Pattern characteristic-detection apparatus for photomask and pattern characteristic-detection method for photomask
First Claim
1. A pattern characteristic detection apparatus for a photomask comprising:
- a detection-data creator configured to detect a pattern by converting light intensity of an optical image of the pattern formed on a photomask into an electric digital signal, the optical image of the pattern formed on a CCD image sensor, and to create detection data on the basis of the electric digital signal;
a reference-data creator configured to create reference data of the pattern from design data of the pattern;
an extractor configured to extract, from the reference data, the pattern with a same shape and size as those of a target pattern for pattern characteristic detection, and positional information of the extracted pattern;
a characteristic-detector;
configured to set an area where pattern characteristics are to be detected on the basis of the extracted pattern, and configured to extract, from the detection data, the target pattern on the basis of the positional information of the extracted pattern;
configured to detect pattern characteristics of the target pattern for the pattern characteristic detection within the area where the pattern characteristics are to be detected; and
configured to collect the detected pattern characteristics;
the extractor including a variable matching template in which any matching logic based on the signal level of each pixel included in the template is settable as needed, the variable matching template executing a delaying, a buffering, a binarizing, and a plurality of pixel-matchings, the delaying delaying, by a certain length of time, a transmission of an electric signal of the reference data without changing a waveform of the electric signal, the buffering accumulating, as data of N×
N pixels, the reference data inputted to be buffered after the delaying, the binarizing executing a first transforming and a second transforming, the first transforming and the second transforming performing binarization using different thresholds from each other, a data of N×
N pixels accumulated in the buffering being binarized by the binarizing using the different thresholds, the binarized data being supplied to be subject to the plurality of pixel-matchings, each of the plurality of pixel-matchings corresponding to a different group of N×
N pixels, each of the plurality of pixel-matchings executing a first logical-operation and a second logical-operation, the logic employed by each of the first logical-operation and the second logical-operation being set as needed,the characteristic-detector creating at least one of information on pattern characteristic distributions on the basis of the detected pattern characteristics and the positional information, and information on pattern characteristics for an entire area of the photomask.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
According to one embodiment, a pattern characteristic detection apparatus for a photomask includes a detection-data creating portion, a reference-data creating portion, an extracting portion, a first area-setting portion, a detecting portion and an collecting portion. The detection-data creating portion is configured to create detection data on the basis of an optical image of a pattern formed on a photomask. The reference-data creating portion is configured to create reference data of the pattern. The extracting portion is configured to extract a pattern for pattern characteristic detection and positional information of the extracted pattern. The first area-setting portion is configured to set an area where pattern characteristics are to be detected, and configured to extract a target pattern. The detecting portion is configured to detect pattern characteristics of the target pattern within the area. In addition, the collecting portion is configured to collect the detected pattern characteristics.
-
Citations
5 Claims
-
1. A pattern characteristic detection apparatus for a photomask comprising:
-
a detection-data creator configured to detect a pattern by converting light intensity of an optical image of the pattern formed on a photomask into an electric digital signal, the optical image of the pattern formed on a CCD image sensor, and to create detection data on the basis of the electric digital signal; a reference-data creator configured to create reference data of the pattern from design data of the pattern; an extractor configured to extract, from the reference data, the pattern with a same shape and size as those of a target pattern for pattern characteristic detection, and positional information of the extracted pattern; a characteristic-detector; configured to set an area where pattern characteristics are to be detected on the basis of the extracted pattern, and configured to extract, from the detection data, the target pattern on the basis of the positional information of the extracted pattern; configured to detect pattern characteristics of the target pattern for the pattern characteristic detection within the area where the pattern characteristics are to be detected; and configured to collect the detected pattern characteristics; the extractor including a variable matching template in which any matching logic based on the signal level of each pixel included in the template is settable as needed, the variable matching template executing a delaying, a buffering, a binarizing, and a plurality of pixel-matchings, the delaying delaying, by a certain length of time, a transmission of an electric signal of the reference data without changing a waveform of the electric signal, the buffering accumulating, as data of N×
N pixels, the reference data inputted to be buffered after the delaying, the binarizing executing a first transforming and a second transforming, the first transforming and the second transforming performing binarization using different thresholds from each other, a data of N×
N pixels accumulated in the buffering being binarized by the binarizing using the different thresholds, the binarized data being supplied to be subject to the plurality of pixel-matchings, each of the plurality of pixel-matchings corresponding to a different group of N×
N pixels, each of the plurality of pixel-matchings executing a first logical-operation and a second logical-operation, the logic employed by each of the first logical-operation and the second logical-operation being set as needed,the characteristic-detector creating at least one of information on pattern characteristic distributions on the basis of the detected pattern characteristics and the positional information, and information on pattern characteristics for an entire area of the photomask. - View Dependent Claims (2)
-
-
3. A pattern characteristic detection apparatus for a photomask comprising:
-
a detection-data creator configured to detect a pattern by converting light intensity of an optical image of the pattern formed on a photomask into an electric digital signal, the optical image of the pattern formed on a CCD image sensor, and to create detection data on the basis of the electric digital signal; a reference-data creator configured to create reference data of the pattern from design data of the pattern; an extractor configured to extract, from the reference data, the pattern with a same shape and size as those of a target pattern for pattern characteristic detection, and positional information of the extracted pattern; an inverse-transformer configured to perform an inverse-transformation operation, from the detection data of a pattern formed on a photomask; a wafer plane pattern computer configured to calculate a wafer plane pattern from the pattern formed on the photomask; a characteristic-detector; configured to set an area where pattern characteristics are to be detected on the basis of the extracted pattern, and configured to extract, from the wafer plane pattern, the target pattern on the basis of the positional information of the extracted pattern; configured to detect pattern characteristics of the target pattern for the pattern characteristic detection within the area where the pattern characteristics are to be detected; and configured to collect the detected pattern characteristics; the extractor including a variable matching template in which any matching logic based on the signal level of each pixel included in the template is settable as needed, the variable matching template executing a delaying, a buffering, a binarizing, and a plurality of pixel-matchings, the delaying delaying, by a certain length of time, a transmission of an electric signal of the reference data without changing a waveform of the electric signal, the buffering accumulating, as data of N×
N pixels, the reference data inputted to be buffered after the delaying, the binarizing executing a first transforming and a second transforming, the first transforming and the second transforming performing binarization using different thresholds from each other, a data of N×
N pixels accumulated in the buffering being binarized by the binarizing using the different thresholds, the binarized data being supplied to be subject to the plurality of pixel matchings, each of the plurality of pixel matchings corresponding to a different group of N×
N pixels, each of the plurality of pixel matchings executing a first logical-operation and a second logical-operation, the logic employed by each of the first logical-operation and the second logical-operation being set as needed,the characteristic-detector creating at least one of information on pattern characteristic distributions on the basis of the detected pattern characteristics and the positional information, and information on pattern characteristics for the entire area of the photomask. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5)
-
Specification