Method for specifying observing or working position and apparatus thereof, and method for working sample and apparatus thereof

• US 20060138341A1
• Filed: 12/21/2005
• Published: 06/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Science Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: SII NanoTechnology Inc. (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Tashiro, Junichi, Sato, Makoto, Ikku, Yutaka
• Granted Patent: US 7,595,488 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/396.R
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/24592 Inspection and quality control of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/2487 using digital signal processors
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/222 Image processing arrangements associated with the tube image data processing or generation, in general G06T
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/28 with scanning beams H01J37/268, H01J37/292, H01J37/2955 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3056 for microworking, e.g. etching of gratings, trimming of electrical components trimming of resistors H01C17/22

Abstract

By indicating a desired position in any one image plane of a 1st image plane and a 2nd image plane and specifying a corresponding position in the other image plane by using a conversion function for mutually converting an coordinate system of the 1st image plane and that of the 2nd image plane, it is possible to specify a position, in the other image plane, corresponding to the desired position indicated in the any one image plane.

Claims

1. A method of specifying an observing or working position comprising the steps of:

taking-in and storing an electronic data of a sample to a 1st storage means,

displaying an image of a portion, which contains a desired observing or working position among the stored electronic data of the sample, to a 1st image plane,

indicating on the 1st image plane a 1st position by a pointing device, thereby storing it to a 2nd storage means,

obtaining an observation image by moving the sample to the observing position so as to be capable of observing the desired observing or working position, thereby storing the observation image to a 3rd storage means,

displaying the stored observation image to a 2nd image plane,

indicating by the pointing device a position, on the 2nd image plane, corresponding to the 1st position stored in the 2nd storage means, thereby storing it to a 4th storage means,

calculating a conversion function for converting a coordinate system of the 1st image plane and that of the 2nd image plane by using the position stored in the 2nd storage means and the position stored in the 4th storage means,

indicating a 2nd position in any one image plane of the 1st image plane and the 2nd image plane, and

specifying a position corresponding to the 2nd position in the other image plane by the conversion function.

2. A method of specifying an observing or working position according to claim 1, wherein the 1st position is plural points.

3. A method of specifying an observing or working position according to claim 1, wherein the 1st position is plural lines.

4. A method of specifying an observing or working position according to claim 1, wherein the 1st position is one or more region(s).

5. A method of specifying an observing or working position according to claim 1, wherein the process of indicating a 2nd position in any one image plane of the 1st image plane and the 2nd image plane is a process of indicating the 2nd position in the 1st image plane.

6. A method of specifying an observing or working position according to claim 1, wherein the process of indicating a 2nd position in any one image plane of the 1st image plane and the 2nd image plane is a process of indicating the 2nd position in the 2nd image plane.

7. A method of specifying an observing or working position according to claim 1, wherein an indication of the 2nd position and a specification of the corresponding position use the pointing device.

8. A method of specifying an observing or working position according to claim 1, wherein the observation image is a secondary charged particle image obtained from secondary charged particles by scan-irradiating a charged particle beam to a surface of the sample and detecting the secondary charged particles generated from the surface of the sample.

9. A method of specifying an observing or working position according to claim 1, wherein the observation image is an optical microscope image of the sample.

10. A method of specifying an observing or working position according to claim 1, wherein the observation image is a scanning probe microscope image of the sample.

11. A method of specifying an observing or working position according to claim 1, wherein the electronic data is a CAD data.

12. A method of specifying an observing or working position according to claim 1, wherein the electronic data is a data in which a layout drawing has been made electrons.

13. A method of specifying an observing or working position according to claim 1, wherein the electronic data is a data in which an optical microscope image has been made electrons.

14. A method of specifying an observing or working position according to claim 1, wherein the electronic data is a data in which a secondary charged particle image has been made electrons.

15. A method of working a sample further comprising the step of working by scan-irradiating a charged particle beam to the position specified by a method of specifying an observing or working position according to claim 8.

16. A method of working a sample, further comprising the step of working by scanning a probe to the position specified by a method of specifying an observing or working position according to claim 10.

17. An apparatus for specifying an observing or working position comprising:

1st storage means for taking-in and storing an electronic data of a sample,

1st image plane for displaying an image of a portion, which contains a desired observing or working position among the stored electronic data of the sample,

2nd storage means for storing a 1st position that a pointing device has indicated on the 1st image plane,

sample stage control means for moving the sample to the observing position so as to be capable of observing the desired observing or working position,

3rd storage means for storing an observation image of the sample

2nd image plane for displaying the stored observation image,

4th storage means for storing a position, on the 2nd image plane, corresponding to the 1st position stored in the 2nd storage means,

1st calculation means for calculating a conversion function for converting a coordinate system of the 1st image plane and that of the 2nd image plane by using the position stored in the 2nd storage means and the position stored in the 4th storage means, and

2nd calculation means for indicating a 2nd position in any one image plane of the 1st image plane and the 2nd image plane, thereby calculating a position corresponding to the 2nd position in the other image plane by the conversion function.

18. An apparatus for specifying an observing or working position according to claim 17, wherein an indication of the desired position and a specification of the corresponding position possess a 3rd calculation means for displaying the pointing device.

19. An apparatus for working a sample, wherein, in an apparatus for specifying a position according to claim 17, there is possessed a control means for scan-irradiating a charged particle beam to the calculated position.

21. An apparatus for working a sample according to claim 19, further comprising an optical microscope possessing a laser beam irradiation system capable of irradiating a laser beam to the sample.

20. A method of working a sample comprising the steps of:

indicating a working frame to a desired working position in an optical microscope image of the sample,

irradiating a laser beam to a periphery of the working frame to thereby form a mark,

storing the optical microscope image containing the working frame and the mark,

displaying the stored optical microscope image to a 1st image plane, and indicating a position of the mark by a pointing device to thereby store it to a 2nd storage means,

scan-irradiating a charged particle beam to a region containing the working frame and the mark to thereby obtain a secondary electron image and store it to a 3rd storage means,

displaying the obtained secondary electron image to a 2nd image plane,

indicating the position of the mark in the 2nd image plane by the pointing device to thereby store it to a 4th storage means,

calculating a conversion function for converting a coordinate system of the 1st image plane and that of the 2nd image plane by using the position stored in the 2nd storage means and the position stored in the 4th storage means,

displaying the working frame, of the 2nd image plane, corresponding to that displayed in the 1st image plane by using the calculated conversion function; and

scan-irradiating the charged particle beam to the working frame of the 2nd image plane to thereby etching-work it.