Electron beam inspection method and apparatus and semiconductor manufacturing method and its manufacturing line utilizing the same

An electron beam inspection apparatus comprising:

• an electron source;
• a beam deflector for deflecting an electron beam emitted from said electron source;
• a height detector for detecting a height of a surface of an object to be inspected;
• an objective lens for focusing the electron beam emitted from said electron source upon the object using an output from the height detector;
• potential control means for controlling at least one of an acceleration voltage of the electron beam and an electric field in a neighborhood of the object;
• a sensor for detecting at least one of a secondary electron and reflected electron emanated from the object by the irradiation of the electron beam;
• and
• image processing means for conducting inspection or measurement of the object using an output from the sensor.

An electron beam inspection apparatus comprising:

• an electron source;
• a beam deflector for deflecting an electron beam emitted from said electron source;
• a height detector for detecting a height of a surface of an object to be inspected;
• an objective lens for focusing the electron beam emitted from said electron source upon the object using an output from the height detector;
• a sensor for detecting a at least one of a secondary electron and reflected electron emanated from the object, upon exposure of the object to the electron beam;
• an inspection condition creation means for creating inspection conditions corresponding to a charge-up phenomenon on a surface of the object;
• image processing means for conducting inspection or measurement of the object using an output from the sensor.

A semiconductor fabrication method comprising the steps of:

• controlling at least one of an acceleration voltage of an electron beam and an electric field in a neighborhood of an object;
• detecting a height of a surface of the object by a height detection unit;
• adjusting a focus of the electron beam using a result of the detection by the height detection unit;
• exposing the object to the electron beam with the controlled acceleration voltage;
• detecting in a sensor at least one of a secondary electron and reflected electron emanated from the object generated from a semiconductor substrate as the object in response to said controlled electric field;
• and
• conducting inspection or measurement of the semiconductor substrate on the basis of a signal representing the detected at least one of a secondary electron and reflected electron emanated from the object and thereby fabricating the semiconductor substrate.

A semiconductor fabrication method comprising the steps of:

• controlling an acceleration voltage of an electron beam on a sample, an electric field on the sample, a beam current, a beam diameter, an image detection rate, image dimensions, pre-charge, discharge or a combination of them;
• detecting a height of a surface of the sample by a height detection unit;
• adjusting a focus of the electron beam using a result of the detection by the height detection unit;
• exposing a semiconductor substrate as the sample to the electron beam;
• detecting in a sensor at least one of a secondary electron and reflected electron emanated from the semiconductor substrate;
• and
• conducting inspection or measurement of the semiconductor substrate on the basis of a signal representing the detected at least one of a secondary electron and reflected electron emanated from the object and thereby fabricating the semiconductor substrate.

A semiconductor fabrication method comprising the steps of:

• detecting a height of a surface of the semiconductor substrate by a height detection unit;
• adjusting a focus of the electron beam using a result of the detection by the height detection unit;
• exposing the semiconductor substrate to the electron beam;
• detecting in a sensor at least one of a secondary electron and reflected electron emanated from the semiconductor substrate;
• and
• conducting inspection or measurement of the semiconductor substrate on the basis of a signal representing the detected at least one of a secondary electron and reflected electron emanated from the object under inspection conditions corresponding to a charge-up phenomenon on the surface of the semiconductor substrate and thereby fabricating the semiconductor substrate.

An electron inspection method, comprising the steps of:

• utilizing an object to be inspected comprising a conductive member and a dielectric member, at least one of the conductive member and the dielectric member being subjected to charge up when an electron beam is incident on the object;
• setting an accelerating voltage of the electron beam and an electric field in a neighborhood of the object so as to substantially prevent the at least one of the conductive member and the dielectric member from being charged up when the electron beam is incident on the object;
• exposing the object to the electron beam so that the electron beam is incident on the object;
• detecting at least one of a secondary electron and reflected electron emanated from the object in response to the electron beam being incident on the object;
• and
• conducting inspection or measurement of the object in accordance with the detected at least one of a secondary electron and reflected electron.

An electron beam inspection method, comprising the steps of:

• utilizing an object to be inspected comprising at least two members thereon;
• setting an accelerating voltage of the electron beam so that secondary electron yield ratios of each of the at least two members is substantially equal to 1 when the electron beam is incident on the object;
• exposing the object to the electron beam so that the electron beam is incident on the object;
• detecting a secondary electron emanated from the object in response to the electron beam being incident on the object;
• and
• conducting inspection or measurement of the object in accordance with the detected secondary electron.