Hitachi-high-technologies Corporation

Hitachi, Ltd.

Hitachi-science Systems, Ltd.

Katsuhiro Sasada

Sho Takami

Hiroki Kawada

Atsushi Kobaru

Yoichi Ose

Hiroaki Mito

Tomohiro Kudo

Tomonori Saeki

Kazuo Kato

Tsuyoshi Inanobe

Hidetoshi Morokuma

Tatsuya Maeda

Kouichi Yamamoto

Norio Satou

Kunio Nakanishi

Tadashi Otaka

Hiroyuki Saito

Ritsuo Fukaya

Yasuo Yahagi

Tatsuaki Ishijima

Kazuhiro Ueda

Masayuki Kobayashi

Hideo Todokoro

Maki Tanaka

Chie Shishido

Takenori Hirose

Hideo Sakai

Yuji Kasai

Kazuma Tanii

Junichi Kakuta

Eiichi Seya

Shou Takami

Yuuki Ojima

Tsuyoshi Morimoto

A pattern height measurement device capable of high-precision measurement of the dimensions of a fine pattern, and a charged particle beam device are provided. The pattern height measurement device includes a calculation device that determines dimensions of a sample, in the height direction, based on first reflected light information obtained by dispersing light reflected from a sample. The calculation device determines second reflected light information based on a formula for the relationship between the value for the dimension in the sample surface direction of a pattern formed upon the sample, obtained by irradiation of a charged particle beam on the sample, the value for the dimension in the height direction of the sample, and reflected light information; compares a second reflected light intensity and the first reflected light information; and outputs the value for the dimension in the height direction of the sample in the second reflected light information.

Pattern height measurement device and charged particle beam device

The presently disclosed subject matter provides a pattern measurement method and device for achieving highly accurate measurement in the depth direction of a pattern. The method involves a focused ion beam irradiated to form an inclined surface in a sample area; a field of view of a SEM set to include the boundary between the inclined surface and a sample surface; and an image of the field of view obtained on the basis of a detection signal. Such an acquired image is used to specify a first position, the boundary between inclined surface and non-inclined surface, and a second position, the position of a desired deep hole or deep groove positioned within the inclined surface. The pattern dimension in a height direction is determined on the basis of the distance in the sample surface direction between the first position and second position and the angle of the inclined surface.

Pattern measurement method and pattern measurement device

Beforehand, the device characteristic patterns of each critical dimension SEM are measured, a sectional shape of an object to undergo dimension measurement is presumed by a model base library (MBL) matching system, dimension measurements are carried out by generating signal waveforms through SEM simulation by inputting the presumed sectional shapes and the device characteristic parameters, and differences in the dimension measurement results are registered as machine differences. In actual measurements, from the dimension measurement results in each critical dimension SEM, machine differences are corrected by subtracting the registered machine differences. Furthermore, changes in critical dimension SEM's over time are monitored by periodically measuring the above-mentioned device characteristic parameters and predicting the above-mentioned dimension measurement results. According to the present invention, actual measurements of machine differences, which require considerable time and effort, are unnecessary. In addition, the influence of changes in samples over time, which is problematic in monitoring changes in devices over time, can be eliminated.

Pattern dimension measurement method using electron microscope, pattern dimension measurement system, and method for monitoring changes in electron microscope equipment over time

The SEM has a dynamic range reference value setting unit for setting dynamic range reference values, a dynamic range adjustment unit for receiving an observation image signal delivered out of a secondary electron detector, adjusting the dynamic range of the observation image signal on the basis of the dynamic range reference values and outputting the thus adjusted observation image signal as an observation image signal after adjustment, a display image generation unit for determining luminous intensity levels of individual pixels of an image to be displayed based on the observation image signal after adjustment to generate a display image, a histogram generation unit for generating a histogram of luminous intensity levels of the display image and extracting, as a luminous intensity peak value, at which the frequency of luminous intensity is maximized, and a display unit for displaying the generated histogram and the extracted luminous intensity peak value.

Scanning electron microscope and image signal processing method

An image forming method and a charged particle beam apparatus suitable for suppressing the inclination of charging when scanning a two-dimensional area with a charged particle beam. A third scanning line located between a first scanning line and a second scanning line is scanned. After the first, second and third scanning lines have been scanned, a plurality of scanning lines are scanned between the first and third scanning lines and between the second and third scanning lines.

Image forming method and charged particle beam apparatus

A method and apparatus for alignment and astigmatism correction for a scanning electron microscope can prevent an alignment or correction error attributable to the conditions of a particular specimen. First, a difference is determined between optimal values acquired from an automatic axis alignment result on a standard sample, and those obtained from each of a plurality automatic axis alignment results on a observation target sample. An optimal value is then adjusted using the standard sample, by use of the difference thus obtained. Correspondingly, an optimal stigmator value (astigmatism correction signal) is acquired by using the standard sample, and storing the optimal stigmator value as a default value. The optimal stigmator value and the default value depending on the height of an observation target sample pattern are added, and an astigmatism correction is performed on the basis of the resultant stigmator value.

Scanning electron microscope alignment method and scanning electron microscope

A method and a device are disclosed for suppressing error in electrostatic charge amount or defocus on the basis of electrostatic charge storage due to electron beam scanning when measuring the electrostatic charge amount of the sample or a focus adjustment amount by scanning the electron beam. An electrostatic charge measurement method, a focus adjustment method, or a scanning electron microscope for measuring an electrostatic charge amount or controlling an application voltage to the sample changes the application voltage to the energy filter while moving the scanning location of the electron beam on the sample.

Electrostatic charge measurement method, focus adjustment method, and scanning electron microscope

A sample measuring method and a charged particle beam apparatus are provided which remove contaminants, that have adhered to a sample in a sample chamber of an electron microscope, to eliminate adverse effects on the subsequent manufacturing processes. To achieve this objective, after the sample measurement or inspection is made by using a charged particle beam, contaminants on the sample are removed before the next semiconductor manufacturing process. This allows the contaminants adhering to the sample in the sample chamber to be removed and therefore failures or defects that may occur in a semiconductor fabrication process following the measurement and inspection can be minimized.

Charged particle beam apparatus

An object of the present invention is to prevent foreign bodies attracted by a magnetic field of an objective lens or an electric field of an electrode plate and adhered to a surface of the objective lens or electrode plate from dropping onto the surface of a sample and adhering there during observation of the sample. To achieve the above object, an electron microscope in which, when a sample to be measured is moved away from below an objective lens, an exciting current to the objective lens of a scanning electron microscope is turned off or excitation thereof is made weaker than before the sample to be measured being moved away, or an applied voltage to an acceleration cylinder for accelerating an electron beam is turned off or made lower than before the sample to be measured being moved away is proposed.

Electron microscope

An object of this invention is to provide a charged particle beam apparatus that is capable of handling samples without adhering impurities onto the samples. In a scanning electron microscope in which a lubricant was coated on a sliding portion of a movable member that moves inside a vacuum chamber, a substance from which low molecular components were removed is used as the lubricant. It is thus possible to inhibit sample contamination and suppress the occurrence of defects in a process following measurement of the samples.

A structure of an electron beam apparatus having shielding properties for shielding against an environmental magnetic field is provided. The electron beam apparatus comprises a mirror barrel for housing a magnetic lens for converging an electron beam onto a specimen and a specimen chamber for housing the specimen, wherein a non-magnetic material having conductivity is used as a material for at least one of the mirror barrel and a main body of the specimen chamber. The material for the mirror barrel or the main body of the specimen chamber is an aluminum alloy and a thickness of a sidewall of the mirror barrel or the main body of the specimen chamber is 10 mm or more. A magnetic plate having a thickness smaller than that of the sidewall of the mirror barrel or the main body of the specimen chamber is provided on an inner sidewall of the mirror barrel or the main body of the specimen chamber.

Electron beam apparatus and method for production of its specimen chamber

Disclosed is a scanning electron microscope capable of performing speedy focusing by automatically measuring an electrostatic voltage of a surface of a wafer inside a specimen chamber in an accurate, and easy speedy manner, the wafer assuming different electrostatic voltages inside and outside the specimen chamber. The scanning electron microscope that controls optical systems measures an electrostatic voltage of the specimen according to an electrostatic capacitance between the both parts of the divided electrode plate, by dividing an electrode plate into two parts and switching potentials of electrodes obtained by the division with each other, an electrostatic voltage of the specimen based on an electrostatic capacitance between the both parts of the divided electrode plate. The electrode plate is used for applying a retarding voltage and arranged over a specimen.

Scanning electron microscope

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Hitachinaka, Japan

Katsuhiro Sasada