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3D microscope and methods of measuring patterned substrates

  • US 9,389,408 B2
  • Filed: 06/29/2011
  • Issued: 07/12/2016
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2010
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method of measuring a patterned substrate sample, the patterned substrate sample including a plurality of patterned substrate features, the method comprising:

  • varying a relative distance between the patterned substrate sample and an objective lens at predetermined steps;

    at one or more of the predetermined steps;

    projecting an image of a patterned article onto a focal plane of the objective lens;

    capturing a first image with a pattern associated with the patterned article and the sample, and storing the first image in a first image array; and

    capturing a second image of the sample without the pattern associated with the patterned article, and storing the second image in a second image array;

    roughly determining a Z position of a background area of the patterned substrate sample using the second image array, and generating a first mask to roughly distinguish the patterned substrate features from the background area of the patterned substrate sample based on the roughly determined Z position;

    generating a second mask to accurately distinguish the patterned substrate features from the background area based on the first image array and the first mask;

    determining a top of each patterned substrate feature using the second mask and one of the first image array and the second image array; and

    calculating geometric parameters of patterned substrate features using the second mask and the top of each patterned substrate feature.

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