Method and apparatus for creating imaging recipe

Abstract

In an imaging recipe creating apparatus that uses a scanning electron microscope to create an imaging recipe for SEM observation of a semiconductor pattern, in order that the imaging recipe for measuring the wiring width and other various dimension values of the pattern from an observation image and thus evaluating the shape of the pattern is automatically generated within a minimum time by the analysis using the CAD image obtained by conversion from CAD data, an CAD image creation unit that creates the CAD image by converting the CAD data into an image format includes an image-quantizing width determining section, a brightness information providing section, and a pattern shape deformation processing section; the imaging recipe being created using the CAD image created by the CAD image creation unit.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for creating an imaging recipe to observe, by using a scanning electron microscope, a semiconductor pattern formed on a sample, the apparatus comprising:
 a CAD data file within which is input and stored CAD data that contains layout information of the pattern formed on the sample, the CAD data being in the form of segment information represented by X and Y coordinates of apexes of the pattern and layer information; 
 a CAD image creation unit which creates a CAD image by converting the stored CAD data within the CAD data file into an image format; and 
 an imaging recipe creation device which creates the imaging recipe by using the CAD image created by the CAD image creation unit. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the CAD image creation unit includes an image-quantizing width determining section which creates the CAD image by converting the CAD data into an image using image-quantizing width determined based on a pattern width of a predetermined reference pattern. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein, in the image-quantizing width determining section, the pattern width of the predetermined reference pattern includes a minimum line width or minimum inter-pattern distance of the predetermined reference pattern. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein, in the image-quantizing width determining section, the minimum line width or minimum inter-pattern distance of the predetermined reference pattern is calculated from the CAD data. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the CAD image creation unit includes a brightness information providing section which creates the CAD image by converting the CAD data into a multivalued image having various attributes assigned as brightness data. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein, in the brightness information providing section, the attributes include any one of, or a plurality of, or all of, mask pattern partial removal information, material or manufacturing process information, layer information, shape information on the pattern, a roughness/fineness level of the pattern, and design margins. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein: in the brightness information providing section, the various attributes include mask pattern partial removal information; and the CAD image creation unit includes a pattern shape deformation processing section which creates the CAD image by conducting a deforming process on the pattern shape written in the CAD data. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein, in the pattern shape deformation processing section, the deforming process includes image processing which is conducted to round the pattern shape at a corner section thereof or/and change the pattern in width. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the CAD image creation unit includes:
 an image-quantizing width determination section which creates the CAD image by converting the CAD data into an image using the image-quantizing width determined based on a pattern width of a predetermined reference pattern; 
 a brightness information providing section which creates the CAD image by converting the CAD data into a multivalued image having various attributes assigned as brightness data; and 
 a pattern shape deformation processing section which creates the CAD image by conducting a deforming process on the pattern shape written in the CAD data. 
 
     
     
       10. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the imaging recipe created by the imaging recipe creation device includes coordinates of an imaging point, and an image template at the coordinates, or imaging conditions for SEM observation. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the imaging point includes any one of, or a plurality of, or all of; an addressing point, a focusing point, a stigmatism control point, and a brightness and contrast control point, and an evaluation point. 
     
     
       12. A method for creating an imaging recipe to observe, by using a scanning electron microscope, a semiconductor pattern formed on a sample, the method comprising the steps of:
 transferring CAD data in which layout information of the semiconductor pattern is written, to a CAD data file, the CAD data being in the form of segment information represented by X and Y coordinates of apexes of the pattern and layer information; 
 creating a CAD image by conducting an image conversion based on the CAD data transferred to the CAD data file in the transferring step; 
 creating the imaging recipe by using the CAD image created in the CAD image creating step; and 
 outputting the imaging receipt recipe to a display unit through a graphic user interface. 
 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the CAD image creating step further includes:
 an image-quantizing width determining step that creates the CAD image by converting the CAD data into an image using the image-quantizing width determined based on a reference pattern width; 
 a brightness information providing step that creates the CAD image by converting the CAD data into a multi-valued image having various attributes assigned as brightness data; and 
 a pattern shape deformation processing step that creates the CAD image by conducting a deforming process on the pattern shape written in the CAD data. 
 
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the imaging recipe created in the step of creating the imaging recipe includes coordinates of an imaging point, and an image template at the coordinates, or imaging conditions for SEM observation. 
     
     
       15. An apparatus for evaluating a shape of a semiconductor pattern formed on a sample, the apparatus comprising:
 an observation device which observes the pattern formed on the sample, through a scanning electron microscope in accordance with an imaging recipe; 
 an imaging recipe creation device which creates the imaging recipe for imaging with the scanning electron microscope to observe the pattern by use of the observation device; and 
 an evaluation device which evaluates a shape of the pattern on the basis of the results obtained during the observation by the observation device; 
 wherein the imaging recipe creation device includes: 
 a CAD data file within which is input and stored the CAD data that contains layout information of the pattern formed on the sample, the CAD data being in the form of segment information represented by X and Y coordinates of apexes of the pattern and layer information; 
 a CAD image creation unit which creates a CAD image by converting the stored CAD data within the CAD data file into an image format; and 
 an imaging recipe creation unit which creates the imaging recipe by using the CAD image created by the CAD image creation unit. 
 
     
     
       16. An apparatus for creating an imaging recipe to observe, by using a scanning microscope, a semiconductor pattern formed on a sample, the apparatus comprising:
 a CAD data file within which is input and stored CAD data that contains layout information of the pattern formed on the sample, the CAD data being in the form of segment information represented by X and Y coordinates of apexes of the pattern and layer information;   a CAD image creation unit which creates a CAD image by converting the stored CAD data within the CAD data file into an image format; and   an imaging recipe creation device which creates the imaging recipe by using the CAD image created by the CAD image creation unit,   wherein the CAD image creation unit converts template position coordinates of the CAD data to reference X-Y coordinates of apexes of the pattern and layer information.