Abstract: The invention provides an observation system capable of observing a formation position of a target shape that cannot be directly irradiated with an electron beam. The observation system includes an electron microscope and a computer. The electron microscope is configured to irradiate, with an electron beam, a first surface position on a specimen, which is different from a formation position of a target shape on the specimen, detect predetermined electrons that are scattered in the specimen from the first surface position and that escape from the formation position of the target shape to an outside of the specimen, and output the predetermined electrons as a detection signal. The computer is configured to output one or more values related to the target shape based on the detection signal.

Abstract: To provide a technique capable of quantitatively grasping a change in three-dimensional shape including a cross-sectional shape of a pattern within a surface of a wafer or between wafers in a non-destructive manner before cross-sectional observation.

Abstract: A scanning electron microscopy system that includes a primary electron beam radiation unit configured to irradiate a first pattern of a substrate having a second pattern formed in a peripheral region of the first pattern, a detection unit configured to detect back scattered electrons emitted from the substrate, an image generation unit configured to generate an electron beam image corresponding to a strength of the back scattered electrons, a designating unit configured to designate a depth measurement region in which the first pattern exists on the electron beam image, and a processing unit configured to obtain an image signal of the depth measurement region and a pattern density in the peripheral region where the second pattern exists, and to estimate a depth of the first pattern based on the obtained image signal of the depth measurement region and the pattern density in the peripheral region.

Abstract: A charged particle beam device 1 includes: a plurality of detectors 7 for detecting a signal particle 9 emitted from a sample 8 irradiated with a charged particle beam 3 and converting the detected signal particle 9 into an output electrical signal 17; an energy discriminator 14 provided for each detector 7 and configured to discriminate the output electrical signal 17 according to energy of the signal particle 9; a discrimination control block 21 for setting an energy discrimination condition of each of the energy discriminators 14; and an image calculation block 22 for generating an image based on the discriminated electrical signal. The discrimination control block 21 sets energy discrimination conditions different from each other among the plurality of energy discriminators 14.

Abstract: In the present invention, an electro-optical condition generation unit includes: a condition setting unit that sets, as a plurality of electro-optical conditions, a plurality of electro-optical conditions in which the combinations of the aperture angle and the focal-point height for an electron beam are different; an index calculating unit that determines a measurement-performance index in the electro-optical conditions set by the condition setting unit; and a condition deriving unit that derives an electro-optical condition, including an aperture angle and a focal-point height, so that the measurement-performance index determined by the index calculating unit becomes a prescribed value.

Abstract: An electron microscope apparatus includes a detection unit that detects reflected electrons reflected from a sample when the sample is irradiated with primary electrons emitted by a primary electron generation unit (electron gun), an image generation unit that generates an image of a surface of the sample with the reflected electrons based on output from the detection unit, and a processing unit that generates a differential waveform signal of the image generated by the image generation unit, processes the image by using information of the differential waveform signal, and measures a dimension of a pattern formed on the sample.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a pattern cross-sectional shape estimation system which includes a charged particle ray device which includes a scanning deflector that scans a charged particle beam, a detector that detects charged particles, and an angle discriminator that is disposed in a front stage of the detector and discriminates charged particles to be detected, and an arithmetic device that generates a luminance of an image, and calculates a signal waveform of a designated region on the image using the luminance. The arithmetic device generates angle discrimination images using signal electrons at different detection angles, and estimates a side wall shape of a measurement target pattern.

Abstract: To measure a depth of a three-dimensional structure, for example, a hole or a groove, formed in a sample without preparing information in advance, an electron microscope detects, among emitted electrons generated by irradiating a sample with a primary electron beam, an emission angle in a predetermined range, the emission angle being formed between an axial direction of the primary electron beam and an emission direction of the emitted electrons, and outputs a detection signal corresponding to the number of the emitted electrons detected. An emission angle distribution of a detection signal is obtained based on a plurality of detection signals, and an opening angle is obtained based on a change point of the emission angle distribution, the opening angle being based on an optical axis direction of the primary electron beam with respect to the bottom portion of the three-dimensional structure.

Abstract: In the present invention, an electro-optical condition generation unit includes: a condition setting unit that sets, as a plurality of electro-optical conditions, a plurality of electro-optical conditions in which the combinations of the aperture angle and the focal-point height for an electron beam are different; an index calculating unit that determines a measurement-performance index in the electro-optical conditions set by the condition setting unit; and a condition deriving unit that derives an electro-optical condition, including an aperture angle and a focal-point height, so that the measurement-performance index determined by the index calculating unit becomes a prescribed value.

Abstract: A scanning electron microscopy system that includes a primary electron beam radiation unit configured to irradiate a first pattern of a substrate having a second pattern formed in a peripheral region of the first pattern, a detection unit configured to detect back scattered electrons emitted from the substrate, an image generation unit configured to generate an electron beam image corresponding to a strength of the back scattered electrons, a designating unit configured to designate a depth measurement region in which the first pattern exists on the electron beam image, and a processing unit configured to obtain an image signal of the depth measurement region and a pattern density in the peripheral region where the second pattern exists, and to estimate a depth of the first pattern based on the obtained image signal of the depth measurement region and the pattern density in the peripheral region.

Abstract: An electron microscope apparatus includes a detection unit that detects reflected electrons reflected from a sample when the sample is irradiated with primary electrons emitted by a primary electron generation unit (electron gun), an image generation unit that generates an image of a surface of the sample with the reflected electrons based on output from the detection unit, and a processing unit that generates a differential waveform signal of the image generated by the image generation unit, processes the image by using information of the differential waveform signal, and measures a dimension of a pattern formed on the sample.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a pattern cross-sectional shape estimation system which includes a charged particle ray device which includes a scanning deflector that scans a charged particle beam, a detector that detects charged particles, and an angle discriminator that is disposed in a front stage of the detector and discriminates charged particles to be detected, and an arithmetic device that generates a luminance of an image, and calculates a signal waveform of a designated region on the image using the luminance. The arithmetic device generates angle discrimination images using signal electrons at different detection angles, and estimates a side wall shape of a measurement target pattern.

Abstract: To measure a depth of a three-dimensional structure, for example, a hole or a groove, formed in a sample without preparing information for each pattern or calibration in advance. The invention provides an electron microscope including a detection unit that detects, among emitted electrons generated from a sample by irradiating the sample with a primary electron beam, emitted electrons of which an emission angle is in a predetermined range, the emission angle being an angle formed between an axial direction of the primary electron beam and an emission direction of the emitted electrons from the sample, and outputs a detection signal corresponding to the number of the emitted electrons which are detected.

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: 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: 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 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: 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: 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.