Hitachi, Ltd.

Hiroyuki Shinoda

Shunji Maeda

Masahiro Watanabe

Maki Tanaka

Takashi Hiroi

Chie Shishido

Mari Nozoe

Haruo Yoda

Takanori Ninomiya

Yasutsugu Usami

Aritoshi Sugimoto

Asahiro Kuni

Atsuko Takafuji

Hideaki Doi

A method for inspecting a pattern formed on a substrate, includes the steps of moving a table along a first direction on which a substrate to be inspected is mounted, irradiating a converged electron beam on the substrate by scanning the converged electron beam along a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction; detecting an electron radiated from the substrate by the irradiation of the converged electron beam in which the movement of the table and the scanning of the converged electron beam are synchronized; forming a digital image of the substrate from the detected electron; improving a quality of the digital image by filtering the digital image; and detecting a defect of a pattern formed on the substrate by using the improved quality digital image.

Method of inspecting a pattern on a substrate

A method and apparatus for inspecting a pattern, a first image of a first area on a sample is acquired by imaging the first area formed as a first pattern, and the first image is memorized. A second image of a second area on the sample is acquired by imaging the second area formed as a second pattern which is to be the same as the first pattern. A defect of the first pattern is detected by acquiring a differential image between the first image and the second image. The detection of the defect includes processing the differential image by using information of brightness corresponding to both of the first image and the second image.

Method of inspecting pattern and apparatus thereof with a differential brightness image detection

In a method of inspecting a defect and an apparatus thereof, an allowable range for a gradation value of a difference image is determined for each pixel from one pixel or less of position shift quantity between two images to be compared, a variation rate in a local gradation value of an image, and a representative value of the local gradation value. Then, by comparing the gradation value of the difference image with the allowable range determined for each pixel, a pixel, on which the gradation value of the difference image is within the allowable range, is judged to be an non-defective candidate and a pixel, on which the gradation value of the difference image is beyond the allowable range, is judged to be a defective candidate. This reduces the number of false information caused by mismatches attributed to an object to be inspected and an image detecting system, such as an infinitesimal difference in pattern configuration, a difference in the gradation value, a distortion of a pattern, and a position shift, thus making it possible to detect a more minute defect.

Method of inspecting pattern and apparatus thereof

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Choufu, Japan

Hiroyuki Shinoda