Scanning electron microscope (SEM) measurement method and apparatus
AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
InventorKihyun Kim
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
There are provided a scanning electron microscope (SEM) measurement method and/or apparatus that reduce critical dimension (CD) dispersion according to position correction of a measurement area in CD measurement in several SEM images of the same pattern. The SEM measurement method includes obtaining individual SEM images at a plurality of locations on a wafer via an SEM, generating a merged SEM image by aligning the individual SEMs and merging the individual SEM images, generating a merged measurement area in the merged SEM image, generating, in the individual SEM images, individual measurement areas corresponding to the merged measurement area, and measuring individual critical dimensions (CDs) in the individual measurement areas.
Claims16
A scanning electron microscope (SEM) measurement method comprising:
- obtaining individual SEM images at a plurality of locations on a wafer via an SEM;
- generating a merged SEM image by aligning the individual SEM images and by merging the individual SEM images;
- generating a merged measurement area in the merged SEM image;
- generating, in the individual SEM images, individual measurement areas corresponding to the merged measurement area;
- and
- measuring individual critical dimensions (CDs) in the individual measurement areas.
A scanning electron microscope (SEM) measurement method comprising:
- obtaining individual SEM images at a plurality of locations on a wafer via an SEM;
- generating a merged SEM image by aligning and merging the individual SEM images;
- generating a merged measurement area in the merged SEM image;
- correcting the merged measurement area in response to there being an error in a position of the merged measurement area;
- generating, in the individual SEM images, individual measurement areas corresponding to the merged measurement area;
- measuring individual critical dimensions (CDs) in the individual measurement areas;
- and
- predicting a representative CD by using the individual CDs.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.