Abstract: In order to enable the most suitable image processing condition to be set as one in which a dispersion in brightness between comparing images caused by object to be inspected and an image detecting system is not applied as a false information, in the present invention, there is obtained a noise characteristic of a secondary electron image caused by the image detecting system is calculated, the most suitable image processing parameters are determined depending on the object to be inspected on the basis of the characteristic, and its comparing processing is performed by using the noise characteristic and the image of the object to be inspected, thereby a dispersion in process for the object to be inspected is evaluated.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for inspecting a wafer in which a focused charged particle beam is irradiated onto a surface of a wafer on which patterns are formed through a semiconductor device fabrication process, a secondary charged particle image of a desired area of the wafer is obtained by detecting secondary charged particles emitted from the surface of the wafer, and information about image feature amount of each pattern within the desired area from the obtained secondary charged particle beam image. The information about image feature amount is compared with a preset value, and on the basis of a result of the comparison, a quality of patterns which have been formed around the desired area is estimated, and information of a result of the estimation is outputted.

Abstract: An inspection method and apparatus irradiates a sample on which a pattern is formed with an electron beam, so that an inspection image and a reference image can be generated on the basis of a secondary electron or a reflected electron emitted by the sample. An abnormal pattern is determined based on a difference in halftone values of each pixel between the inspection image and the reference image. A plurality of feature quantities of the abnormal pattern are obtained from an image of the abnormal pattern, and, based on the distribution of the plurality of feature quantities of the abnormal pattern, a range for classifying the type of the abnormal pattern is designated. Thus, a desired defect can be extracted from many defects extracted by inspection.

Abstract: A pattern inspection apparatus has a setting unit of a plurality of cell areas A and B of different cell comparison pitches and inspects the plurality of cell areas of the different cell comparison pitches in accordance with settings of the setting unit. As information to read out image data for an inspection image and a reference image from an image memory, in addition to position information of a defective image, identification information showing either a cell comparison or a die comparison and relative position information of the reference image can be set. The apparatus also has a unit for setting a plurality of inspection threshold values every inspection area and inspects a plurality of inspection areas by the plurality of inspection threshold values.

Abstract: A circuit pattern inspection method and apparatus capable of readily setting an optimum threshold value while it is confirmed that a defect detected when a defect is checked can be detected at what threshold value and capable of forming a recipe easily. A circuit pattern inspection of irradiating an electron beam to a specimen formed with a circuit pattern on a surface thereof, forming an inspection image and a reference image in accordance with a secondary electron of a reflected electron from the specimen, and acquiring an abnormal portion from a difference between the inspection image and the reference image, wherein a plurality of characteristic quantities of the abnormal portion are obtained from an image of the abnormal portion, and the abnormal portion is selectively displayed by changing an inspection threshold value virtually set for the characteristic quantities.

Abstract: Conventionally, defect data outputted by an inspection system comprised only characteristic quantitative data, such as coordinate data, area, and projected length, and only the coordinate data for moving to a defect location could be utilized effectively. By contrast, by using image data in addition to characteristic quantitative data as the defect data for an inspection system, the retrieval of image data via an outside results confirmation system is made possible. Further, for defect data of a plurality of substrates, it is possible to display a defect image during inspection by the fact that similar defects are retrieved via images and retrieval results are displayed as trends, which makes it possible to display a defect image during inspection by searching similar defects on images and displaying them as a trend, and designating a substrate on the trend, thereby displaying the defect map thereof and designating a defect on the defect map.

Abstract: An inspection method and apparatus irradiates a sample on which a pattern is formed with an electron beam, so that an inspection image and a reference image can be generated on the basis of a secondary electron or a reflected electron emitted by the sample. An abnormal pattern is determined based on a difference in halftone values of each pixel between the inspection image and the reference image. A plurality of feature quantities of the abnormal pattern are obtained from an image of the abnormal pattern, and, based on the distribution of the plurality of feature quantities of the abnormal pattern, a range for classifying the type of the abnormal pattern is designated. Thus, a desired defect can be extracted from many defects extracted by inspection.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for inspecting a wafer in which a focused charged particle beam is irradiated onto a surface of a wafer on which patterns are formed through a semiconductor device fabrication process, a secondary charged particle image of a desired area of the wafer is obtained by detecting secondary charged particles emitted from the surface of the wafer, and information about image feature amount of each pattern within the desired area from the obtained secondary charged particle beam image. The information about image feature amount is compared with a preset value, and on the basis of a result of the comparison, a quality of patterns which have been formed around the desired area is estimated, and information of a result of the estimation is outputted.

Abstract: The present invention provides techniques, including a method and system, for inspecting for defects in a circuit pattern on a semi-conductor material. One specific embodiment provides a trial inspection threshold setup method, where the initial threshold is modified after a defect analysis of trial inspection stored data. The modified threshold is then used as the threshold in actual inspection.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for inspecting a semiconductor device in which failure occurence conditions on a whole wafer are estimated by calculating the statistic of potential contrasts in pattern sections from sampled images to implement higher throughput, and defective conditions of a process are detected at an early stage with the help of time series data of the estimate result.

Abstract: The present invention provides a presentation system, a display device, and a program which realize a smoother presentation performance in case where information a presenter wishes to refer to is displayed in a terminal but not in a display device. The presentation system of the present invention is structured, for instance, by connecting a PC 100 and a projector 200 via a LAN 50. A display unit of the PC 100 can be set up to display information including, for example, explanatory notes, but when making the projector 200 display an image, the information will not be displayed by executing a data modification which makes the information invisible. The information such as the explanatory notes may be placed at an arbitrary location on the display unit 102 and this enables a smoother presentation performance.

Abstract: A circuit pattern inspection method and apparatus capable of readily setting an optimum threshold value while it is confirmed that a defect detected when a defect is checked can be detected at what threshold value and capable of forming a recipe easily. A circuit pattern inspection of irradiating an electron beam to a specimen formed with a circuit pattern on a surface thereof, forming an inspection image and a reference image in accordance with a secondary electron of a reflected electron from the specimen, and acquiring an abnormal portion from a difference between the inspection image and the reference image, wherein a plurality of characteristic quantities of the abnormal portion are obtained from an image of the abnormal portion, and the abnormal portion is selectively displayed by changing an inspection threshold value virtually set for the characteristic quantities.

Abstract: The present invention provides techniques, including a method and system, for inspecting for defects in a circuit pattern on a semi-conductor material. One specific embodiment provides a trial inspection threshold setup method, where the initial threshold is modified after a defect analysis of trial inspection stored data. The modified threshold is then used as the threshold in actual inspection.

Abstract: A pattern inspection method and apparatus are disclosed, the method has the steps of generating a reference digital image signal to be compared with a detection digital image signal detected continuously from the desired band-shaped inspection area on an object to be inspected, determining zero or one or more candidate , matching positions between the detection digital image signal and the reference digital image signal for each block unit area sequentially cut out and calculating a mass of candidate matching positions over the entire band-shaped inspection area, determining an accurate matching position between the detection digital image signal and the reference digital image signal for each block unit area based on the continuity of the block unit areas from the calculated mass of candidate matching positions over the entire band-shaped inspection area, and determining a defect by matching the positions based on the determined accurate matching position for each block unit area and comparing the images.

Abstract: An inspection system includes a SEM visual inspection apparatus for detecting a defect in a semiconductor sample in steps of manufacturing a semiconductor device and a review apparatus for observing, at a high resolution, the defect in the semiconductor sample detected by the SEM visual inspection apparatus. The system has a function of transmitting an alignment dictionary image as one of alignment parameters to be set by the SEM visual inspection apparatus using an inspection recipe to the review apparatus.

Abstract: An inspection method and apparatus irradiates a sample on which a pattern is formed with an electron beam, so that an inspection image and a reference image can be generated on the basis of a secondary electron or a reflected electron emitted by the sample. An abnormal pattern is determined based on a difference in halftone values of each pixel between the inspection image and the reference image. A plurality of feature quantities of the abnormal pattern are obtained from an image of the abnormal pattern, and, based on the distribution of the plurality of feature quantities of the abnormal pattern, a range for classifying the type of the abnormal pattern is designated. Thus, a desired defect can be extracted from many defects extracted by inspection.

Abstract: Color lights from image projecting sections (207) that enlarge and project images of red, green and blue, respectively, are made incident on a transparent screen at different angles of incidence, so that image synthesis is carried out. The color lights projected are converted into telecentric light by a Fresnel lens (211), and after principal rays of the respective color lights are converted into substantially parallel rays by a color shading eliminating means (219) provided with lenticular lenses on both sides thereof, the rays are incident on a light diffusing means (224). The light diffusing means (224) is formed with a transparent substrate sheet and a plurality of transparent micro beads made to adhere onto a light-incident surface of the substrate sheet with an opaque adhesive. Image light passes through light transmitting portions between the substrate sheet and the micro beads to be diffused.

Abstract: In order to obtain optimum irradiation conditions of an electron beam according to the material and structure of a circuit pattern to be inspected and the kind of a failure to be detected and inspect under the optimum conditions without delay of the inspection time, an inspection device for irradiating the electron beam 19 to the sample board 9 which is a sample, detecting generated secondary electrons by the detector 7, storing obtained signals sequentially in the storage, comparing the same pattern stored in the storage by the comparison calculation unit, and extracting a failure by comparing the predetermined threshold value with the comparison signal by the failure decision unit is provided, wherein the optimum value of the irradiation energy is stored in the data base inside the device beforehand according to the structure of a sample and a recommended value of the irradiation energy suited to inspection can be searched for by inputting or selecting the irradiation energy by a user or inputting informati

Abstract: In order to obtain optimum irradiation conditions of an electron beam according to the material and structure of a circuit pattern to be inspected and the kind of a failure to be detected and inspect under the optimum conditions without delay of the inspection time, an inspection device for irradiating the electron beam 19 to the sample board 9 which is a sample, detecting generated secondary electrons by the detector 7, storing obtained signals sequentially in the storage, comparing the same pattern stored in the storage by the comparison calculation unit, and extracting a failure by comparing the predetermined threshold value with the comparison signal by the failure decision unit is provided, wherein the optimum value of the irradiation energy is stored in the data base inside the device beforehand according to the structure of a sample and a recommended value of the irradiation energy suited to inspection can be searched for by inputting or selecting the irradiation energy by a user or inputting informati

Abstract: An image display apparatus is provided for enlarging and projecting a light emitted from a plurality of self-emitting elements on a screen by beam scanning means, which is an image display apparatus having little or no luminance unevenness by solving the conventional problem of causing luminance unevenness in images projected on the screen due to a variance in luminance characteristics of each self-emitting element. It is configured such that a part of the light scanned on the screen from the beam scanning means is provided to a photodetector element that converts the intensity of the light into an electric signal so as to correct a driving signal to be supplied to the self-emitting element by the intensity of the light detected by this photodetector element.