IP Library Granted Patent US 10,943,762
Granted Patent B2
US 10,943,762 · App. 16/261,784 · Granted Mar 9, 2021

Inspection system, image processing device and inspection method

Inventors: Takeyoshi Ohashi (Tokyo, JP); Masami Ikota (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
H01J37/222G06T7/0004H01J37/28G06T2207/10061G06T2207/30148H01J2237/24564H01J2237/2801
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,943,762
App. No.
16/261,784
Granted
Mar 9, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

An inspection system is provided that includes a microscope that scans a sample with a beam that is an incident electron beam, and an image processing device that controls the microscope. The image processing device performs: an acquisition process of acquiring a plurality of images relating to brightness based on an amount of a signal electron detected from the sample a result of controlling the microscope according to a s and irradiating the sample with the beam, the plurality of image acquisition condition being multiple combinations of different irradiation amounts of the beam per unit length; a first generation process of generating a plurality of actually measured profiles that show a relationship between an irradiation position of the beam in the sample and the brightness of the sample, based on the plurality of images acquired in the acquisition process; and an output process of outputting an electrical contact characteristic of the sample based on the plurality of actually measured profiles generated in the first generation process.

Claims (41)

1. An inspection system, comprising:

a microscope that scans a sample with a beam that is an incident electron beam; and

an image processing device that controls the microscope,

wherein the image processing device performs:

an acquisition process of acquiring a plurality of images relating to brightness based on an amount of a signal electron detected from the sample as a result of controlling the microscope according to a plurality of image acquisition conditions and irradiating the sample with the incident electron beam, the plurality of image acquisition conditions being multiple combinations of different irradiation amounts of the beam per unit length;

a first generation process of generating a plurality of actually measured profiles that show a relationship between an irradiation position of the incident electron beam in the sample and the brightness of the sample, based on the plurality of images acquired in the acquisition process; and

an output process of outputting an electrical contact characteristic of the sample based on the plurality of actually measured profiles generated in the first generation process.

2. The inspection system according to claim 1 ,

wherein the plurality of image acquisition conditions are multiple combinations of a scan speed of the beam and a probe current that is a current of the beam.

3. The inspection system according to claim 2 ,

wherein in the output process, in a case where the scan speed is different in the plurality of image acquisition conditions, the image processing device calculates the electrical contact characteristic based on a specified scan speed of the beam obtained from the plurality of actually measured profiles and based on a distance that the beam passes through the sample in a scan direction of the beam.

4. The inspection system according to claim 3 ,

wherein in the output process, based on a relaxation time calculated as the electrical contact characteristic and either one of a contact resistance and a parasitic capacitance of the sample, the image processing device calculates the other one of the contact resistance and the parasitic capacitance of the sample.

5. The inspection system according to claim 2 ,

wherein in the output process, in a case where the probe current is different in the plurality of image acquisition conditions, the image processing device calculates a contact resistance of the sample as the electrical contact characteristic based on a specified probe current of the beam obtained from the plurality of actually measured profiles and based on an accelerating voltage of an electron emitted from the sample as a result of irradiating the sample with the beam.

6. The inspection system according to claim 1 ,

wherein the image processing device performs

a second generation process of generating a plurality of model profiles that show the relationship between the irradiation position of the beam in the sample and the brightness of the sample, based on the plurality of images and multiple combinations of a contact resistance and a parasitic capacitance, and

in the output process, the image processing device outputs the actually measured profiles generated in the first generation process and a plurality of model profiles generated in the second generation process in a displayable manner.

7. The inspection system according to claim 6 ,

wherein in the output process, the image processing device compares the plurality of actually measured profiles and the plurality of model profiles, and outputs a contact resistance and a parasitic capacitance to be the electrical contact characteristic from the multiple combinations of the contact resistance and the parasitic capacitance.

8. The inspection system according to claim 6 ,

wherein in the second generation process, the image processing device performs electron beam scattering simulation in the sample by using structure information of the sample so as to generate the plurality of model profiles.

9. The inspection system according to claim 8 ,

wherein in the second generation process, the image processing device calculates a current amount effectively flowing into the sample by performing the electron beam scattering simulation, calculates a temporal change in surface potential of the sample for each of the multiple combinations of the contact resistance and the parasitic capacitance, based on the current amount effectively flowing and the multiple combinations of the contact resistance and the parasitic capacitance, and generates the plurality of model profiles based on the temporal change in surface potential of the sample.

10. An image processing device, configured to process an image obtained by a microscope that scans a sample with a beam that is an incident electron beam, and to perform:

an acquisition process of acquiring a plurality of images relating to brightness based on an amount of a signal electron detected from the sample as a result of controlling the microscope according to a plurality of image acquisition conditions and irradiating the sample with the incident electron beam, the plurality of image acquisition conditions being multiple combinations of different irradiation amounts of the beam per unit length;

a first generation process of generating a plurality of actually measured profiles that show a relationship between an irradiation position of the beam in the sample and the brightness of the sample, based on the plurality of images acquired in the acquisition process; and

an output process of outputting an electrical contact characteristic of the sample based on the plurality of actually measured profiles generated in the first generation process.

11. An inspection method that controls a microscope that scans a sample with a beam that is an incident electron beam, the inspection method comprising:

an acquisition process of acquiring a plurality of images relating to brightness based on an amount of a signal electron detected from the sample as a result of controlling the microscope according to a plurality of image acquisition conditions and irradiating the sample with the incident electron beam, the plurality of image acquisition conditions being multiple combinations of different irradiation amounts of the beam per unit length;

a first generation process of generating a plurality of actually measured profiles that show a relationship between an irradiation position of the beam in the sample and the brightness of the sample, based on the plurality of images acquired in the acquisition process; and

an output process of outputting an electrical contact characteristic of the sample based on the plurality of actually measured profiles generated in the first generation process.

12. The inspection method according to claim 11 ,

wherein the plurality of image acquisition conditions are multiple combinations of a scan speed of the beam and a probe current that is a current of the beam.

13. The inspection method according to claim 12 ,

wherein in the output process, in a case where the scan speed is different in the plurality of image acquisition conditions, the image processing device calculates the electrical contact characteristic based on a specified scan speed of the beam obtained from the plurality of actually measured profiles and based on a distance that the beam passes through the sample in a scan direction of the beam.

14. The inspection method according to claim 13 ,

wherein in the output process, based on a relaxation time calculated as the electrical contact characteristic and either one of a contact resistance and a parasitic capacitance of the sample, the image processing device calculates the other one of the contact resistance and the parasitic capacitance of the sample.

15. The inspection method according to claim 12 ,

wherein in the output process, in a case where the probe current is different in the plurality of image acquisition conditions, the image processing device calculates a contact resistance of the sample as the electrical contact characteristic, based on a specified probe current of the beam obtained from the plurality of actually measured profiles and based on an accelerating voltage of an electron emitted from the sample as a result of irradiating the sample with the beam.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 25, 2020
From: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 052225/0894 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 30, 2019
From: OHASHI, TAKEYOSHI; IKOTA, MASAMI
To: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 048190/0420 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2018-020969 · Feb 8, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190244783A1 · Aug 8, 2019