Abstract: The present disclosure provides a technique for reducing man-hour of a user required for setting an automatic focused focal point search function of an electron beam and facilitating observation of a sample when reviewing a defect using an electron microscope. The present disclosure provides a technique in a charged particle beam system, in which an appropriate focal point position search width can be automatically set in consideration of convergence accuracy and an operation time based on a focal point measure distribution width for a focal point position acquired in advance under the same conditions and a difference between focal point positions before and after automatic focused focal point position search.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a technique for reducing man-hour of a user required for setting an automatic focused focal point search function of an electron beam and facilitating observation of a sample when reviewing a defect using an electron microscope. The present disclosure provides a technique in a charged particle beam system, in which an appropriate focal point position search width can be automatically set in consideration of convergence accuracy and an operation time based on a focal point measure distribution width for a focal point position acquired in advance under the same conditions and a difference between focal point positions before and after automatic focused focal point position search.

Abstract: The present invention provides a charged-particle radiation apparatus with a defect observation device for observing defects on a sample, the apparatus including a control unit and a display unit. The control unit is configured to execute a drift correction process on one or more images acquired with the defect observation device under a plurality of correction conditions, and display the plurality of correction conditions and a plurality of corrected images obtained through execution of the drift correction process in association with each other, as a first screen on the display unit.

Abstract: Conventionally, there was no method for automatically selecting the layers to be overlaid, so when the number of layers to be overlaid was large, there was a problem that much time was required for selecting the layers. It is an object of the present invention to provide a defect image analysis method capable of specifying patterns and layers in which a defect occurs by overlaying defect images to be analysis targets and design layout data, and a defect image analysis system capable of improving the efficiency to select the layers from the design layout data. The present invention is characterized in dividing analysis target images for each hierarchy corresponding to a manufacturing process and generating a plurality of layers; calculating a degree of matching between each of the layer division images and each design layer of the design layout data; and specifying a design layer with a highest degree of matching of the each design layer as a design layer corresponding to the layer division image.

Abstract: A region-of-interest determination apparatus includes: a calculation unit and a region determination unit. The calculation unit calculates a degree of a defect based on at least a plurality of kinds of defect attribute information regarding defect data. The defect data includes an image corresponding to a defect position detected on a specimen by inspection thereof or an image corresponding to a defect position predicted to be likely to develop a defect on the specimen, where both images are obtained by imaging. The region determination unit extracts the defect data of which the degree is higher than a predetermined level, and determines the region to be observed or inspected on the specimen based on the extracted defect data.

Abstract: The present invention provides a charged particle beam device capable of automatically setting proper analysis positions for defects having various shapes. This charged particle beam device includes: an electron source for emitting an electron beam; a condenser lens for converging the electron beam emitted from the electron source; deflection means for changing a position of the electron beam converged by the condenser lens; an objective lens for constricting the electron beam changed by the deflection means so as to irradiate an inspection object therewith; a sample stage on which the inspection object is to be mounted; and defect analysis means for analyzing a defect based on information as to elements released from a defective portion of the inspection object by the irradiation with the electron beam, wherein the defect analysis means determines an analysis point based on a shape of the defect from among defect areas decided as one defect by the defect analysis means.

Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus includes a charged particle beam source which irradiates a sample with a charged particle beam, an electromagnetic lens, a lens control electric source for controlling strength of a convergence effect of the electromagnetic lens; and a phase compensation circuit which is connected to the lens control electric source in parallel with the electromagnetic lens, and controls a lens current at the time of switching the strength of the convergence effect of the electromagnetic lens such that the lens current monotonically increases or monotonically decreases.

Abstract: The charged particle beam apparatus automatically judges the good or bad of an observation object on the basis of information obtained from an image of the observation object on a wafer; displays a judgment result on a screen; displays the observation object, extracted from the judgment result, that requires to be corrected on the basis of the good or bad of the observation object from a user; and corrects the judgment result to the extracted and displayed observation object on the basis of an instruction from the user.

Abstract: The present invention provides a charged particle beam device capable of automatically setting proper analysis positions for defects having various shapes. This charged particle beam device includes: an electron source for emitting an electron beam; a condenser lens for converging the electron beam emitted from the electron source; deflection means for changing a position of the electron beam converged by the condenser lens; an objective lens for constricting the electron beam changed by the deflection means so as to irradiate an inspection object therewith; a sample stage on which the inspection object is to be mounted; and defect analysis means for analyzing a defect based on information as to elements released from a defective portion of the inspection object by the irradiation with the electron beam, wherein the defect analysis means determines an analysis point based on a shape of the defect from among defect areas decided as one defect by the defect analysis means.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a defect inspection apparatus based on the fact that contrasts of a grain and a void of a semiconductor copper interconnect in a scanning electron microscope are changed depending on electron beam irradiation accelerating voltages. A charged particle beam apparatus of the present invention irradiates the same portion of a specimen with electron beams at a plurality of accelerating voltages, and differentiates a grain (65, 66) from a void (67) on the basis of a contrast change amount of the same portion in a plurality of images (61, 62) acquired so as to respectively correspond to the plurality of accelerating voltages. Consequently, it is possible to automatically detect a grain and a void in a differentiation manner at a high speed without destructing a specimen.

Abstract: The present invention provides a charged-particle radiation apparatus with a defect observation device for observing defects on a sample, the apparatus including a control unit and a display unit. The control unit is configured to execute a drift correction process on one or more images acquired with the defect observation device under a plurality of correction conditions, and display the plurality of correction conditions and a plurality of corrected images obtained through execution of the drift correction process in association with each other, as a first screen on the display unit.

Abstract: A surface observation apparatus is achieved, which enables even a beginner to easily select an optimal evaluation indicator for each of various patterns to be evaluated without a trial and error approach. A plurality of images to be evaluated are input from an image processing unit (114) to an evaluation image input unit (113a) (in step 901). The input images to be evaluated are displayed on a display (115). A user rearranges the images in accordance with an evaluation criterion of the user while referencing the display (115), and defines an evaluation criterion (in step 902). Evaluation values are calculated for the input images (to be evaluated) using a plurality of evaluation indicators (in step 903). The evaluation values for each of the evaluation indicators are compared with the evaluation criterion defined by the user, and correlation coefficients are then calculated (in step 904).

Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus includes a charged particle beam source which irradiates a sample with a charged particle beam, an electromagnetic lens, a lens control electric source for controlling strength of a convergence effect of the electromagnetic lens; and a phase compensation circuit which is connected to the lens control electric source in parallel with the electromagnetic lens, and controls a lens current at the time of switching the strength of the convergence effect of the electromagnetic lens such that the lens current monotonically increases or monotonically decreases.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a defect inspection apparatus based on the fact that contrasts of a grain and a void of a semiconductor copper interconnect in a scanning electron microscope are changed depending on electron beam irradiation accelerating voltages. A charged particle beam apparatus of the present invention irradiates the same portion of a specimen with electron beams at a plurality of accelerating voltages, and differentiates a grain (65, 66) from a void (67) on the basis of a contrast change amount of the same portion in a plurality of images (61, 62) acquired so as to respectively correspond to the plurality of accelerating voltages. Consequently, it is possible to automatically detect a grain and a void in a differentiation manner at a high speed without destructing a specimen.

Abstract: Conventionally, there was no method for automatically selecting the layers to be overlaid, so when the number of layers to be overlaid was large, there was a problem that much time was required for selecting the layers. It is an object of the present invention to provide a defect image analysis method capable of specifying patterns and layers in which a defect occurs by overlaying defect images to be analysis targets and design layout data, and a defect image analysis system capable of improving the efficiency to select the layers from the design layout data. The present invention is characterized in dividing analysis target images for each hierarchy corresponding to a manufacturing process and generating a plurality of layers; calculating a degree of matching between each of the layer division images and each design layer of the design layout data; and specifying a design layer with a highest degree of matching of the each design layer as a design layer corresponding to the layer division image.

Abstract: With respect to a charged particle beam device, the step size of focal point measure for executing autofocusing is optimized to a value that is optimal with respect to the spread of an approximation curve for a focal point measure distribution. The step size of focal point measure for executing autofocusing is corrected using an image feature obtained based on a layout image derived from an image obtained at a first magnification or from design data. Autofocusing is executed based on the obtained step size to carry out observation, measurement, or to image the sample under inspection.

Abstract: The present invention aims at efficiently determining the partial regions to be inspected with high sensitivity and measured with high accuracy. A region-of-interest determination apparatus includes: a calculation unit which calculates the incidence of a defect based on at least a plurality of kinds of defect attribute information regarding defect data, the defect data including an image corresponding to a defect position detected on a specimen by inspection thereof or an image corresponding to a defect position predicted to be likely to develop a defect on the specimen, both images being obtained by imaging; and a region determination unit which extracts the defect data of which the incidence is higher than a predetermined level, and determines the region to be observed or inspected on the specimen based on the extracted defect data.

Abstract: Provided is a charged particle beam device that prevents the increase in processing trouble caused by deterioration in the reviewing performance (e.g., overlooking of defects) by detecting an operation abnormality affecting the performance of the device or a possibility of such an abnormality in the middle of a processing sequence of a sample and giving a feedback in real time. In each processing step of the charged particle beam device, monitoring items representing the operating status of the device (control status of the electron beam, an offset amount at the time of wafer positioning, a defect coordinate error offset amount, etc.) are monitored during the processing sequence of a sample and stored as history information. In the middle of the processing sequence, a comparative judgment between the value of each monitoring item and the past history information corresponding to the monitoring item is made according to preset judgment criteria.

Abstract: An increase in the number of evaluation points of a semiconductor wafer is effective in improving evaluation accuracy of a manufacturing process. However, a method of automatically evaluating and classifying of these evaluation points by a defect review apparatus is lower in accuracy as compared with a manual work, and it is difficult to perfectly automate the method by these apparatuses. Therefore, the judgment as to whether the evaluation point is actually a defect is entrusted to manual evaluation, limiting the number of evaluable points. The present invention aims at lightening a burden of the manual work in process margin evaluation in a semiconductor manufacturing process.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for reviewing defects in a large number of samples within a short period of time through the use of a defect review apparatus. To collect defect images steadily and at high throughput, a defect detection method is selected before imaging and set up for each of review target defects in the samples in accordance with the external characteristics of the samples that are calculated from the design information about the samples. The defect images are collected after an imaging sequence is set up for the defect images and reference images in such a manner as to reduce the time required for stage movement in accordance with the defect coordinates of the samples and the selected defect detection method.