Scanning electron microscope system and method for measuring dimensions of patterns formed on semiconductor device by using the system

1. A scanning electron microscope system comprising:

means for acquiring an image of a desired area of a sample provided with a pattern formed on a surface using a scanning electron microscope;

means for storing a library correlating a cross-sectional shape of the pattern of the sample and electron beam signal waveform information corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the pattern;

means for extracting dimension information of the pattern by processing information obtained from the image of the pattern of the sample obtained by the capturing means, and looking up the library information stored in the storage means, wherein the information obtained from the image of the sample in the extracting means is a local projection waveform generated by projecting the image in a tangential direction with respect to the pattern edge at each point or each representative point of the pattern edge in the image of the sample; and

means for displaying information on a screen, the information being related to the dimension of the pattern extracted by the extracting means.

2. The scanning electron microscope system according to claim 1 , wherein

the extracting means processes the information obtained from the image of the sample, looking up the library information stored in the storing means, thereby obtaining contour information of the pattern formed on the sample as the dimension information of the pattern.

3. The scanning electron microscope system according to claim 1 , wherein

the extracting means extracts width information of the pattern and height information of the pattern as the dimension information of the pattern.

4. The scanning electron microscope system according to claim 1 , wherein

the extracting means extracts information of a distance between a plurality of patterns as the dimension information of the pattern, and

the outputting means displays the information of the distance between the plurality of patterns extracted in conjunction with design data of the plurality of patterns on the screen.

5. The scanning electron microscope system according to claim 1 , wherein

the library stored in the storing means is composed of electron beam signal waveforms of various cross-sectional shapes of the sample obtained by a computer simulation.

6. The scanning electron microscope system according to claim 1 , wherein

in the library stored in the storing means, the electron beam signal waveform information corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the pattern to be correlated with the cross-sectional shape of the pattern of the sample is a characteristic value of the electron beam signal waveform obtained from the local projection waveform generated by projecting the image of the pattern in the tangential direction with respect to the edge of the pattern.

7. A method for measuring dimensions of patterns formed on a semiconductor device by using the scanning electron microscope system, comprising the steps of:

(a) acquiring an image of a desired area of a sample provided with a pattern formed on a surface using a scanning electron microscope;

(b) storing a library correlating a cross-sectional shape of the pattern of the sample and electron beam signal waveform information corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the pattern;

(c) extracting dimension information of the pattern by processing information obtained from the image of the pattern of the sample obtained, and looking up the library information stored in step (b), wherein the information obtained from the image of the sample is a local projection waveform generated by projecting the image in a tangential direction with respect to the pattern edge at each point or each representative point of the pattern edge in the image of the sample; and

(d) displaying information on a screen, the information being related to the dimension of the pattern extracted.

8. The method for measuring dimensions of patterns formed on a semiconductor device by using the scanning electron microscope system according to claim 7 , wherein

extracting the dimension information of the pattern is obtaining contour information of the pattern formed on the sample as the dimension information of the pattern by processing the information obtained from the image of the sample, looking up the library information stored.

9. The method for measuring dimensions of patterns formed on a semiconductor device by using the scanning electron microscope system according to claim 7 , wherein

in step (c), width information of the pattern and height information of the pattern are extracted as the dimension information of the pattern.

10. The method for measuring dimensions of patterns formed on a semiconductor device by using the scanning electron microscope system according to claim 7 , wherein

in step (c), information of a distance between a plurality of patterns is extracted as the dimension information of the pattern, and

in step (d), the information of the distance between the plurality of patterns extracted is displayed on the screen in conjunction with design data of the plurality of patterns.

11. The method for measuring dimensions of patterns formed on a semiconductor device by using the scanning electron microscope system according to claim 7 , wherein

the library stored is composed of electron beam signal waveforms of various cross-sectional shapes of the sample obtained by a computer simulation.

12. The method for measuring dimensions of patterns formed on a semiconductor device by using the scanning electron microscope system according to claim 7 , wherein

in the library stored, the electron beam signal waveform information corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the pattern to be correlated with the cross-sectional shape of the pattern of the sample is a characteristic value of the electron beam signal waveform obtained from the local projection waveform generated by projecting the image of the pattern in the tangential direction with respect to the edge of the pattern.

13. The method for measuring dimensions of patterns formed on a semiconductor device by using the scanning electron microscope system according to claim 7 , wherein

in step (d), information of a distance between a plurality of patterns is extracted as the dimension information of the pattern, and

in step (f), the information of the distance between the plurality of patterns extracted is displayed on the screen in conjunction with design data of the plurality of patterns.

14. A scanning electron microscope system comprising:

means for acquiring an image of a desired area of a sample, the sample being provided with a pattern formed on a surface thereof;

means for calculating a local projection waveform at each point on an edge of the pattern, or at each representative point of the edge of the pattern in the image of the desired area of the sample;

means for storing a library, the library correlating a cross-sectional shape of the pattern of the sample and electron beam signal waveform information corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the pattern;

means for estimating a cross-sectional shape by looking up the library information, processing the local projection waveform, and estimating a local cross-sectional shape of the pattern edge at each point or each representative point of the pattern edge in the image of the sample;

means for calculating a contour information as a range of position coordinates on the edge of the sample corresponding to the local cross-sectional shape; and

means for displaying the contour information on a screen.

15. The scanning electron microscope system according to claim 14 , wherein

the estimating means processes the information obtained from the image of the sample, looking up the library information stored in the storing means, thereby obtaining contour information of the pattern formed on the sample as the dimension information of the pattern.

16. The scanning electron microscope system according to claim 14 , wherein

the estimating means extracts information of a distance between a plurality of patterns as the dimension information of the pattern, and

the displaying means displays the information of the distance between the plurality of patterns extracted in conjunction with design data of the plurality of patterns on the screen.

17. The scanning electron microscope system according to claim 14 , wherein

in the library stored in the storing means, the electron beam signal waveform information corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the pattern to be correlated with the cross-sectional shape of the pattern of the sample is a characteristic value of the electron beam signal waveform obtained from the local projection waveform generated by projecting the image of the pattern in the tangential direction with respect to the edge of the pattern.

18. The method for measuring dimensions of patterns formed on a semiconductor device by using the scanning electron microscope system according to claim 17 , wherein

estimating dimension information of the pattern includes: obtaining contour information of the pattern formed on the sample, as the dimension information of the pattern, by processing the information obtained from the image of the sample, and looking up the library information stored.

19. The method for measuring dimensions of patterns formed on a semiconductor device by using the scanning electron microscope system according to claim 17 , wherein

in the library stored, the electron beam signal waveform information corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the pattern to be correlated with the cross-sectional shape of the pattern of the sample is a characteristic value of the electron beam signal waveform obtained from the local projection waveform generated by projecting the image of the pattern in the tangential direction with respect to the edge of the pattern.

20. A method for measuring dimensions of patterns formed on a semiconductor device by using the scanning electron microscope system, comprising the steps of:

(a) acquiring an image of a desired area of a sample, the sample being provided with a pattern formed on a surface thereof;

(b) calculating a local projection waveform at each point on an edge of the pattern, or at each representative point of the edge of the pattern in the image of the desired area of the sample;

(c) storing a library, the library correlating a cross-sectional shape of the pattern of the sample and electron beam signal waveform information corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the pattern;

(d) estimating a cross-sectional shape by looking up the library information, processing the local projection waveform, and estimating a local cross-sectional shape of the pattern edge at each point or each representative point of the pattern edge in the image of the sample;

(e) calculating a contour information as a range of position coordinates on the edge of the sample corresponding to the local cross-sectional shape; and

(f) displaying the contour information on a screen.