IP Library Granted Patent US 8,305,435
Granted Patent B2
US 8,305,435 · App. 12/053,287 · Granted Nov 6, 2012

Image processing system and scanning electron microscope

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,305,435
App. No.
12/053,287
Granted
Nov 6, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention achieves the process of easily registering a template which is prepared for a size change in pattern matching for specifying a measurement point, and high-speed pattern matching by which adequate position accuracy can be obtained in measurement. The present invention includes means for automatically calculating the size and position of a positioning template different from a measurement point itself when the measurement point is designated, to display a template having the calculated size and position. The present invention further includes means for performing pattern matching by using all or some of a plurality of divided templates and extracting templates having a similar positional relationship to the original positional relationship.

Claims (33)

1. An image processing system for registering a measurement point and a positioning template in a pattern image on a wafer, comprising:

a display for obtaining the pattern image and displaying the pattern image on a screen;

a processor for generating a plurality of templates, each of which contains a corner pattern which is different from each other corner pattern, based on the pattern image; and

a memory device for registering the generated plurality of templates and the measurement point information, wherein

the processor determines whether a disposition of matching positions by the plurality of templates has a predetermined positional relationship with an original disposition, and adjusts the registered measurement point based on the matching positions by the plurality of templates with respect to a pattern of the matching position which is determined as having the predetermined positional relationship to perform a measurement.

2. The image processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the processor automatically calculates a template having a size and a position different from those of the measurement point itself.

3. The image processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the display displays the generated plurality of templates with the pattern image on the screen.

4. The image processing system according to claim 3 , wherein the memory device registers the generated plurality of templates in response to a registering instruction from a user.

5. The image processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the processor generates the plurality of templates as a plurality of divided templates.

6. The image processing system according to claim 3 , wherein the processor corrects the generated plurality of templates based on an instruction input.

7. An image processing system for registering a measurement point and a positioning template in a pattern image on a wafer, comprising:

display means for obtaining the pattern image and displaying the pattern image on a screen;

template generating means for obtaining measurement point information in the pattern image and generating a positioning template based on the measurement point information and the pattern image;

information registering means for registering the generated positioning template and the measurement point information; and

template correcting means for correcting the generated positioning template based on an instruction input, wherein

the positioning template is used for obtaining measurement point information in a corresponding pattern image and a pattern image similar to the corresponding pattern image,

the generated positioning template is constituted by a plurality of small templates obtained by dividing a square having a basic size by a predetermined division ratio and disposed on the pattern image, and

the template correcting means changes the predetermined division ratio of the generated positioning template in response to a resizing instruction from a user.

8. The image processing system according to claim 6 , wherein the processor changes a position of the generated plurality of templates in response to an instruction from a user.

9. A scanning electron microscope having a function of registering a measurement point and a positioning template in a pattern image on a wafer, comprising:

a display for obtaining the pattern image and displaying the pattern image on a screen;

a processor for generating a plurality of templates, each of which contains a corner pattern which is different from each other corner pattern, based on the pattern image; and

a memory device for registering the generated plurality of templates and the measurement point information, wherein

the processor determines whether a disposition of matching positions by the plurality of templates has a predetermined positional relationship with an original disposition, and adjusts the registered measurement point based on the matching positions by the plurality of templates with respect to a pattern of the matching position which is determined as having the predetermined positional relationship to perform a measurement.

10. A scanning electron microscope having a function of registering a measurement point and a positioning template in a pattern image on a wafer, comprising:

display means for obtaining the pattern image and displaying the pattern image on a screen;

template generating means for obtaining measurement point information in the pattern image and generating a positioning template based on the measurement point information and the pattern image; and

information registering means for registering the generated positioning template and the measurement point information,

wherein the positioning template is used for obtaining measurement point information in a corresponding pattern image and a pattern image similar to the corresponding pattern image,

wherein the scanning electron microscope has a function of performing pattern matching of a pattern image on a wafer and a template, further comprising:

memory means for storing a plurality of positioning templates and information of a plurality of measurement points respectively corresponding to the plurality of positioning templates;

processing means for extracting a positioning template having a similar structure to a template that matches a pattern image of a measuring object from the plurality of positioning templates stored in the memory means; and

output means for calculating an enlargement ratio of the extracted positioning template having a similar structure with respect to the pattern image of a measuring object and correcting by the enlargement ratio and outputting information of a corresponding measurement point.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME AND ADDRESS Recorded Mar 30, 2020
From: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 052259/0227 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 3, 2010
From: SATO, YOSHIMICHI; IKEDA, MITSUJI; SASAJIMA, FUMIHIRO
To: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 023890/0117 →