Method of testing semiconductor device
AssigneeMitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorToshiharu Katayama
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Abstract
A method of testing a semiconductor device is provided. In a SEM image comparison type testing apparatus, a comparison is made between the voltage contrast of a predetermined pattern to be tested and the voltage contrast of a reference pattern to produce a comparison image containing only one of two binary contrast levels. A dimension based on contrast regions in the comparison image is measured, and a characterizing dimension varying depending on the process of manufacture of the semiconductor device is analyzed from the result of measurement.
Claims19
A method of testing a semiconductor device being manufactured on a semiconductor substrate by detecting secondary electrons produced by irradiation of a predetermined region with a primary electron beam and using a voltage contrast produced based on the intensity of said secondary electrons, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) preparing a predetermined pattern to be tested;
- (b) preparing a reference pattern similar in construction to said predetermined pattern;
- (c) producing said voltage contrast of said predetermined pattern;
- (d) producing said voltage contrast of said reference pattern;
- (e) making a comparison between said voltage contrast of said predetermined pattern and said voltage contrast of said reference pattern to produce a first comparison image, and binarizing said first comparison image;
- (f) producing a second comparison image containing only one of two binary contrast levels resulting from the binarization in said step (e);
- (g) measuring a dimension based on said second comparison image;
- and
- (h) determining a characterizing dimension varying depending on the process of manufacture of said semiconductor device from a result of measurement in said step (g).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.