Extracting method of pattern contour, image processing method, searching method of pattern edge, scanning method of probe, manufacturing method of semiconductor device, pattern inspection apparatus, and program
AssigneeKabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
InventorTakahiro Ikeda
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An extracting method of a pattern contour, includes acquiring an image of a pattern to be inspected, calculating a schematic edge position of the pattern from the image, preparing an approximate polygon by approximating a polygon consisting of edges having predetermined direction components to a contour shape of the pattern on the basis of the calculated edge position, dividing the approximate polygon into star-shaped polygons, calculating the position of a kernel of the star-shaped polygon, and searching an edge of the-pattern in a direction connecting the kernel to an arbitrary point positioned on the edge of the approximate polygon.
Claims9
An image processing method comprising:
- acquiring an image of a pattern to be inspected;
- extracting a part of a point sequence which belongs to a contour of the pattern;
- preparing a Voronoi diagram with respect to the extracted partial point sequence;
- searching a point which belongs to an edge of the pattern along an edge of the prepared Voronoi diagram to incorporate the searched point into the partial point sequence;
- and
- removing the edge of the Voronoi diagram intersecting with the contour of the pattern to define a sub-region in the image.
A computer-readable memory containing a program which allows a computer to implement an image processing method comprising:
- acquiring an image of a pattern to be inspected;
- extracting a part of a point sequence which belongs to a contour of the pattern;
- preparing a Voronoi diagram with respect to the extracted partial point sequence;
- searching a point which belongs to an edge of the pattern along an edge of the prepared Voronoi diagram to incorporate the searched point into the partial point sequence;
- and
- removing the edge of the Voronoi diagram intersecting with the contour of the pattern to define a sub-region in the image.
A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device, comprising an image processing method including:
- acquiring an image of a pattern to be inspected;
- extracting a part of a point sequence which belongs to a contour of the pattern;
- preparing a Voronoi diagram with respect to the extracted partial point sequence;
- searching a point which belongs to an edge of the pattern along an edge of the prepared Voronoi diagram to incorporate the searched point into the partial point sequence;
- and
- removing the edge of the Voronoi diagram intersecting with the contour of the pattern to define a sub-region in the image.
A pattern inspection apparatus comprising:
- a point sequence extractor which receives data of an image of a pattern to be inspected and which extracts a part of a point sequence belonging to a contour of the pattern;
- an image processor which prepares a Voronoi diagram with respect to the extracted partial point sequence and which searches a point belonging to the edge of the pattern along an edge of the prepared Voronoi diagram to incorporate the searched point into the partial point sequence and which removes an edge of the Voronoi diagram intersecting with the contour of the pattern to define a sub-region in the image;
- and
- an edge searcher which searches the edge of the pattern for each sub-region.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.