Charged Particle Beam Device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025132123-A1
Application number	US-202118681404-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 16, 2021
Priority date	Aug 16, 2021
Publication date	Apr 24, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

An imaging device is provided with a sample stage configured to be capable of transferring a sample by at least two drive shafts, and shifting an imaging field of view corresponding to positional information of the sample, the positional information being obtained by a computer system. The computer system includes a classifier which outputs, in response to input of image data of a tilt image where the sample is imaged in an inclined state with respect to a charged particle beam, positional information of one or more feature parts existing on the tilt image. The classifier is trained in advance by using training data in which input is image data of the tilt image, and output is positional information of the feature part. The computer system executes, with respect to new tilt image data inputted into the classifier, a processing to output positional information of the feature part.

First claim

1 . A charged particle beam apparatus, comprising:
an imaging device configured to acquire image data of a sample at a given magnification by radiating a charged particle beam to the sample; a computer system configured to execute arithmetic processing for field-of-view search at the time of acquisition of the image data, by using the image data; and a display unit on which a graphical user interface (GUI) to input a setting parameter for the field-of-view search is displayed, wherein the imaging device is provided with a sample stage configured to be capable of transferring the sample by at least two drive shafts, and shifting an imaging field of view corresponding to positional information of the sample, the positional information being obtained by the computer system, the computer system includes a classifier configured to output, in response to input of image data of a tilt image where the sample is imaged in an inclined state with respect to the charged particle beam, positional information of one or more feature parts existing on the tilt image, the classifier is trained in advance by using training data in which input is image data of the tilt image, and output is positional information of the feature part, and the computer system executes, with respect to new tilt image data inputted into the classifier, a processing to output positional information of the feature part.

2 . The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the GUI displays a first setting field to set relative positional information of a final observation position to the feature part, and
the sample stage is controlled so that a field of view of the imaging device is shifted to the final observation position in accordance with the relative positional information set in the first setting field.

3 . The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the GUI displays a registration button to register a condition of the drive shaft in which a cross section of the sample is at a direct-front position with respect to the charged particle beam, and
after the field of view is shifted to the final observation position, the sample stage is controlled to adjust the drive shaft to be the registered condition at the direct-front position.

4 . The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the GUI displays a second setting field to set a final magnification of an image to be acquired, and
the imaging device is controlled to acquire image data at the final observation position in accordance with the final magnification set in the second setting field.

5 . The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the imaging device is controlled to image while increasing a magnification in a phased manner from a magnification at which the tilt image is captured to the final magnification.

6 . The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the computer system executes, to an image captured at the increased magnification, horizontal line correction processing using a processing to detect an edge line included in a cross section of the sample, and obtains an amount of rotational deviation of the image, and
the imaging device performs, by adjustment of the sample stage or image shift, correction of field-of-view deviation attributed to the rotational deviation of the image.

7 . The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the computer system obtains an amount of field-of-view center deviation between before and after the magnification is increased, and
the imaging device performs, by adjustment of the sample stage or image shift, correction of the field-of-view deviation.

8 . The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein whether a correction amount in the field-of-view deviation correction is appropriate is determined, and in accordance with an excess or a deficiency in the correction amount, the sample stage is re-adjusted or the image shift is re-executed.

9 . The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the imaging device is controlled to execute focus adjustment and astigmatism correction every time the magnification is increased.

10 . The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the computer system executes, to image data acquired through the imaging at the increased magnification, a processing to detect an edge line included in a cross section of the sample, and
when the edge line is detected, the imaging device is controlled to increase the magnification without execution of focus adjustment and astigmatism correction, and execute imaging at a next magnification.

11 . The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the imaging device includes a scanner means capable of causing the charged particle beam to scan at least at a first scanning speed and a second scanning speed higher than the first scanning speed,
the imaging device captures the tilt image at the second scanning speed, and the imaging device captures the image at the final magnification at the first scanning speed.

12 . The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the classifier is trained by using, alternative to the training data, training data in which input is a pseudo tilt image generated from layout pattern data of the sample, and output is positional information of a feature part existing on the pseudo tilt image.

13 . The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the pseudo tilt image is generated by execution of an image style transfer processing to a three-dimensional model generated from the layout pattern data and including a certain cross section, the image style transfer processing utilizing image style information extracted from real image data of a part corresponding to the three-dimensional model.

14 . The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the computer system executes in the process of the field-of-view search:
a processing to display on the GUI a plurality of tilt images in each of which one or more feature parts are included within the field of view, and a processing to display a marker for emphasizing the feature part to be superimposed on each of the plurality of tilt images.

15 . The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the computer system executes coordinate alignment of a captured tilt image and the layout pattern data through linking of positional information of the feature part outputted by the captured tilt image being inputted into the classifier, and positional information of the feature part obtained from the layout pattern data.

16 . The charged particle beam apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the tilt image is obtained while the sample stage is transferred from a position where a left end of a sample cross section is brought within the field of view, to a position where a right end of the sample cross section is brought within the field of view.

17 . A charged particle beam apparatus, characterized by comprising:
an imaging device configured to acquire image data of a sample at a given magnification by radiating a charged particle beam to the sample; a computer system configured to execute arithmetic processing for field-of-view search at the time of acquisition of the image data, by using the image data; and a display unit on which a graphical user interface (GUI) to input a setting parameter for the field-of-view search is displayed, wherein the imaging device is provided with a sample stage con

Assignees

• Hitachi High Tech Corp

Inventors

• Yamamoto Hiroyuki
• Ohmori Takeshi
• Kurihara Masaru
• Hitomi Keiichiro
• Tanaka Shunya
• Sato Hirofumi

Classifications

• G06T7/0004

  Industrial image inspection · 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

• H01J2237/2817

  Pattern inspection · CPC title

• H01J2237/20214

  Rotation · CPC title

• H01J37/222 Primary

  Image processing arrangements associated with the tube · CPC title