Scanning electron microscope system, pattern measurement method using same, and scanning electron microscope

A scanning electron microscope system that measures a hole pattern or a groove pattern formed on a substrate, the system comprising:

• a primary electron beam application unit that scans and applies a primary electron beam to a pattern formed on the substrate;
• a backscattered electron detection unit that detects backscattered electrons having penetrated a side wall of the hole pattern or the groove pattern among backscattered electrons emitted from the substrate to which a primary electron beam is applied by the primary electron beam application unit;
• an electron beam image generation unit that generates an electron beam image corresponding to a distribution of intensity of the backscattered electrons detected by the backscattered electron detection unit;
• and
• a depth estimation unit that determines a boundary region between a dark region and a bright region, the dark region being present in the bright region on the electron beam image generated by the electron beam image generation unit, and estimates a depth of the hole pattern or the groove pattern from information about brightness of the dark region in the determined boundary region.

A scanning electron microscope system that measures a hole pattern or a groove pattern formed on a substrate, the system comprising:

• a primary electron beam application unit that scans and applies a primary electron beam to a pattern formed on the substrate;
• a backscattered electron detection unit that detects backscattered electrons having penetrated a side wall of the hole pattern or the groove pattern among backscattered electrons emitted from the substrate to which a primary electron beam is applied by the primary electron beam application unit;
• an electron beam image generation unit that generates an electron beam image corresponding to a distribution of intensity of the backscattered electrons detected by the backscattered electron detection unit;
• an image processing unit that determines a boundary region between a dark region and a bright region, the dark region being present in the bright region on the electron beam image generated by the electron beam image generation unit, and detects the determined boundary region as a location of an edge of the hole pattern or the groove pattern;
• and
• a depth estimation unit that determines a boundary region between a dark region and a bright region, the dark region being present in the bright region on the electron beam image generated by the electron beam image generation unit, and estimates a depth of the hole pattern or the groove pattern from information about brightness of the dark region in the determined boundary region.

A pattern measurement method for a hole pattern or a groove pattern formed on a substrate using a scanning electron microscope system, the method comprising:

• scanning and applying a primary electron beam to a hole pattern or a groove pattern formed on a substrate using an electron microscope;
• detecting backscattered electrons having penetrated a side wall of the hole pattern or the groove pattern among backscattered electrons emitted from the substrate to which the primary electron beam is applied;
• generating an electron beam image corresponding to a distribution of intensity of the detected backscattered electrons;
• determining a boundary region between a dark region and a bright region, the dark region being present in the bright region on the generated electron beam image;
• and
• detecting the determined boundary region as a location of an edge of the hole pattern or the groove pattern, and estimating a depth of the hole pattern or the groove pattern from information about brightness of the dark region in the determined boundary region.

An electron microscope that measures a hole pattern or a groove pattern formed on a substrate, the electron microscope comprising:

• a primary electron beam application unit that scans and applies a primary electron beam to a pattern formed on the substrate;
• a backscattered electron detection unit that detects backscattered electrons having penetrated a side wall of the hole pattern or the groove pattern among backscattered electrons emitted from the substrate to which a primary electron beam is applied by the primary electron beam application unit;
• and
• an electron beam image generation unit that generates an electron beam image corresponding to a distribution of intensity of the backscattered electrons detected by the backscattered electron detection unit.