Pattern Measurement Device, and Computer Program for Measuring Pattern

• US 20160320182A1
• Filed: 11/17/2014
• Published: 11/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: ONIZAWA, Akihiro, MITSUHASHI, Ryuji, YAMAGUCHI, Satoru, HASEGAWA, Norio, SUGIYAMA, Akiyuki, ISAWA, Miki
• Granted Patent: US 10,545,018 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 15/00 Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of electromagnetic waves or particle radiation, e.g. by the use of microwaves, X-rays, gamma rays or electrons characterised by the use of optical techniques G01B9/00, G01B11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 2210/56 Measuring geometric parameters of semiconductor structures, e.g. profile, critical dimensions or trench depth
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0335 characterised by their behaviour during the process, e.g. soluble masks, redeposited masks
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0337 characterised by the process involved to create the mask, e.g. lift-off masks, sidewalls, or to modify the mask, e.g. pre-treatment, post-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0338 Process specially adapted to improve the resolution of the mask
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/12 for structural parameters, e.g. thickness, line width, refractive index, temperature, warp, bond strength, defects, optical inspection, electrical measurement of structural dimensions, metallurgic measurement of diffusions electrical measurement of diffusions H01L22/14

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a pattern measurement device which adequately evaluates a pattern formed by means of a patterning method for forming a pattern that is not in a photomask. In order to fulfil the purpose, the present invention suggests a pattern measurement device provided with a computation device for measuring the dimensions between patterns formed on a sample, wherein: the centroid of the pattern formed on the sample is extracted from data to be measured obtained by irradiating beams; a position alignment process is executed between the extracted centroid and measurement reference data in which a reference functioning as the measurement start point or measurement end point is set; and the dimensions between the measurement start point or the measurement end point of the measurement reference data, which was subjected to position alignment, and the edge or the centroid of the pattern contained in the data to be measured is measured.

Claims

1. A pattern measurement device comprising:

a computation device that measures dimensions between patterns formed in a sample, by using data which is obtained by irradiating the sample with a beam,

wherein

the computation device extracts a centroid of the pattern formed in the sample, from data to be measured obtained by irradiation with the beam,

executes a position alignment process between the extracted centroid, and measurement reference data in which a reference functioning as a measurement start point or a measurement end point is set, and

measures dimensions between the measurement start point or the measurement end point of the measurement reference data subjected to position alignment, and the centroid or an edge of a pattern contained in the data to be measured.

2. The pattern measurement device according to claim 1, wherein

a plurality of the measurement start points or the measurement end points is arranged at a predetermined interval.

3. The pattern measurement device according to claim 2, wherein

the plurality of the measurement start points or the measurement end points is separately arranged at an ideal interval between patterns generated by a self-derivative assembly process, or at an ideal interval between patterns generated by a multi-patterning method.

4. The pattern measurement device according to claim 1, wherein

a position-aligned reference position obtained by position alignment between the measurement reference data and the centroid is set in the measurement reference data, and

the measurement start point or the measurement end point is set based on position alignment of the position-aligned reference position.

5. The pattern measurement device according to claim 4, wherein

the computation device executes the position alignment process by using a centroid position of a pattern generated by a self-derivative assembly process, as the position-aligned reference position.

6. The pattern measurement device according to claim 4, wherein

the computation device executes the position alignment process by using a centroid position of a space between patterns generated by a multi-patterning method, as the position-aligned reference position.

7. A computer program of causing a computer to measure dimensions between patterns formed in a sample, by using data which is obtained by irradiating the sample with a beam,

wherein

the program is for causing the computer to extract the centroid of the pattern formed in the sample, from data to be measured obtained by irradiation with the beam, to execute a position alignment process between the extracted centroid, and measurement reference data in which a reference functioning as a measurement start point or a measurement end point is set, and to measure dimensions between the measurement start point or the measurement end point of the measurement reference data subjected to position alignment, and the centroid or an edge of a pattern contained in the data to be measured.

8. A pattern measurement device comprising:

a computation device that measures dimensions between patterns formed in a sample, by using data which is obtained by irradiating the sample with a beam,

wherein

the computation device acquires pattern data formed by patterning with a contraction projection exposure device, and

obtains a centroid position of a pattern generated by a self-derivative assembly process, or a pattern formed by a multi-patterning method, between patterns of the pattern data or within the pattern, based on the pattern data.

9. The pattern measurement device according to claim 8, wherein

the pattern data is guide pattern data used in the self-derivative assembly process.

10. The pattern measurement device according to claim 8, wherein

the pattern data is core pattern data applied to the multi-patterning method.

11. A computer program of causing a computer to measure dimensions between patterns formed in a sample, by using data which is obtained by irradiating the sample with a beam,

wherein

the program causes the computer to acquire pattern data formed by patterning with a contraction projection exposure device, and

obtains a centroid position of a pattern generated by a self-derivative assembly process, or a pattern formed by a multi-patterning method, between patterns of the pattern data or within the pattern, based on the pattern data.