IP Library Granted Patent US 7,459,699
Granted Patent B2
US 7,459,699 · App. 11/286,684 · Granted Dec 2, 2008

Method of determining processing position in charged particle beam apparatus, and infrared microscope used in the method

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,459,699
App. No.
11/286,684
Granted
Dec 2, 2008
Kind
B2
Abstract

A laser mark which will be the positioning mark for a secondary charged particle image in the charged particle beam apparatus is applied by moving the sample processing/observation area in the charged particle beam apparatus so as to come into the view field while performing an observation by an infrared microscope, and by a using a laser optical system disposed coaxially with an optical observation system, the mark made at the periphery of the processing/observation object area. Next, by a superposition of an infrared transmission image and a CAD data, the processing/observation object area and the laser mark are registered onto the CAD data. And, by a correlation of the registered data read from the charged particle beam apparatus and the secondary charged particle image, it is possible to accurately and easily determine the processing position.

Claims (18)

1. A method for determining the processing position in a charged particle beam apparatus, comprising:

disposing a semiconductor sample having a wiring pattern below a sample surface of the semiconductor sample, on a sample stage;

moving the sample stage in order to get a processing/observation area on the wiring pattern in the charged particle beam apparatus below the sample surface into view field of an infrared microscope while observing a transmission image by the infrared microscope;

performing a laser marking on the sample surface at a periphery of the processing/observation area before or after superposing an infrared microscope observation image containing the processing/observation area to a CAD data corresponding to the wiring pattern containing the processing/observation area;

registering the processing/observation area and a position of the laser marking of the infrared microscope observation image onto the CAD data;

observing a secondary charged particle image of the position of the laser marking in the charged particle beam apparatus; and

positioning the processing/observation area by correlating the secondary charged particle image to the position of the laser marking on the CAD data that has been registered during the registering the processing/observation area.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the performing a laser marking is performed by a laser that is aimed at the sample so as to be coaxial with an optical axis of the infrared microscope.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein prior to the disposing a semiconductor sample a deposition film is formed on the semiconductor sample so as to enable the performing a laser marking.

4. The infrared microscope of claim 1 , further comprising a sample illumination that causes light to be directed towards the sample and results in formation of the infrared transmission image.

5. An infrared microscope with laser marking function, comprising:

a three-dimensionally movable stage for disposing a sample;

a CCD camera for obtaining an infrared transmission image of the sample;

a laser optical system for applying a laser mark to a periphery of a processing/observation area obtained from the infrared transmission image;

a storage means for storing CAD data of the sample;

a monitor for displaying the CAD data stored in the storage means and the infrared transmission image; and

means for registering the processing/observation area and the laser mark on the CAD data after superposing the CAD data and the infrared transmission image on the monitor by moving the three-dimensionally movable stage.

6. The infrared microscope of claim 5 , wherein the laser optical system is disposed coaxially with an optical axis of the CCD camera.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 17, 2014
From: SII NANOTECHNOLOGY INC.
To: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 033764/0615 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 8, 2006
From: KIYOHARA, MASAHIRO; SATO, MAKOTO; ASAHATA, TATSUYA
To: SII NANO TECHNOLOGY INC.
Reel/Frame 017246/0103 →