US 2009/0212215 A1Published application

Scanning electron microscope and method of measuring pattern dimension using the same

AssigneeHitachi High-Technologies Corporation

InventorsWataru Nagatomo, Chie Shishido, Maki Tanaka

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Abstract

In dimension measurement of semiconductor pattern by CD-SEM, the error value between dimensional measurement value and actual dimension on the pattern is much variational as it is dependent on the cross-sectional shape of the pattern, and a low level of accuracy was one time a big problem. In the present invention, a plurality of patterns, each different in shape, were prepared beforehand with AFM measurement result and patterns of the same shape measured by CD-SEM. These measurement results and dimensional errors were homologized with each other and kept in a database. For actual measurement of dimensions, most like side wall shape, and corresponding CD-SEM measurement error result are called up, and the called-up error results are used to correct CD-SME results of measurement object patterns. In this manner, it becomes possible to correct or reduce dimensional error which is dependent on cross-sectional shape of the pattern.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A scanning electron microscope, comprising:

a scanning electron microscope(SEM) means for taking images of measurement object patterns formed on specimens and acquiring SEM images of said measurement object patterns;
an image processing means for processing said SEM images of said measurement object patterns acquired by said scanning electron microscope and obtaining dimensional information of said measurement object patterns;
a dimensional error information extraction means for extracting the dimensional error information corresponding to said measurement object patterns out of the information including the shape information of the patterns measured by some other measuring means and the dimensional error information of the SEM images of the same patterns, which were preliminarily stored in a separate storage device;
a pattern dimensional information correction means for correcting the dimensional information of said measurement object patterns that was obtained after processing by said image processing means, by using said dimensional error information corresponding to said measurement object patterns extracted by said dimensional error information extraction means;
and
an output means for outputting onto a display screen such dimensional information of said measurement object patterns that was corrected by said pattern dimensional information correction means.

3 more elements

Pattern dimension measuring method, comprising the steps of:

taking images of measurement object patterns formed on a specimen by means of a scanning electron microscope acquiring SEM images of said measurement object patterns;
processing said SEM images of said measurement object patterns acquired as above thus acquiring the dimensional information of said measurement object patterns;
extracting dimensional error information corresponding to said measurement object patterns out of the information including shape information kept in storage in advance and of the pattern measured by a method other than said scanning electron microscope and the other information including dimensional error information measured from the SEM images of the same patterns;
correcting the dimensional information of said measurement object patterns by using the dimensional error information corresponding to the same extracted measurement object patterns;
and
outputting the same corrected dimensional information of the measurement object patterns onto the display screen.

3 more elements

Pattern dimension measuring method, comprising the steps of:

taking images of measurement object patterns formed on a specimen by means of a scanning electron microscope acquiring SEM images of said measurement object patterns, and acquiring also dimensional information from said SEM images;
measuring said measurement object pattern by an atomic force microscope acquiring shape information of said measurement object patterns;
extracting dimensional error information corresponding to said measurement object patterns out of the information including shape information kept in storage in advance and of the pattern measured by an atomic force microscope and the other information including dimensional error information measured from the SEM images of the same patterns;
correcting the dimensional information of said measurement object patterns by using the dimensional error information corresponding to the same extracted measurement object patterns;
and
outputting the same corrected dimensional information of the measurement object patterns onto the display screen.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.