3D metrology from 3D datacube created from stack of registered images obtained during delayering of the sample

1. A method of evaluating a region of interest of a sample, the method comprising:

positioning the sample within in a vacuum chamber of an evaluation tool that includes a scanning electron microscope (SEM) column and a focused ion beam (FIB) column;

acquiring a plurality of two-dimensional images of the region of interest by alternating a sequence of delayering the region of interest with a charged particle beam from the FIB column and imaging a surface of the region of interest with the SEM column;

generating an initial three-dimensional data cube representing the region of interest by stacking the plurality of two-dimensional images on top of each other in an order in which they were acquired;

segmenting the initial three-dimensional data cube into a plurality of uniform regions;

performing chemical composition measurements of each of the plurality of uniform regions;

adding results of the chemical composition measurements to the initial three-dimensional data cube, wherein a chemical composition of each region is determined by averaging EDX composition measurements of each region;

estimating distortions within the initial three-dimensional data cube; and

applying an inverse transformation to correct the estimated distortions creating an updated three-dimensional data cube in which the distortions are eliminated or diminished.

2. The method of evaluating a region of a sample set forth in claim 1 wherein estimating the distortions comprises comparing geometric structures measured in the initial data cube to a ground truth geometry.

3. The method of evaluating a region of a sample set forth in claim 1 wherein estimating the distortions comprises identifying locations of different materials within the initial data cube known to have different milling rates, and estimating distortions within the initial three-dimensional data cube based on the identified locations of the different materials and the known different milling rates.

4. The method of evaluating a region of a sample set forth in claim 3 wherein applying an inverse transformation to correct the estimated distortions comprises applying reciprocal distortions to the initial three-dimensional data cube calculated based on the] locations of and the different milling rates of the different materials within the three-dimensional data cube.

5. The method of evaluating a region of a sample set forth in claim 1 wherein the chemical composition measurements are performed separately on each of the plurality of uniform regions by taking chemical composition measurements on a selected subset of delayered slices of the sample taken during the acquiring step.

6. The method of evaluating a region of a sample set forth in claim 1 further comprising aligning the plurality of two-dimensional images to each other prior to generating the initial three-dimensional data cube.

7. The method of evaluating a region of a sample set forth in claim 6 further comprising creating a virtual cross-section at a pre-defined position and direction by calculating points corresponding to an intersection of the cross-section with the data cube and sampling the data cube in the calculated points.

8. The method of evaluating a region of a sample set forth in claim 1 wherein the region of interest includes a first sub-region and a second sub-region, adjacent to the first sub-region, and a geometry and/or materials in the first sub-region are different than a geometry and/or materials in the second sub-region such that the first sub-region has a first milling rate and the second sub-region has a second milling rate different than the first milling rate.

9. The method of evaluating a region of a sample set forth in claim 8 wherein at least some of the two-dimensional images of the region of interest are images of a non-planar surface within the region of interest.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable memory that stores a plurality of computer-readable instructions for evaluating a region of interest on a sample by:

positioning the sample within in a vacuum chamber of an evaluation tool that includes a scanning electron microscope (SEM) column and a focused ion beam (FIB) column;

acquiring a plurality of two-dimensional images of the region of interest by alternating a sequence of delayering the region of interest with a charged particle beam from the FIB column and imaging a surface of the region of interest with the SEM column;

generating an initial three-dimensional data cube representing the region of interest by stacking the plurality of two-dimensional images on top of each other in an order in which they were acquired;

segmenting the initial three-dimensional data cube into a plurality of uniform regions;

performing chemical composition measurements of each of the plurality of uniform regions; and

adding results of the chemical composition measurements to the initial three-dimensional data cube, wherein a chemical composition of each region is determined by averaging EDX composition measurements of each region;

estimating distortions within the initial three-dimensional data cube; and

applying an inverse transformation to correct the estimated distortions creating an updated three-dimensional data cube in which the distortions are eliminated or diminished.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable memory set forth in claim 10 wherein estimating the distortions comprises comparing geometric structures measured in the initial data cube to a ground truth geometry.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable memory set forth in claim 10 wherein the computer-readable instructions for evaluating a region of a sample further comprise instructions for aligning the plurality of two-dimensional images to each other prior to generating the initial three-dimensional data cube.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable memory set forth in claim 12 wherein the computer-readable instructions for evaluating a region of a sample further comprise instructions for creating a virtual cross-section at a pre-defined position and direction by calculating points corresponding to an intersection of the cross-section with the data cube and sampling the data cube in the calculated points.

14. A system for evaluating a region of interest on a sample, the system comprising:

a vacuum chamber;

a sample support configured to hold a sample within the vacuum chamber during a sample evaluation process;

a focused ion beam (FIB) column configured to direct a charged particle beam into the vacuum chamber toward the sample;

a scanning electron microscope (SEM) column configured to direct a charged particle beam into the vacuum chamber toward the sample; and

a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory including a plurality of computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to:

position the sample within in a vacuum chamber of an evaluation tool that includes a scanning electron microscope (SEM) column and a focused ion beam (FIB) column;

acquire a plurality of two-dimensional images of the region of interest by alternating a sequence of delayering the region of interest with a charged particle beam from the FIB column and imaging a surface of the region of interest with the SEM column;

generate an initial three-dimensional data cube representing the region of interest by stacking the plurality of two-dimensional images on top of each other in an order in which they were acquired;

segment the initial three-dimensional data cube into a plurality of uniform regions;

perform chemical composition measurements of each of the plurality of uniform regions; and

add results of the chemical composition measurements to the initial three-dimensional data cube, wherein a chemical composition of each region is determined by averaging EDX composition measurements of each region;

identify distortions within the initial three-dimensional data cube; and

create an updated three-dimensional data cube that includes corrections for the identified distortions.

15. The system according to claim 14 wherein the computer-readable instructions further comprise instructions for aligning the plurality of two-dimensional images to each other prior to generating the initial three-dimensional data cube.