Charged particle beam device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11501950-B2
Application number	US-202117330500-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 26, 2021
Priority date	Jun 12, 2020
Publication date	Nov 15, 2022
Grant date	Nov 15, 2022

Abstract

Provided is a technique capable of achieving both throughput and robustness for a function of adjusting brightness (B) and contrast (C) of a captured image in a charged particle beam device. The charged particle beam device includes a computer system having a function (ABCC function) of adjusting the B and the C of an image obtained by imaging a sample. The computer system determines whether adjustment is necessary based on a result obtained by evaluating a first image obtained by imaging an imaging target of the sample (step S2), executes, when the adjustment is necessary based on a result of the determination, the adjustment on a second image of the imaging target to set an adjusted B value and an adjusted C value (step S4), and captures a third image of the imaging target based on the adjusted setting values to generate an image for observation (step S5).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A charged particle beam device comprising:
a charged particle beam source; and
a computer system having a processor and a memory storing a program for execution by the processor, the program causing the processor to adjust brightness and contrast of an image obtained by imaging a sample, wherein
the processor is programmed to:
determine whether an adjustment of brightness and contrast of the image is necessary based on a result obtained by evaluating a first image obtained by imaging an imaging target of the sample, and
when the adjustment is determined to be necessary, execute the adjustment on a second image of the imaging target to set an adjusted brightness value and an adjusted contrast value as adjusted setting values and capture a third image of the imaging target based on the adjusted setting values to generate an image for observation, and when the adjustment is determined to be unnecessary, capture the third image of the imaging target based on setting values before the adjustment to generate the image for observation without executing the adjustment on the imaging target.

2. The charged particle beam device according to claim 1 , wherein
the processor is programmed to:
execute, on the imaging target of the sample, first processing of capturing the third image and second processing of determining whether the adjustment is necessary based on the first image in parallel, and
when the adjustment is determined to be necessary by the second processing, interrupt the first processing, execute the adjustment on the second image, and generate the image for observation by performing the first processing based on the adjusted setting values, and when the adjustment is unnecessary, continue the first processing and generate the image for observation by performing the first processing based on the setting values before the adjustment without performing the adjustment on the second image.

3. The charged particle beam device according to claim 1 , wherein
the processor is programmed to:
store the adjusted brightness value and the adjusted contrast value as stored values when the adjustment is executed on the second image of the imaging target, and
for a new imaging target, when it is determined whether the adjustment is necessary, evaluate the first image imaged by applying the stored values.

4. The charged particle beam device according to claim 3 , wherein
the processor is programmed to:
refer to sample information including a manufacturing device and a manufacturing process related to the sample,
store the adjusted brightness value and the adjusted contrast value as the stored values in accordance with the manufacturing device and the manufacturing process, and
for the new imaging target, when it is determined whether the adjustment is necessary, evaluate the first image imaged by applying the stored values in accordance with the corresponding manufacturing device and the manufacturing process.

5. The charged particle beam device according to claim 3 , wherein
the processor is programmed to:
store a frequency of application or the number of times of application for each brightness value and contrast value in the stored values, and
for the new imaging target, when it is determined whether the adjustment is necessary, sequentially try the brightness value and the contrast value of each of the stored values based on the frequency or the number of times.

6. The charged particle beam device according to claim 4 , wherein
the processor is programmed to:
store a frequency of application or the number of times of application for each brightness value and contrast value in the stored values, and
for the new imaging target, when it is determined whether the adjustment is necessary, sequentially try the brightness value and the contrast value of each of the stored values based on the frequency or the number of times.

7. The charged particle beam device according to claim 1 , wherein
the processor is programmed to:
refer to a condition including setting values of the brightness value and the contrast value of the function,
determine whether the adjustment is necessary based on a result obtained by evaluating one or more (M) frames of the first images obtained by imaging the imaging target in a plurality of imaging targets of the sample under the condition, and
when the adjustment is determined to be necessary, execute the adjustment on one or more (M) frames of the second images of the imaging target to set the adjusted brightness value and the adjusted contrast value, and capture one or more (N) frames of the third image of the imaging target based on the adjusted setting values to generate the image for observation, and when the adjustment is determined to be unnecessary, capture one or more (N) frames of the third images of the imaging target based on setting values before the adjustment to generate the image for observation without executing the adjustment on the imaging target.

8. A method of adjusting brightness and contrast of an image obtained by imaging a sample using a charged particle beam device, the method comprising:
determining whether an adjustment of the brightness and the contrast is necessary based on a result obtained by evaluating a first image obtained by imaging an imaging target of the sample;
when the adjustment is determined to be necessary, executing the adjustment on a second image of the imaging target to set an adjusted brightness value and an adjusted contrast value as adjusted setting values and capturing a third image of the imaging target based on the adjusted setting values to generate an image for observation; and when the adjustment is determined to be unnecessary, capturing the third image of the imaging target based on setting values before the adjustment to generate the image for observation without executing the adjustment on the imaging target.

Assignees

• Hitachi High Tech Corp

Inventors

• Minekawa Yohei
• Chiba Kohei
• Fukuda Muneyuki
• Kishimoto Takanori

Classifications

• H01J37/263

  Contrast, resolution or power of penetration · CPC title

• H01J37/28

  with scanning beams {(H01J37/268, H01J37/292, H01J37/2955 take precedence)} · CPC title

• H01J37/265

  Controlling the tube; circuit arrangements adapted to a particular application not otherwise provided, e.g. bright-field-dark-field illumination · CPC title

• H01J37/222 Primary

  Image processing arrangements associated with the tube · CPC title

• G06T7/0004

  Industrial image inspection · CPC title