公开(公告)号：US06515296B1

公开(公告)日：2003-02-04

申请号：US09570538

申请日：2000-05-12

申请人： Fumio Komatsu ,  Motosuke Miyoshi ,  Katsuya Okumura

发明人： Fumio Komatsu ,  Motosuke Miyoshi ,  Katsuya Okumura

IPC分类号： G01N2300

CPC分类号： G01N23/225

摘要： In an operation of a pattern dimension measuring system comprising a stage, an electron gun part, electron lens systems for scanning electron beam on a sample and having a MOL mechanism thereto, a secondary electron detector for detecting secondary electrons and so forth emitted from the sample, and a host computer having a pattern dimension measuring part, the stage is moved at a constant velocity, the coordinates of the stage is measured by a laser interferometer in real time, the variation in working distance of the electron beam is measured in real time by the optical lever system from a focal length measuring part to be fed back to a stage control part and an objective lens. When a pattern serving as an object to be measured reaches a region capable of scanning, the electron beam is scanned in the best focus while moving the scanning start position of the electron beam in synchronism with the constant velocity movement of the stage, so that the SEM image thereof is acquired.

摘要翻译： 在包括阶段，电子枪部分，用于在样品上扫描电子束并具有MOL机制的电子透镜系统的图案尺寸测量系统的操作中，用于检测从样品发射的二次电子等的二次电子检测器 和具有图形尺寸测量部件的主机，以等速移动平台，通过激光干涉仪实时测量舞台的坐标，实时测量电子束的工作距离的变化 通过光学杆系统从焦距测量部分反馈到舞台控制部分和物镜。 当作为被测量物体的图案到达能够扫描的区域时，电子束以最佳聚焦扫描，同时与舞台的等速运动同步地移动电子束的扫描开始位置， 获取其SEM图像。

公开(公告)号：US5315119A

公开(公告)日：1994-05-24

申请号：US983229

申请日：1992-11-19

申请人： Fumio Komatsu ,  Katsuya Okumura ,  Motosuke Miyoshi

发明人： Fumio Komatsu ,  Katsuya Okumura ,  Motosuke Miyoshi

IPC分类号： G21K5/04 ,  H01J37/02 ,  H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/302 ,  H01L21/66

CPC分类号： H01J37/3026 ,  H01J37/026

摘要： To prevent electric charge up from being accumulated on the plane scanned by an electron beam and further to improve the S/N ratio, an electron beam irradiating apparatus comprising: position information signal outputting section for outputting position information signals, in sequence to designate positions at which an electron beam is irradiated on a plane scanned by the electron beam, so as to designate the irradiation positions at random; and irradiation controller for controlling the electron beam to irradiate the electron beam at the irradiation positions in response to the outputted position information signals. Further, to integrate an photoelectric signal over a sufficient time interval within the period of the pixel clock signal, the electric signal detecting circuit comprises a plurality of sample hold circuits and a selecting circuit for selecting and activating the sample hold circuits in sequence.

摘要翻译： 为了防止电荷积累在由电子束扫描的平面上并进一步提高S / N比，电子束照射装置包括：位置信息信号输出部分，用于输出位置信息信号，以依次指定位置信息信号 电子束照射在由电子束扫描的平面上，以便随机地指定照射位置; 以及照射控制器，用于响应于输出的位置信息信号，控制电子束在照射位置照射电子束。 此外，为了在像素时钟信号的周期内在足够的时间间隔内积分光电信号，电信号检测电路包括多个采样保持电路和用于依次选择和激活采样保持电路的选择电路。

公开(公告)号：US4807159A

公开(公告)日：1989-02-21

申请号：US897429

申请日：1986-08-18

申请人： Fumio Komatsu ,  Motosuke Miyoshi ,  Katsuya Okumura

发明人： Fumio Komatsu ,  Motosuke Miyoshi ,  Katsuya Okumura

IPC分类号： G21K5/04 ,  G01R31/26 ,  G01R31/305 ,  H01J37/04 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01L21/027 ,  G01N23/00 ,  G21K1/08

CPC分类号： G01R31/305

摘要： Before detecting the surface state of specific patterns a sample by means of an electron beam tester system, patterns formed in a specified surface area of the sample, are detected by deflecting an electron beam by a deflection coil. Data representing current supplied to the deflection coil, data representing the position of the sample during the pattern-detecting operation, and image signals representing the patterns found in the specified surface area, are stored in a memory. While the specific patterns of a sample are being detected, the electron beam is used to perform a second pattern-detecting operation. Data representing current supplied to the deflection coil during the second pattern-detecting operation, such data representing the position of the sample, and image signals provided by the second pattern-detecting operation representing the patterns formed in the specified surface area, afe compared with those data items already stored in the memory. From the difference between the compared two sets of data items, any drift in the electron beam is calculated. In accordance with the drift thus calculated, the deflection coil is energized to deflec the electron beam such that the beam is applied onto the desired portion of the sample.

摘要翻译： 在通过电子束测试仪系统检测特定图案的表面状态之前，通过偏转线圈偏转电子束来检测在样品的规定表面积中形成的图案。 表示提供给偏转线圈的电流的数据，表示图案检测操作期间的样品的位置的数据和表示在指定表面积中发现的图案的图像信号被存储在存储器中。 当正在检测样品的特定图案时，电子束用于执行第二图案检测操作。 表示在第二图案检测操作期间提供给偏转线圈的电流的数据，表示样品位置的数据和表示在指定表面积中形成的图案的第二图案检测操作提供的图像信号 已存储在存储器中的数据项。 根据比较的两组数据项之间的差异，计算电子束中的任何漂移。 根据如此计算的漂移，偏转线圈被通电以使电子束分离，使得光束被施加到样品的期望部分上。

公开(公告)号：US5818217A

公开(公告)日：1998-10-06

申请号：US222392

申请日：1994-04-04

申请人： Fumio Komatsu ,  Katsuya Okumura ,  Motosuke Miyoshi

发明人： Fumio Komatsu ,  Katsuya Okumura ,  Motosuke Miyoshi

IPC分类号： G21K5/04 ,  H01J37/02 ,  H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/302 ,  H01L21/66 ,  G01R31/305

CPC分类号： H01J37/3026 ,  H01J37/026

摘要： To prevent electric charge up from being accumulated on the plane scanned by an electron beam and further to improve the S/N ratio, an electron beam irradiating apparatus comprising: position information signal outputting section for outputting position information signals, in sequence to designate positions at which an electron beam is irradiated on a plane scanned by the electron beam, so as to designate the irradiation positions at random; and irradiation controller for-controlling the electron beam to irradiate the electron beam at the irradiation positions in response to the outputted position information signals. Further, to integrate an photoelectric signal over a sufficient time interval within the period of the pixel clock signal, the electric signal detecting circuit comprises a plurality of sample hold circuits and a selecting circuit for selecting and activating the sample hold circuits in sequence.

摘要翻译： 为了防止电荷积累在由电子束扫描的平面上并进一步提高S / N比，电子束照射装置包括：位置信息信号输出部分，用于输出位置信息信号，以依次指定位置信息信号 电子束照射在由电子束扫描的平面上，以便随机地指定照射位置; 以及照射控制器，用于响应于输出的位置信息信号，控制电子束在照射位置照射电子束。 此外，为了在像素时钟信号的周期内在足够的时间间隔内积分光电信号，电信号检测电路包括多个采样保持电路和用于依次选择和激活采样保持电路的选择电路。

公开(公告)号：US5359197A

公开(公告)日：1994-10-25

申请号：US92466

申请日：1993-07-16

申请人： Fumio Komatsu ,  Motosuke Miyoshi

发明人： Fumio Komatsu ,  Motosuke Miyoshi

IPC分类号： H01J37/04 ,  H01J37/22 ,  H01J37/26 ,  H01J37/28 ,  G01N23/225

CPC分类号： H01J37/265 ,  H01J2237/1501

摘要： In a gun (or lens) alignment control apparatus for an scanning electron microscope, a condenser (or objective) lens is controllably set to first and second conditions, respectively; first and second filament (or secondary electron) images obtained under the first and second conditions are inputted, respectively; the first and second filament (or secondary electron) images are processed to obtain first and second binarized images, respectively; the first and second binarized images are further processed to obtain first and second histograms, respectively; first and second coordinates at which the first and second histograms become maximum in frequency are detected, respectively; and exciting current for a gun (or lens) alignment coil is controlled so that the two coordinates match each other. Since the excitation of the gun (or lens) alignment coil can be controlled automatically so that the filament (or secondary electron) image obtained by the scanning electron microscope will not be shifted, the alignment error can be reduced and thereby an excellent image can be obtained.

摘要翻译： 在用于扫描电子显微镜的枪（或镜头）对准控制装置中，分别可控地将冷凝器（或物镜）透镜设置为第一和第二条件; 分别输入在第一和第二条件下获得的第一和第二细丝（或二次电子）图像; 处理第一和第二细丝（或二次电子）图像以分别获得第一和第二二值化图像; 进一步处理第一和第二二值化图像以分别获得第一和第二直方图; 分别检测第一和第二直方图在频率上变得最大的第一和第二坐标; 并且控制用于枪（或透镜）对准线圈的激励电流，使得两个坐标彼此匹配。 由于可以自动控制枪（或透镜）取向线圈的激发，使得通过扫描电子显微镜获得的细丝（或二次电子）图像不会发生偏移，因此可以降低对准误差，从而可以获得优异的图像 获得。

公开(公告)号：US5029250A

公开(公告)日：1991-07-02

申请号：US363275

申请日：1989-06-08

申请人： Fumio Komatsu ,  Motosuke Miyoshi

发明人： Fumio Komatsu ,  Motosuke Miyoshi

IPC分类号： G01B15/00 ,  G01B15/04 ,  H01J37/04 ,  H01J37/22

CPC分类号： G01B15/04

摘要： A pattern configuration measuring method of and apparatus for measuring a cross sectional profile of a pattern (10) formed on a flat plane with a concave or convex structure having a taper portion (10a, 10b) on both sides thereof, by scanning a beam in a predetermined direction with a scanning electron microscope (1), detecting a secondary electron to acquire an image signal of the pattern, and processing the image signal. The column (1a) of the scanning electron microscope is set at an optional inclination angle relative to the flat plane formed with the pattern, a beam is scanned onto the pattern with the scanning electron microscope in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the concave or convex structure, an output signal is acquired from the scanning electron microscope and image-processed to detect both the taper portions of the pattern and to calculate the dimension of the pattern, a beam is scanned onto the pattern with the scanning electron microscope in the direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the concave or convex structure, and an output signal is acquired from the scanning electron microscope and image-processed to calculate the cross sectional profile of the pattern. The column of the scanning electron microscope may be set perpendicular to the flat plane, and the pattern to be measured is set at an optional inclination angle relative to the column axis of the scanning electron microscope.

公开(公告)号：US4910398A

公开(公告)日：1990-03-20

申请号：US257862

申请日：1988-10-14

申请人： Fumio Komatsu ,  Katsuya Okumura

发明人： Fumio Komatsu ,  Katsuya Okumura

IPC分类号： H01J37/22 ,  G01B11/24 ,  G01B15/00 ,  G01B15/04 ,  G03F7/20 ,  H01J37/244

CPC分类号： G03F7/70483 ,  G01B11/24 ,  G01B15/04

摘要： This method is a method of measuring a taper angle, a thickness or a depth of a semiconductor integrated circuit pattern. Electron beam, light beam or the like is irradiated to a semiconductor integrated circuit pattern provided on a reference plane, thus to form a projected image. The projected image forms a predetermined angle with respect to a reference line set with respect to the reference plane. Then, lengths in a direction of the reference line of the projected images of symmetrical side walls of the pattern are measured to calculate from the ratio of those lengths and angle that the side walls and the reference plane form.

公开(公告)号：US4894540A

公开(公告)日：1990-01-16

申请号：US257557

申请日：1988-10-14

申请人： Fumio Komatsu

发明人： Fumio Komatsu

IPC分类号： H01J37/244 ,  G01B15/00 ,  G01N23/225 ,  H01J37/22 ,  H01J37/252 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01L21/027 ,  H01L21/66 ,  H04N1/409

CPC分类号： H01J37/28

摘要： An image forming method includes a first step of irradiating a beam onto an object, and using an intensity corresponding to an image area onto which the beam was irradiated as an intensity of a pixel at the center of the image area, and scanning a beam throughout the inspection area of the object to obtain an image within the inspection area as a collection of pixels arranged at intervals smaller than a beam diameter; and a second step of assigning a pixel to be processed and neighboring pixels with coefficients in accordance with a beam intensity distribution, multiplying the intensity of each pixel by each assigned coefficient, determining a new intensity of the pixel to be processed in accordance with the sum of respective products, and repeating the new intensity determining process for all pixels necessary to be processed. In the second step, the value of the coefficients for those pixels except on the scanning direction may be reduced. Further, a third step may be provided for linearly-transforming the intensities so as to make the intensities of respective pixels to be distributed within a predetermined range.

公开(公告)号：US5302829A

公开(公告)日：1994-04-12

申请号：US003472

申请日：1993-01-12

申请人： Fumio Komatsu ,  Yasuhiro Kaga

发明人： Fumio Komatsu ,  Yasuhiro Kaga

IPC分类号： H01J37/147 ,  H01J37/21 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/26

CPC分类号： H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/21

摘要： An automatic focusing method for scanning electron microscopy. A scanning electron microscope is set in a low magnification mode to detect a taper portion of an object to be observed. The beam scanning whose direction is perpendicular to the taper portion is effected whenever objective lens control condition is changed at a first pitch, and the secondary electron signals obtained under these conditions are converted into video signals. The video signals are differential smoothed to calculate a sum of video signal absolute values. On the basis of the sum of the absolute values, an optimum objective lens control condition in the low magnification mode can be obtained. Sequentially, the microscope is set to a high magnification mode, and the objective lens control condition is further changed at a second pitch within a predetermined range with the optimum control condition in the low magnification mode as the center of the range. The beam scanning whose direction is perpendicular to the taper portion is effected. In the same way as in the low magnification mode, the secondary electrons signal obtained under these conditions are converted into video signals to obtain the optimum objective lens control condition in the high magnification mode. The optimum control condition obtained in the high magnification mode is determined as the control condition to determine the focal distance of the objective lens.

摘要翻译： 一种扫描电子显微镜的自动对焦方法。 将扫描型电子显微镜设定为低倍率模式，以检测被观察物体的锥形部分。 当物镜控制条件以第一节距改变时，其方向垂直于锥形部分的光束扫描实现，并且在这些条件下获得的二次电子信号被转换为视频信号。 视频信号被差分平滑以计算视频信号绝对值之和。 基于绝对值的和，可以获得低倍率模式下的最佳物镜控制条件。 接着，将显微镜设定为高放大倍数模式，并且以低放大倍数模式的最佳控制条件为范围，以预定范围内的第二间距进一步改变物镜控制条件。 实现了与锥形部分垂直的光束扫描。 以与低倍率模式相同的方式，在这些条件下获得的二次电子信号被转换为视频信号，以在高倍率模式下获得最佳物镜控制条件。 确定在高倍率模式下获得的最佳控制条件作为确定物镜焦距的控制条件。

公开(公告)号：US6114681A

公开(公告)日：2000-09-05

申请号：US90249

申请日：1998-06-04

申请人： Fumio Komatsu

发明人： Fumio Komatsu

IPC分类号： G03B13/36 ,  G02B7/04 ,  G02B7/28 ,  G02B7/36 ,  H01J37/21 ,  H01J37/26

CPC分类号： H01J37/28 ,  G02B21/241 ,  H01J2237/216 ,  H01J2237/223 ,  H01J2237/24578

摘要： An automatic focus control system comprises an electron beam lens column 1, a device control apparatus 2, and a host computer 3. In the host computer 3, an image processing section 32 and so on are provided. In case of measuring the critical dimension of the patterns in the wafer, after performing the global alignment adjustment, the power spectrum is calculated based on the SEM image of each measuring point in the wafer. After that, in case that the high-frequency component is included more than a prescribed standard value, without performing the automatic focus adjustment, the process for the pattern recognition is performed, and in case that the high-frequency component is included less than the standard value, the process for pattern recognition is performed just before the automatic focus adjustment. Therefore, it is possible to decrease the frequency (times) which performs the process for automatic focus adjustment; as a result, the throughput for measuring is improved.

摘要翻译： 自动聚焦控制系统包括电子束透镜柱1，装置控制装置2和主计算机3.在主计算机3中，设置有图像处理部32等。 在测量晶片中的图案的临界尺寸的情况下，在执行全局对准调整之后，基于晶片中每个测量点的SEM图像来计算功率谱。 之后，在高频分量多于规定标准值的情况下，不进行自动对焦调整的情况下，进行模式识别处理，在高频分量小于 在自动对焦调整之前执行模式识别的处理。 因此，可以降低进行自动对焦调整处理的频率（次数）。 结果，提高了测量的生产量。