Pattern matching method and pattern matching program

• US 20070223803A1
• Filed: 03/21/2007
• Published: 09/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Shindo, Hiroyuki, Morokuma, Hidetoshi, Komuro, Hitoshi, Sutani, Takumichi, Sugiyama, Akiyuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,889,909 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/145
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10056 Microscopic image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30148 Semiconductor; IC; Wafer
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0006 using a design-rule based approach
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/145 Illumination specially adapted for pattern recognition, e.g. using gratings
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/221 Image processing
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/24592 Inspection and quality control of devices

Abstract

It is an object of the invention to provide a suitable method for identifying depression/protrusion information in a design data; and a program and an apparatus for the same; for example, even in the case that similar portions are arranged, to provide a method for enabling a pattern matching with high precision between the design data and an image obtained by an image formation apparatus or the like; and a program and an apparatus for the same. To attain the above object, a pattern matching method, wherein, using information concerning a depression and/or a protrusion of the pattern on the design data, or a pattern portion and/or a non-pattern portion on the design data, pattern matching is executed between the pattern on the design data and the pattern on said image; and a program for the same are provided.

Claims

1. A pattern matching method for executing matching between a pattern on a design data, and a pattern on an image obtained by an image formation apparatus, wherein, using information concerning a depression and/or a protrusion of the pattern on said design data, or a pattern portion and/or a non-pattern portion on said design data, pattern matching is executed between the pattern on the design data, and the pattern on said image.

2. The pattern matching method according to claim 1, wherein the information concerning the depression and/or the protrusion of the pattern on said design data, or the pattern portion and/or the non-pattern portion on said design data is information concerning a direction of lines of said design data.

3. The pattern matching method according to claim 2, wherein, based on the information concerning direction of at least two lines of said design data, whether or not a region defined by the two lines is the depression or the non-pattern portion, or the protrusion or the pattern portion is determined.

4. A computer program product which makes a computer function, so as to execute matching between a pattern on a design data, and a pattern on an image obtained by an image formation apparatus, wherein, using information concerning a depression and/or a protrusion, or a pattern portion and/or a non-pattern portion on said design data, pattern matching is executed between the pattern on the design data, and the pattern on said image.

5. The computer program product according to claim 4, wherein the information concerning the depression and/or the protrusion of the pattern on said design data, or the pattern portion and/or the non-pattern portion on said design data, is information concerning a direction of lines of said design data.

6. The computer program product according to claim 5, wherein, based on the information concerning direction of at least two lines of said design data, whether or not a region defined by the two lines is the depression or the non-pattern portion, or the protrusion or the pattern portion, is determined.