Pattern matching method in manufacturing semiconductor memory devices

• US 8,229,205 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2008
• Issued: 07/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Hyon, Chan-Kyeong, Kang, Young-Seog, Lee, Sang-Ho, Lee, Hyun-Jong
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu, Tom Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): Conway, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US12/253,618
• Publication Number:
  US 20090103799A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,376 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 382/144
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 1/84 Inspecting

Abstract

A pattern matching method for use in manufacturing a semiconductor memory device increases a pattern matching rate between a GDS image and an SEM image. The pattern matching method includes extracting a scanning electron microscope (SEM) image and a graphic data system (GDS) image to perform a pattern matching; performing a two-dimensional Fourier transform (FFT) for the extracted GDS image and analyzing a low spatial frequency; deciding whether or not a pattern is a repeated pattern or non-repeated pattern by using the analyzed low spatial frequency; and limiting an X/Y range for a pattern matching when the decision result is for the repeated pattern, and then performing the pattern matching between the SEM image and the GDS image.

Claims

1. A pattern matching method for use in manufacturing a semiconductor memory device, the method comprising:

extracting a scanning electron microscope (SEM) image and a graphic data system (GDS) image to perform pattern matching;

performing a two-dimensional Fourier transform (FFT) for the extracted GDS image and analyzing a low spatial frequency; and

limiting an X/Y range for pattern matching when the analyzed low spatial frequency is compared to a predetermined threshold value and is smaller than the threshold value, and then performing the pattern matching between the extracted SEM image and the GDS image.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the pattern matching comprises:

calculating a pattern matching range and a movement mean value obtained by deducting a pattern matching position value from a movement position in the event of pattern matching; and

performing a pattern matching of the SEM image with the GDS image by limiting an X, Y range of the calculated pattern matching.

3. A pattern matching method for use in manufacturing a semiconductor memory device, the method comprising:

extracting an SEM image and a GDS image to perform pattern matching;

performing a two-dimensional FFT for the extracted GDS image and analyzing a low spatial frequency;

determining whether pattern is a repeated pattern or non-repeated pattern by using the analyzed low spatial frequency; and

limiting an X/Y range for pattern matching when the pattern is a repeated pattern and then performing pattern matching between the SEM image and the GDS image.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein when the pattern is a non-repeated pattern, the method further comprises performing pattern matching between the GDS image and the SEM image through an existing method.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein performing the pattern matching comprises:

calculating a pattern matching range and a movement mean value obtained by deducting a pattern matching position value from a movement position in the event of pattern matching; and

performing a pattern matching of the SEM image with the GDS image by limiting an X, Y range of the calculated pattern matching.

6. The method of claim 3 further comprising re-performing a pattern matching of the SEM image with the GDS image after increasing, by about 20%, the X, Y range for the pattern matching when in the performing of the pattern matching, the pattern matching was not successful.