Observing method and its apparatus using electron microscope

• US 20060289752A1
• Filed: 05/02/2006
• Published: 12/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Honda, Toshifumi, Fukunishi, Munenori, Takagi, Yuuji
• Granted Patent: US 7,598,491 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/310
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/2817 Pattern inspection
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/28 with scanning beams H01J37/268, H01J37/292, H01J37/2955 take precedence

Abstract

The present invention relates to high-speed acquisition of both a perpendicular observation image and a tilt observation image, in observation using a scanning electron microscope. An electron-beam observation apparatus includes: a first electro-optical system which scans a converged electron beam from a substantially perpendicular direction to a defect on a target wafer to be observed, and acquires a defect image signal with perpendicular observation by detecting a secondary electron image or a reflected electron image generated from the defect; and a second electro-optical system which scans a converged electron beam from a tilt direction to the defect, and acquires a defect image signal with tilt observation by detecting a secondary electron image or a reflected electron image generated from the defect.

Claims

1. An electron-beam observation apparatus comprising:

a stage on which a to-be-observed target sample having a defect is placed, the defect being detected by an inspection apparatus beforehand, the stage moving at least in XY directions;

a first electro-optical system which irradiates by scanning a converged electron beam from a substantially perpendicular direction to the defect on the target sample to be observed, and outputs a defect image signal with perpendicular observation by detecting at least one of a secondary electron image and a reflected electron image which is generated from the defect by first electron detection means;

a second electro-optical system which irradiates by scanning a converged electron beam from a tilted direction to the defect on the target sample to be observed, and outputs a defect image signal with tilt observation by detecting at least one of a secondary electron image and a reflected electron image which is generated from the defect on the target sample to be observed by second electron detection means; and

a defect image signal acquisition unit which acquires the defect image signal with the perpendicular observation from the first electro-optical system, and the defect image signal with the tilt observation from the second electro-optical system.

2. The electron-beam observation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said first electron detection means mainly includes secondary electron detection means which catches secondary electron, and reflected electron detection means which catches reflected electron; and

said defect image signal with the perpendicular observation acquired by the first electro-optical system includes a secondary electron image and a shading image being a reflected electron image.

3. The electron-beam observation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said second electron detection means mainly includes secondary electron detection means which catches a secondary electron, and reflected electron detection means which catches a reflected electron; and

said defect image signal with the tilt observation acquired by the second electro-optical system includes a secondary electron image and a shading image being a reflected electron image.

4. The electron-beam observation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said first electro-optical system or said second electro-optical system has a beam tilt function.

5. The electron-beam observation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said stage further comprises a rotation function of being rotated in a horizontal plane so as to align a direction of a circuit pattern formed on the target sample to be observed with at least a direction of the tilt observation made by the second electro-optical system, by using the rotation function.

6. The electron-beam observation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said stage further comprises a rotation function of being rotated in a horizontal plane, and

when said rotation function is used, a position of the stage is corrected relative to an imaging visual field of the second electro-optical system so that a defective part can be positioned in the imaging visual field.

7. The electron-beam observation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display unit which displays a defect image signal with the perpendicular observation which has been acquired by the first electro-optical system, and a defect image signal with the tilt observation which has been acquired by the second electro-optical system.

8. The electron-beam observation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said first electro-optical system is configured to detect a low-magnification reference image signal and a low-magnification defect image signal by the first electron detection means; and

further comprising an image processing means which detects a precise defect position by comparing between the low-magnification defect image signal and the low-magnification reference image signal that have been detected;

wherein the defect image signal is acquired with the perpendicular observation at high magnification by the first electro-optical system by positioning said precise defect position detected by the image processing means in an imaging visual field of the first electro-optical system;

wherein the defect image signal is acquired with the tilt observation at high magnification by the second electro-optical system by positioning said precise defect position detected by the image processing means in an imaging visual field of the second electro-optical system.

9. An electron-beam observation apparatus comprising:

a stage on which a to-be-observed target sample having a defect is placed, said defect being detected by an inspection apparatus beforehand, said stage moving at least in XY directions;

a first electro-optical system which irradiates by scanning a converged electron beam from a substantially perpendicular direction to the defect on the target sample to be observed, and outputs a defect image signal with perpendicular observation at high magnification by detecting by first electron detection means at least one of a secondary electron image and a reflected electron image which is generated from the defect on the target sample to be observed;

a second electro-optical system which irradiates by scanning a converged electron beam from a tilted direction to the defect on the target sample to be observed, and outputs a defect image signal with tilt observation at high magnification by detecting by second electron detection means at least one of a secondary electron image and a reflected electron image which is generated from the defect on the target sample to be observed;

a defect image acquisition unit which acquires the defect image signal with the perpendicular observation at high magnification from the first electro-optical system, and acquires the defect image signal with the tilt observation at high magnification from the second electro-optical system; and

a defect classification unit which classifies a kind of the defect on the basis of the defect image signal with the perpendicular observation at the high magnification and the defect image signal with the tilt observation at the high magnification, which have been acquired by the defect image acquisition unit.

10. The electron-beam observation apparatus according to claim 9, wherein:

in said defect image acquisition unit,

said first electro-optical system is configured to detect a low-magnification reference image signal and a low-magnification defect image signal by the first electron detection means; and

further comprises an image processing means which detects a precise defect position by comparing between the low-magnification defect image signal and the low-magnification reference image signal that have been detected by the first electron detection means;

wherein the defect image signal is acquired with the perpendicular observation at the high magnification by the first electro-optical system by positioning said precise defect position detected by the image processing means in an imaging visual field of the first electro-optical system;

wherein the defect image signal is acquired with the tilt observation at the high magnification by the second electro-optical system by positioning said precise defect position detected by the image processing means in an imaging visual field of the second electro-optical system.

11. An observing method using an electron-beam observation apparatus, the observing method comprising the steps of:

irradiating by scanning a converged electron beam from a substantially perpendicular direction to a defect on a target sample to be observed, the defect being detected by an inspection apparatus beforehand;

detecting a secondary electron and/or a reflected electron which is generated from the defect on the target sample to be observed by irradiating the converged electron beam from the substantially perpendicular direction, by a first electron detection means;

acquiring a defect image signal with perpendicular observation, from a signal detected the secondary electron and/or the reflected electron by the first electron detection means;

irradiating by scanning a converged electron beam from a tilt direction to the defect on the target sample to be observed, the defect being detected by the inspection apparatus beforehand;

detecting a secondary electron and/or a reflected electron which is generated from the defect on the target sample to be observed by irradiating the converged electron beam from the tilt direction, by a second electron detection means;

acquiring a defect image signal with tilt observation, from a signal detected the secondary electron and/or the reflected electron by the second electron detection means; and

displaying the defect image signal with the perpendicular observation and the defect image signal with the tilt observation on same screen.

12. The observing method using the electron-beam observation apparatus according to claim 11, wherein:

said defect image signal with the tilt observation is a beam tilt image that is acquired by scanning and irradiating the converged electron beam tilted to the defect.

13. The observing method using the electron-beam observation apparatus according to claim 11, wherein:

the defect image signal with the perpendicular observation and the defect image signal with the tilt observation are displayed on a screen on which a sample map is displayed.

14. An observing method using an electron-beam observation apparatus, said observing method comprising the steps of:

acquiring a defect image of first magnification with perpendicular observation by scanning and irradiating a converged electron beam from a substantially perpendicular direction to a first area including a defect on a target sample to be observed, the defect being detected by an inspection apparatus beforehand, and by detecting a secondary electron and/or a reflected electron which is generated from the first area;

acquiring a defect image of second magnification being higher than the first magnification with the perpendicular observation by scanning and irradiating the converged electron beam from the substantially perpendicular direction to a second area including the defect, the second area being narrower than the first area, and by detecting a secondary electron and/or a reflected electron which is generated from the second area;

acquiring a defect image of third magnification with tilt observation by scanning and irradiating a converged electron beam from tilt direction to a third area including the defect, and by detecting a secondary electron and/or a reflected electron which is generated from the third area; and

displaying the defect image signal of the second magnification with the perpendicular observation and the defect image signal of the third magnification with the tilt observation, on same screen.

15. The observing method using the electron-beam observation apparatus according to claim 14, wherein:

said second magnification is the same as the third magnification.

16. The observing method using the electron-beam observation apparatus according to claim 14, wherein:

said defect image signal with the tilt observation is a beam tilt image that is acquired by scanning and irradiating the converged electron beam tilted to the defect.

17. The observing method using the electron-beam observation apparatus according to claim 14, wherein:

displaying the defect image signal with the perpendicular observation and the defect image signal with the tilt observation on a screen on which a wafer map is displayed.