Graphical automated machine control and metrology

• US 6,889,113 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2002
• Issued: 05/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: FEI Company (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: FEI Company (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lezec, Henri J., Tasker, David J., Head, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): ORTIZ RODRIGUEZ, CARLOS R
• Application Number:
  US10/227,619
• Publication Number:
  US 20030067496A1
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: 700/166, 700/180, 700/182, 700/83, 382/209, 717/120
• US Class Current: 700/180
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/286 involving mechanical work, e.g. chopping, disintegrating, compacting, homogenising microtomes G01N1/06; pulverising in general B02C; mixing in general B01F
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/40933 Selecting figure elements from a menu table
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36314 Superpose and combine shapes
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36317 Input symbol for element, search in library and display
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36325 Enter shape with mouse, tablet, enter on screen coordinates, lines, circles
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/2813 characterised by the application
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/30416 Handling of data
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/30483 Scanning
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/31713 Focused ion beam
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/31745 for preparing specimen to be viewed in microscopes or analyzed in microanalysers
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/31749 Focused ion beam
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/28 with scanning beams H01J37/268, H01J37/292, H01J37/2955 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3023 Programme control
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3056 for microworking, e. g. etching of gratings or trimming of electrical components
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A graphical programming system allows a user to place geometric shapes onto a scaled image, the shape having associated behavior that operates on the image or on the object of which the image is formed. In a preferred embodiment, the shapes are objects in the Visio program by Microsoft Corporation. The shapes are dragged from a stencil onto an image provided by ion beam or electron microscope image. The shape invokes software or hardware to locate and measure features on the image or to perform operations, such as ion beam milling, on the object that is imaged.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a system, comprising:

creating or obtaining an image of a workpiece;

overlaying the image with a first computer-generated graphic component selected from a plurality of computer-generated graphic components each having a different associated functionality;

coordinating the scale of the image with that of the graphic components;

executing the functionality associated with the overlaid first graphic component, the functionality of the first graphic component being defined at least in part by its geometric characteristics, the functionality being performed on a portion of the image, or a an object corresponding to the image, corresponding to the portion overlaid by the first graphic component, and where executing said functionality includes controlling the operation of a machine to image or alter a site on the workpiece using a charged particle beam or a laser beam.

2. The method of claim 1 in which executing the functionality associated with the graphic component includes locating a pattern in the image.

3. The method of claim 1 in which executing the which functionality associated with the graphic component includes measuring the dimensions of a feature on the image.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

overlaying the image with a second computer-generated graphic component selected from a plurality of computer-generated graphic components each having a different associated functionality; and

executing the functionality associated with the second graphic component measure a dimension defined in part by the pattern located in the image.

5. A computer readable media including instruction for carrying the steps of claim 1.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying the image on a display screen and in which overlaying the image with a computer-generated graphic component includes displaying a shape on the image.

7. The method of claim 1 in which overlaying the image with a first computer-generated graphic component includes overlaying the image with computer-generated graphic component comprising a one-dimensional or a two dimensic shape.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising altering the computer-generated graphic in accordance with the results of executing the functionality.

9. The method of claim 1 in which executing the functionality associated with the graphic component includes milling a specimen.

10. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

overlaying the image with a second computer-generated graphic component having associated functionality; and

executing the functionality associated with the second graphic component to measure a dimension defined in part by the pattern located in the image.

11. The method of claim 1 in which executing the functionality further comprises:

executing pattern recognition computer instructions to locate a first feature; and

repositioning the first shape in a location corresponding to the location of the first feature.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

placing a second shape on the image, the position of the second shape being determined by the location of the first shape and the second shape being associated with second executable pattern recognition computer instructions;

executing the second shape to locate a second feature;

placing a third shape on the image, the third shape specifying an operation the results of which are directly or indirectly dependent upon the positions of the first shape and the second shape.

13. The method of claim 12 in which placing a third shape on the image includes placing on the image a third shape that connects between the first shape and the second shape.

14. The method of claim 12 in which placing a third shape on the image includes planing on the image a third shape associated with computer instructions that measures a distance between the first shape and the second shape.

15. The method of claim 12 in which which placing a third shape on the image includes placing on the image a third shape specifying an operation the results of which are indirectly dependent upon the positions of the first shape and the second shape through one or more intermediate shapes whose positions are ultimately dependent upon the position of the first and second shape.

16. The method of claim 12 further comprising placing on the image one or more additional shapes, the positions of the one or more additional shapes depending upon the positions of the first shape and the second shape, and in which the results of the operation of the third shape are dependent upon the positions of the one or more additional shapes.

17. The method of claim 12 in which the operation specified by the third shape comprises a micromachining operation.

18. The method of claim 12 in which the operation specified by the third shape comprises a measurement operation.

19. The method of claim 12 in which executing the second shape to locate a second feature includes locating an edge of a structure located by executing the first shape.

20. The method of claim 19 in which placing a second shape on the image includes placing a second shape including fixture points for positioning additional shapes wich the image.

21. The method of claim 20 in which at least one of the additional shapes or the third shape includes associated computer instructions for determining distances or angles between features.

22. The method of claim 20 in which at least one of the additional shapes or the third shape includes associated computer instructions for determining distances or angles between features.

23. The method of claim 12 in which placing a first shape on an image and placing a second shape on the image comprise placing a composite shape on the image.

24. A computer readable media having instruction for carrying the method of claim 12.

25. A method of controlling a system, comprising:

creating or obtaining an image of a workpiece;

overlaying the image with a first computer-generated graphic component selected from a plurality of computer-generated graphic components eaeh having a different associated functionality;

coordinating the scale of the image with that of the graphic components; and

executing the functionality associated with the overlaid first graphic component, the functionality being performed on a portion of the image, or on an object corresponding to the image, corresponding to the portion overlaid by the first graphic component, and where executing said functionality includes controlling the operation of a machine to image or alter a size on the workpiece using a scanning probe microscope a laser beam system or a charged particle beam.

26. The method of claim 25 in which executing the functionality associated with the graphic component includes locating pattern in the image.

27. The method of claim 25 in which executing the functionality associated with the graphic component includes measuring the dimensions of a feature on the image.

28. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

overlaying the image with a second computer-generated graphic component selected from a plurality of computer-generated graphic components each having a different associated functionality; and

executing the functionality associated with the second graphic component to measure a dimension defined in part by the pattern located in the image.

29. A computer readable media including instruction for carrying the steps of claim 25.

30. The method of claim 25 further comprising coordinating the scale of the image with that of the graphic components.

31. The method of claim 25 further comprising displaying the image on a display screen and in which overlaying the image with a computer-generated graphic component includes displaying a shape on the image.

32. The method of claim 25 in which overlaying the image with a first computer-generated graphic component includes overlaying the image with a computer-generated graphic component comprising a one-dimensional or a two dimensional shape.

33. The method of claim 31 further comprising altering the computer-generated graphic in accordance with the results executing the functionality.

34. The method of claim 26 further comprising:

overlaying the image with a second computer-generated graphic component having associated functionality; and

executing the functionality associated with the second graphic component to measure a dimension defined in part by the pattern located in the image.