# US 2019/0244783 A1 · Inspection system, image processing device and inspection method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0244783 A1 - Document ID: US20190244783A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/261,784 - Filed: 2019-01-30 - Published: 2019-08-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-02-08 - Assignees: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation - Applicants: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation - Inventors: Takeyoshi OHASHI; Masami IKOTA - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190244783A1 ## CPC - G01R 31/307: of integrated circuits - H01J 37/222: {Image processing arrangements associated with the tube} - G01R 27/205: {Measuring contact resistance of connections, e.g. of earth connections} - G06T 7/0004: {Industrial image inspection} - H01J 37/28: with scanning beams {(H01J37/268, H01J37/292, H01J37/2955 take precedence)} - H10P 74/203: {Structural properties, e.g. testing or measuring thicknesses, line widths, warpage, bond strengths or physical defects} - G01R 31/2834: {Automated test systems [ATE]; using microprocessors or computers (G01R31/317 takes precedence; ATE for detection of defective computer hardware G06F11/2736)} - G01R 31/2894: {Aspects of quality control [QC] (G01R31/31718 takes precedence; program control for QC G05B19/41875)} - G06T 2207/10061: from scanning electron microscope - G06T 2207/30148: Semiconductor; IC; Wafer - H01J 2237/221: Image processing - H01J 2237/24564: Measurements of electric or magnetic variables, e.g. voltage, current, frequency - H01J 2237/24592: Inspection and quality control of devices - H01J 2237/2801: Details - H10P 74/207: {Electrical properties, e.g. testing or measuring of resistance, deep levels or capacitance-voltage characteristics} - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract An inspection system is provided that includes a microscope that scans a sample with a beam that is an incident electron beam, and an image processing device that controls the microscope. The image processing device performs: an acquisition process of acquiring a plurality of images relating to brightness based on an amount of a signal electron detected from the sample a result of controlling the microscope according to a s and irradiating the sample with the beam, the plurality of image acquisition condition being multiple combinations of different irradiation amounts of the beam per unit length; a first generation process of generating a plurality of actually measured profiles that show a relationship between an irradiation position of the beam in the sample and the brightness of the sample, based on the plurality of images acquired in the acquisition process; and an output process of outputting an electrical contact characteristic of the sample based on the plurality of actually measured profiles generated in the first generation process. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An inspection system, comprising: a microscope that scans a sample with a beam that is an incident electron beam; and an image processing device that controls the microscope, wherein the image processing device performs: an acquisition process of acquiring a plurality of images relating to brightness based on an amount of a signal electron detected from the sample as a result of controlling the microscope according to a plurality of image acquisition conditions and irradiating the sample with the incident electron beam, the plurality of image acquisition conditions being multiple combinations of different irradiation amounts of the beam per unit length; a first generation process of generating a plurality of actually measured profiles that show a relationship between an irradiation position of the incident electron beam in the sample and the brightness of the sample, based on the plurality of images acquired in the acquisition process; and an output process of outputting an electrical contact characteristic of the sample based on the plurality of actually measured profiles generated in the first generation process. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of image acquisition conditions are multiple combinations of a scan speed of the beam and a probe current that is a current of the beam. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The inspection system according to claim 2, wherein in the output process, in a case where the scan speed is different in the plurality of image acquisition conditions, the image processing device calculates the electrical contact characteristic based on a specified scan speed of the beam obtained from the plurality of actually measured profiles and based on a distance that the beam passes through the sample in a scan direction of the beam. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The inspection system according to claim 3, wherein in the output process, based on a relaxation time calculated as the electrical contact characteristic and either one of a contact resistance and a parasitic capacitance of the sample, the image processing device calculates the other one of the contact resistance and the parasitic capacitance of the sample. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The inspection system according to claim 2, wherein in the output process, in a case where the probe current is different in the plurality of image acquisition conditions, the image processing device calculates a contact resistance of the sample as the electrical contact characteristic based on a specified probe current of the beam obtained from the plurality of actually measured profiles and based on an accelerating voltage of an electron emitted from the sample as a result of irradiating the sample with the beam. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the image processing device performs a second generation process of generating a plurality of model profiles that show the relationship between the irradiation position of the beam in the sample and the brightness of the sample, based on the plurality of images and multiple combinations of a contact resistance and a parasitic capacitance, and in the output process, the image processing device outputs the actually measured profiles generated in the first generation process and a plurality of model profiles generated in the second generation process in a displayable manner. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The inspection system according to claim 6, wherein in the output process, the image processing device compares the plurality of actually measured profiles and the plurality of model profiles, and outputs a contact resistance and a parasitic capacitance to be the electrical contact characteristic from the multiple combinations of the contact resistance and the parasitic capacitance. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The inspection system according to claim 6, wherein in the second generation process, the image processing device performs electron beam scattering simulation in the sample by using structure information of the sample so as to generate the plurality of model profiles. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The inspection system according to claim 8, wherein in the second generation process, the image processing device calculates a current amount effectively flowing into the sample by performing the electron beam scattering simulation, calculates a temporal change in surface potential of the sample for each of the multiple combinations of the contact resistance and the parasitic capacitance, based on the current amount effectively flowing and the multiple combinations of the contact resistance and the parasitic capacitance, and generates the plurality of model profiles based on the temporal change in surface potential of the sample. ### Claim 10 An image processing device, configured to process an image obtained by a microscope that scans a sample with a beam that is an incident electron beam, and to perform: an acquisition process of acquiring a plurality of images relating to brightness based on an amount of a signal electron detected from the sample as a result of controlling the microscope according to a plurality of image acquisition conditions and irradiating the sample with the incident electron beam, the plurality of image acquisition conditions being multiple combinations of different irradiation amounts of the beam per unit length; a first generation process of generating a plurality of actually measured profiles that show a relationship between an irradiation position of the beam in the sample and the brightness of the sample, based on the plurality of images acquired in the acquisition process; and an output process of outputting an electrical contact characteristic of the sample based on the plurality of actually measured profiles generated in the first generation process. ### Claim 11 An inspection method that controls a microscope that scans a sample with a beam that is an incident electron beam, the inspection method comprising: an acquisition process of acquiring a plurality of images relating to brightness based on an amount of a signal electron detected from the sample as a result of controlling the microscope according to a plurality of image acquisition conditions and irradiating the sample with the incident electron beam, the plurality of image acquisition conditions being multiple combinations of different irradiation amounts of the beam per unit length; a first generation process of generating a plurality of actually measured profiles that show a relationship between an irradiation position of the beam in the sample and the brightness of the sample, based on the plurality of images acquired in the acquisition process; and an output process of outputting an electrical contact characteristic of the sample based on the plurality of actually measured profiles generated in the first generation process. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The inspection method according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of image acquisition conditions are multiple combinations of a scan speed of the beam and a probe current that is a current of the beam. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The inspection method according to claim 12, wherein in the output process, in a case where the scan speed is different in the plurality of image acquisition conditions, the image processing device calculates the electrical contact characteristic based on a specified scan speed of the beam obtained from the plurality of actually measured profiles and based on a distance that the beam passes through the sample in a scan direction of the beam. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The inspection method according to claim 13, wherein in the output process, based on a relaxation time calculated as the electrical contact characteristic and either one of a contact resistance and a parasitic capacitance of the sample, the image processing device calculates the other one of the contact resistance and the parasitic capacitance of the sample. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The inspection method according to claim 12, wherein in the output process, in a case where the probe current is different in the plurality of image acquisition conditions, the image processing device calculates a contact resistance of the sample as the electrical contact characteristic, based on a specified probe current of the beam obtained from the plurality of actually measured profiles and based on an accelerating voltage of an electron emitted from the sample as a result of irradiating the sample with the beam.