning the surface of each sample with electrically charged particle rays and detecting the secondary electrons released from the sample, the scanning line interval of said electrically charged particle rays is set so as not to exceed the irradiation density dictated by the physical characteristics of the sample. Or measured length data is calculated from prestored approximation functions.

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: 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.

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 formed on a wafer, 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 formed on the wafer by using each of the plural scanning electron microscopes.

Abstract: The present invention provides a charged particle beam apparatus used to measure micro-dimensions (CD value) of a semiconductor apparatus or the like which captures images for measurement. For the present invention, a sample for calibration, on which a plurality of polyhedral structural objects with known angles on surfaces produced by the crystal anisotropic etching technology are arranged in a viewing field, is used. A beam landing angle at each position within a viewing field is calculated based on geometric deformation on an image of each polyhedral structural object. Beam control parameters for equalizing the beam landing angle at each position within the viewing field are pre-registered. The registered beam control parameters are applied according to the position of the pattern to be measured within the viewing field when performing dimensional measurement.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to suppress measurement errors caused by the fact that the shrink amount due to scan of an electron beam differs pattern by pattern. To accomplish this object, according to the invention, functions indicative of a process of change of pattern dimension when the electron beam is irradiated on a sample are prepared in respect of the kinds of sample patterns, and dimension values of a particular pattern measured by scanning the electron beam on the particular pattern are fitted to a function prepared for the particular pattern to calculate a dimension of the particular pattern before it changes.

Abstract: An image forming method and a charged particle beam apparatus suitable for suppressing the inclination of charging when scanning a two-dimensional area with a charged particle beam. A third scanning line located between a first scanning line and a second scanning line is scanned. After the first, second and third scanning lines have been scanned, a plurality of scanning lines are scanned between the first and third scanning lines and between the second and third scanning lines.

Abstract: Disclosed is a scanning electron microscope (SEM) for realizing high-precision dimension measurement of a sample, such as an ArF exposure photoresist, that requires the measurement of a dimension by a low S/N signal waveform. To this end, partial waveforms (or partial images) of sample signal waveforms (or an images) acquired from a dimension measurement target sample and a sample material of the same kind are registered in advance, a measurement target signal waveform (or an image) obtained from the dimension measurement target sample and the sample registration waveform are combined, and a dimension of the dimension measurement target pattern is calculated based on the combination result.

Abstract: An image forming method and a charged particle beam apparatus suitable for suppressing the inclination of charging when scanning a two-dimensional area with a charged particle beam. A third scanning line located between a first scanning line and a second scanning line is scanned. After the first, second and third scanning lines have been scanned, a plurality of scanning lines are scanned between the first and third scanning lines and between the second and third scanning lines.

Abstract: The present invention provides a charged particle beam apparatus used to measure micro-dimensions (CD value) of a semiconductor apparatus or the like which captures images for measurement. For the present invention, a sample for calibration, on which a plurality of polyhedral structural objects with known angles on surfaces produced by the crystal anisotropic etching technology are arranged in a viewing field, is used. A beam landing angle at each position within a viewing field is calculated based on geometric deformation on an image of each polyhedral structural object. Beam control parameters for equalizing the beam landing angle at each position within the viewing field are pre-registered. The registered beam control parameters are applied according to the position of the pattern to be measured within the viewing field when performing dimensional measurement.

Abstract: 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.