Method of forming a three-dimensional image of a pattern to be inspected and apparatus for performing the same

• US 7,428,328 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2005
• Issued: 09/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Tae-Kyoung, Jun, Chung-Sam, Yang, Yu-Sin, Jee, Yun-Jung
• Primary Examiner(s): Bella; Matthew C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rahmjoo; Mike
• Application Number:
  US11/180,504
• Publication Number:
  US 20060011837A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,169 Days
• Field of Search: 382/145, 382/147, 382/149, 382/154
• US Class Current: 382/145
• CPC Class Codes: G21K 7/00 Gamma- or X-ray microscopes

Abstract

In a method and apparatus for forming a three-dimensional image for an inspection pattern, a reference intensity function of an inspection X-ray is formed in accordance with a continuous scanning depth, and is differentiated with respect to the scanning depth. The differential reference intensity function is decomposed into a start function and a characteristic function. The differential reference intensity function is then repeatedly integrated while a temporary vertical profile function is substituted for the start function until the temporary intensity of a reference X-ray is within an allowable error range. The temporary vertical profile function satisfying the error range is selected as an optimal vertical profile function. A surface shape is combined to the optimal vertical profile function along a depth of the inspection pattern to thereby form the three-dimensional image for the inspection pattern.

Claims

1. A method of forming a three-dimensional image for an inspection pattern to be inspected, comprising:

measuring an intensity of an inspection electromagnetic wave from an inspection pattern on a substrate;

measuring an intensity of a reference electromagnetic wave from a reference pattern on a reference specimen, the reference pattern having substantially similar surface shape and material properties as the inspection pattern;

decomposing a differential function from a reference intensity function, the reference intensity function defined as a continuous function of the intensity of the reference electromagnetic wave with respect to a depth of the reference pattern, the differential function decomposed into a start function and a characteristic function, the start function expressing a vertical profile function of the reference pattern and the characteristic function determining material properties of the reference pattern;

integrating the differential function of the reference intensity function repeatedly to obtain an intensity of a temporary reference electromagnetic wave, the integration including substituting a temporary vertical profile function for the start function for each integration until the intensity of the temporary reference electromagnetic wave is determined to be within an allowable error range;

selecting the substituted temporary vertical profile function as an optimal vertical profile function when the intensity of the temporary reference electromagnetic wave is within the allowable error range; and

combining the surface shape of the inspection pattern and the optimal vertical profile function along a depth of the inspection pattern to form the three-dimensional image for the inspection pattern.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring the intensity of the inspection electromagnetic wave includes:

irradiating an electron beam to a plurality of scanning depths, the scanning depths being spaced apart from a top surface of the inspection pattern by a predetermined distance, the irradiation of the scanning depths causing the generation of the inspection electromagnetic wave from the inspection pattern;

detecting the inspection electromagnetic wave in accordance with the corresponding scanning depth;

transforming the detected inspection electromagnetic wave into an electrical signal; and

measuring an intensity of the electrical signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the inspection and reference electromagnetic waves include an X-ray.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the surface shape of the inspection pattern is obtained by a scanning electron microscope (SEM).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein forming a reference intensity function includes:

irradiating an electron beam to a plurality of scanning depths, the scanning depths being spaced apart from a top surface of the reference pattern by a predetermined distance, the irradiation of the scanning depths causing the generation of the reference electromagnetic wave from the reference pattern;

detecting the intensity of the reference electromagnetic wave in accordance with the corresponding scanning depth to form a discrete function based on the intensity of the reference electromagnetic wave and the scanning depth of the reference pattern; and

transforming the discrete function into a continuous function in which the intensity of the reference electromagnetic wave is continuous with respect to the scanning depth.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein transforming the discrete function into a continuous function is conducted by a regression analysis.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the start function is a constant function and wherein the surface shape of the reference pattern is not varied along the depth of the reference pattern.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the characteristic function is obtained by dividing the differential function of the reference intensity function by the constant function.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the start function is an actual vertical profile of the reference pattern and wherein the actual vertical profile function is obtained from a SEM image showing a cross sectional surface of the reference pattern taken along the depth thereof.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising, before repeating the integration of the differential function, selecting the start function as the optimal vertical profile function when the intensity of the reference electromagnetic wave is within the allowable error range.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the intensity of the temporary reference electromagnetic wave is compared with the intensity of the inspection electromagnetic wave at a substantially similar scanning depth when determining whether the intensity of the temporary reference electromagnetic wave is within the allowable error range.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the allowable error range extends from about +10% to about −

10% of the intensity of the inspection electromagnetic wave.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the temporary vertical profile function is selected from a plurality of available vertical profile functions, the available vertical profile function being substantially statistically similar enough to a vertical profile of the inspection pattern that the available vertical profile is utilized as a vertical profile of the inspection pattern.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein an available vertical profile function is stored in a function reservoir and the selected available vertical profile function is provided as the temporary vertical profile function by a function provider.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein combining the surface shape and the optimal vertical profile function includes associating the surface shape of the inspection pattern with the optimal vertical profile function from a bottom to a top surface of the inspection pattern.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the three-dimensional image for the inspection pattern on a display device.

17. An apparatus for forming a three-dimensional image for an inspection pattern to be inspected, comprising:

an electromagnetic wave generator for generating an electromagnetic inspection wave from the inspection pattern on a substrate and a electromagnetic reference wave from a reference pattern on a reference specimen, the reference pattern having a substantially similar surface shape and material properties as the inspection pattern;

a detector for detecting intensities of the electromagnetic inspection wave and the electromagnetic reference wave, and storing each intensity of the electromagnetic waves in accordance with a corresponding scanning depth from which each electromagnetic wave is generated;

a function decomposer for decomposing a differential function from a reference intensity function, the reference intensity function defined as a continuous function of the intensity of the electromagnetic reference wave with respect to a depth of the reference pattern, the function decomposer designed to decompose a differential function into a start function and a characteristic function, the start function expressing a vertical profile function of the reference pattern and the characteristic function determining material properties of the reference pattern; and

a profile generator for generating the three-dimensional image for the inspection pattern, the profile generator including a selection unit for determining an optimal vertical profile function and a combination unit for combining the surface shape of the inspection pattern and the optimal vertical profile function along a depth of the inspection pattern, the optimal vertical profile function defined as a temporary vertical profile function when an intensity of a temporary electromagnetic reference wave is within an allowable error range and the temporary vertical profile is substituted for the start function.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the electromagnetic wave generator includes a support for supporting the substrate or the reference specimen, and a scanning unit for scanning an electron beam onto the inspection pattern or the reference pattern.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a measuring unit for measuring the surface shape of the inspection pattern.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the measuring unit includes a scanning electron microscope (SEM).

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the electromagnetic wave includes an X-ray.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a function reservoir in which a plurality of available vertical profile functions is contained, and a function provider connected to the function reservoir, the available vertical profile function being substantially statistically similar enough to a vertical profile of the inspection pattern that the available vertical profile is utilized as a vertical profile of the inspection pattern, the plurality of available vertical profile functions being provided through the function provider.

23. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the selection unit includes:

a function integrator for integrating the differential function of the reference intensity function that is decomposed into the start function and the characteristic function after a temporary vertical profile function is substituted for the start function, the integrated differential function forming a temporary reference intensity function;

a comparison unit for comparing the intensity of the electromagnetic inspection wave and the intensity of the temporary electromagnetic reference wave calculated from the temporary reference intensity function; and

a storing unit for storing the optimal vertical profile function and the intensity of the temporary electromagnetic reference wave.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the selection unit further includes a regression analyzer for forming the reference intensity function from the detected intensities of the electromagnetic reference waves based on the scanning depth.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the start function includes a constant function.

26. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the temporary vertical profile function includes one of the available vertical profile functions contained in a function reservoir, the available vertical profile function being substantially statistically similar enough to a vertical profile of the inspection pattern that the available vertical profile is utilized as a vertical profile of the inspection pattern.

27. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a display unit for visibly displaying the three-dimensional image for the inspection pattern.