# US 8,788,242 B2 · Pattern measurement apparatus

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 8,788,242 B2
- Document ID: US8788242B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/202,504
- Filed: 2010-02-03
- Published: 2012-03-01
- Granted: 2014-07-22
- Earliest claimed: 2009-02-27
- Assignees: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
- Applicants: Ryoichi Matsuoka; Akiyuki Sugiyama; Yasutaka Toyota
- Inventors: Ryoichi Matsuoka; Akiyuki Sugiyama; Yasutaka Toyota
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8788242B2

## CPC

- G03F 7/70625: {Dimensions, e.g. line width, critical dimension [CD], profile, sidewall angle or edge roughness}
- B82Y 10/00: Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
- B82Y 40/00: Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
- G03F 1/20: Masks or mask blanks for imaging by charged particle beam [CPB] radiation, e.g. by electron beam; Preparation thereof
- G03F 7/70633: {Overlay, i.e. relative alignment between patterns printed by separate exposures in different layers, or in the same layer in multiple exposures or stitching}
- H01J 37/3174: {Particle-beam lithography, e.g. electron beam lithography}
- H01J 2237/1536: Image distortions due to scanning
- H01J 2237/226: Image reconstruction
- H01J 2237/24571: Measurements of non-electric or non-magnetic variables
- H01J 2237/2809: characterised by the imaging problems involved
- G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G)
- B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)

## Abstract

It is the object of the present invention to provide a pattern measurement apparatus which suitably evaluates a pattern formed by a double patterning method prior to a transfer using masks or which suitably evaluates a deviation of patterns formed by the double patterning method. To achieve the object, a pattern measurement apparatus is proposed which performs an exposure simulation on data about contour lines obtained by converting the pattern edges of first and mask images formed based on charged-particle beam irradiation of the two masks used for subsequent double exposure and which overlaps two exposure-simulated contour lines based on the coordinate information of design data about the masks. Furthermore, a pattern dimension measuring apparatus is proposed which sets measurement conditions using a charged-particle beam based on the positional information about parts or portions separated for double exposure.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A pattern dimension measuring apparatus for measuring a pattern on a sample based on information obtained based on charged-particle beam irradiation of the sample, said pattern dimension measuring apparatus comprising:
a storage medium for storing design data about a photomask subjected to double exposure; and
an arithmetic unit for causing two sets of information obtained by exposure simulations performed respectively on first photomask image information and second photomask image information to be overlapped based on positional information about the pattern possessed by the design data, the first photomask image information and second photomask image information being obtained by the charged-particle beam irradiation of first and second photomasks split for the double exposure.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The pattern dimension measuring apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first photomask image information and second photomask image information are obtained by converting pattern edges of charged-particle beam images of the first photomask image and second photomask image into contour lines.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The pattern dimension measuring apparatus of claim 1, wherein the arithmetic unit measures dimensions of patterns on the overlapped first photomask image information and second photomask image information.

### Claim 4

A pattern dimension measuring apparatus for measuring a pattern on a sample based on information obtained based on charged-particle beam irradiation of the sample, the pattern dimension measuring apparatus comprising:
a storage medium for storing design data about a photomask subjected to double exposure; and
a recipe setting portion for setting conditions under which the sample is irradiated with a charged-particle beam, the recipe setting portion operating to set positions at which the pattern dimensions are measured, based on positional information regarding a portion at which a first photomask and a second photomask that are split for the double exposure are separated.