Patent · US Expired

Method of and apparatus for measuring pattern profile

US5161201A · kind A · utility

30Cited by
3References
3Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 7, 1991
Grant dateNov 3, 1992
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 7, 2011

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01B15/00
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A pattern profile measuring method and apparatus for measuring the profile of a measuring portion of a pattern of a specimen placed on a specimen stage by controlling a deflector of a scanning electron microscope capable of setting a desired inclination angle of one of the specimen stage and an electron optical column, applying an electron beam to the measuring portion of the specimen, and image processing a secondary electron signal from the measuring portion. The method comprises: a first step of calculating the distance at the bottom portion of the measuring portion of the pattern by image processing the secondary electron signal when the electron beam is applied to the measuring portion at an inclination angle of zero; a second step of obtaining the number of pixels at a taper portion of the measuring portion of the pattern by image processing the secondary electron signal when the electron beam is applied to the measuring portion at a first predetermined inclination angle; a third step of obtaining the number of pixels at the taper portion by image processing the secondary electron signal when the electron beam is applied to the measuring portion at a second predetermined incl…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.