Method for measuring overlay and measuring apparatus, scanning electron microscope, and GUI

1. A method for measuring overlay at a semiconductor device on which circuit patterns are formed by a plurality of exposure processes,

wherein the plurality of exposure processes includes a first exposure process which includes at least one exposure process, and a second exposure process which is different from the first exposure process and which includes at least one exposure process,

the method comprising:

an image capturing step for capturing a plurality of images of areas in the semiconductor device;

a reference image setting step for setting a reference image on the basis of the captured plurality of images;

for a selected image among the captured plurality of images, a difference quantifying step for quantifying a difference between the reference image and the selected image; and

an overlay calculating step for calculating the overlay on the basis of the difference between the reference image and the selected image,

wherein said quantifying the difference between the reference image and the selected image further comprises quantifying a first positional deviation amount corresponding to the first exposure process and a second positional deviation amount corresponding to the second exposure process, based on gray values of the reference image ad gray values of the selected image.

2. The method according to claim 1 ,

wherein said difference quantifying step further comprises:

recognizing a first circuit pattern area on the reference image which corresponds to the first exposure process, to quantify the first positional deviation amount; and

recognizing a second circuit pattern area on the reference image which corresponds to the second exposure process, to quantify the second positional deviation amount.

3. The method according to claim 2 ,

wherein said difference quantifying step further comprises:

recognizing a third circuit pattern area on the selected image which corresponds to the first exposure process, to quantify the first positional deviation amount;

recognizing a fourth circuit pattern area on the selected image which corresponds to the second exposure process, to quantify the second positional deviation amount;

calculating the first positional deviation amount based on the first circuit pattern area and the third circuit pattern area; and

calculating the second positional deviation amount based on the second circuit pattern area and the fourth circuit pattern area.

4. The method according to claim 2 ,

wherein said difference quantifying step further comprises:

calculating the first positional deviation amount based on the first circuit pattern area and the selected image; and

calculating the second positional deviation amount based on the second circuit pattern area and the selected image.

5. An apparatus for measuring overlay at a semiconductor device on which circuit patterns are formed by a plurality of exposure processes,

wherein the plurality of exposure processes includes a first exposure process and a second exposure process which is after the first exposure process and which includes at least one exposure process,

the apparatus comprising:

an imaging device configured to capture a plurality of images of areas of the semiconductor device;

an arithmetic unit configured to:

set a reference image on the basis of the plurality of captured images;

quantify a difference between the reference image and the plurality of captured images; and

for a selected image among the plurality of captured images, calculate the overlay on the basis of the difference between the reference image and the selected image; and

a user interface unit configured to control output information on the overlay calculated by the arithmetic unit,

wherein for said quantifying the difference between the reference image and the selected image, the arithmetic unit is configured to:

quantify a first positional deviation amount corresponding to the first exposure process and a second positional deviation amount corresponding to the second exposure process, based on gray values of the reference image and gray values of the selected image.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 ,

wherein, for said quantifying the difference between the reference image and the selected image, the arithmetic unit is further configured to:

recognize a first circuit pattern area on the reference image which corresponds to the first exposure process, to quantify the first positional deviation amount; and

recognize a second circuit pattern area on the reference image which corresponds to the second exposure process, to quantify the second positional deviation amount.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 ,

wherein, for said quantifying the difference between the reference image and the selected image, the arithmetic unit is further configured to:

recognize a third circuit pattern area on the selected image which corresponds to the first exposure process, to quantify the first positional deviation amount;

recognize a fourth circuit pattern area on the selected image which corresponds to the second exposure process, to quantify the second positional deviation amount;

calculate the first positional deviation amount based on the first circuit pattern area and the third circuit pattern area; and

calculate the second positional deviation amount based on the second circuit pattern area and the fourth circuit pattern area.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6 ,

wherein, for said quantifying the difference between the reference image and the selected image, the arithmetic unit is further configured to:

calculate the first positional deviation amount based on the first circuit pattern area and the selected image; and

calculate the second positional deviation amount based on the second circuit pattern area and the selected image.