Testing apparatus using charged particles and device manufacturing method using the testing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9406480-B2
Application number	US-201514596447-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 14, 2015
Priority date	Apr 22, 2003
Publication date	Aug 2, 2016
Grant date	Aug 2, 2016

Abstract

A substrate is irradiated by primary electrons and secondary electrons generated from the substrate are detected by a detector. A reference die is placed on the stage to obtain a pattern matching template image including feature coordinates of the reference die. A pattern matching is performed with an arbitrary die in a row or column including the reference die using the template image to obtain feature coordinates of the arbitrary die. An angle of misalignment is calculated between the direction of the row or column including the reference die and one of the directions of movement of the substrate on the basis of the feature coordinates of the arbitrary die and those of the reference die. The stage is rotated to correct the angle of misalignment to conform the direction of the row or column including the reference die with the one of the directions of movement of the substrate.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method of compensating a position of an X stage of an X-Y stage of an electron beam apparatus during inspection of a sample on the X-Y stage, the method comprising:
i) setting a constant target speed of the X stage;
ii) setting in response to the set target speed, a linear function with regard to time, representing target positions of the X stage in the X direction during every X direction scanning period;
iii) measuring actual positions of the X stage in the X direction during an X direction scanning period of the inspection;
iv) calculating differences between the target positions and the measured actual positions respectively corresponding to the target positions for the X direction scanning period;
v) calculating an average of the calculated differences;
vi) combining the averages with the corresponding target positions to form combined target positions; and
vii) using the combined target positions to adjust actual positions of the X stage during a next X direction scanning period of the inspection.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electro-optical apparatus is a projection mapping type and comprises a TDI detector for detecting secondary electrons, reflection electrons and/or back-scattered electrons from the sample, and the X direction is set to be a signal integration direction of the TDI detector.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
adjusting a generation timing of a transfer pulse to be supplied to the TDI detector in response to the actual position of the X stage in the X direction, to synchronize the transference of TDI pixels in the X direction with the movement of the X stage.

4. A method of inspecting a substrate having dies arranged in matrix using an electron beam apparatus, wherein the substrate is irradiated by a primary electron beam to produce electrons from the substrate, and the produced electrons are detected by a detector, the method comprising:
(a) placing the substrate on a stage of the electron beam apparatus;
(b) selecting a reference die from among the dies placed on the stage to obtain a pattern matching template image including feature coordinates of the reference die;
(c) performing pattern matching with an arbitrary die in a raw or column including the reference die using the template image to obtain feature coordinates of the arbitrary die;
(d) calculating an angle of misalignment between the direction of the row or column including the reference die and one of the directions of movement of the substrate on the basis of the feature coordinates of the arbitrary die and those of the reference die;
(e) rotating the stage to correct the angle of misalignment to conform the direction of the row or column including the reference die with one of the directions of movement of the substrate with a direction of scan of the detector;
(f) after step (e), rotating the detector to conform the one of the directions of movement of the substrate with a direction of scan of detector;
(g) setting a constant target speed of an X stage of the stage;
(h) setting in response to the set target speed, a linear function with regard to time, representing target positions of the X stage in the X direction during every X direction scanning period;
(i) measuring actual positions of the X stage in the X direction during an X direction scanning period of the inspection;
(j) calculating differences between the target positions and the measured actual positions respectively corresponding to the target positions for the X direction scanning period;
(k) calculating an average of the calculated differences;
(l) combining the averages with the corresponding target positions to form combined target positions; and
(m) using the combined target positions to adjust actual positions of the X stage during a next X direction scanning period of the inspection.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
prior to step (a), disposing means for irradiating the substrate with electrons, the stage and the detector within a vacuum container,
wherein step (f) is performed by a rotation mechanism disposed outside of the vacuum container.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the vacuum container comprises a first barrel and a second barrel rotatably supported against the first barrel and having the detector and wherein the rotation mechanism is structured to rotate the second barrel.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the electron beam apparatus is a projection mapping type, wherein a primary electron beam having two-dimensional cross section irradiates the substrate to detect by the detector the electrons having information of a surface of the substrate.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the electron beam apparatus comprises a beam separator (E×B) and wherein the direction of electric field on the E×B is conformed with the direction of scan of the detector.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
after step (e) and prior to step (f) moving a numerical aperture (NA) device to an optically optimum position in accordance with a change in magnification of the electron beam apparatus.

10. The method of claim 4 , wherein step (b) comprises repeatedly performing:
estimating feature coordinates of a next arbitrary die on the basis of a position relation between the feature coordinates of the reference die and accurate feature coordinates of the arbitrary die obtained by the pattern matching of the template image;
performing pattern matching using the template image near the estimated feature coordinates; and
obtaining accurate feature coordinates of the next arbitrary die.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the repeatedly performing comprises:
repeatedly estimating the feature coordinates of the next arbitrary die on the basis of a position relation between the feature coordinates of the reference die and the feature coordinates of the die obtained in the step just before.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
obtaining a size in the direction perpendicular to the row or column used for obtaining the angle of displacement; and
producing a die map on the basis of the obtained size.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the obtaining a size comprises:
selecting a reference die to obtain a pattern matching template image including feature coordinates of the reference die;
performing pattern matching, using the template image, to an arbitrary die located on a row or column in a direction perpendicular to the row or column on which the angle of displacement is obtained to obtain feature coordinates of the arbitrary die; and
obtaining a distance between the feature coordinates of the reference die and those of the arbitrary die and the number of dies included within the distance to obtain a size of a die in a direction perpendicular to the row or column based on which the angle of displacement is obtained.

14. The method of claim 4 , wherein the electrons from the substrate comprise any of secondary electrons emitted from the substrate, minor electrons reflected from a surface of the substrate, and scattered electrons.

Assignees

• Ebara Corp

Inventors

• Noji Nobuharu
• Satake Tohru
• Sobukawa Hirosi
• Kimba Toshifumi
• Hatakeyama Masahiro
• Yoshikawa Shoji
• Murakami Takeshi
• Watanabe Kenji
• Karimata Tsutomu
• Suematsu Kenichi
• Tabe Yutaka
• Tajima Ryo
• Tohyama Keiichi

Classifications

• H10P72/722

  Details of electrostatic chucks · CPC title

• H10W46/507

  Located in dummy chips or in reference chips · CPC title

• H01J37/05 Primary

  Electron or ion-optical arrangements for separating electrons or ions according to their energy {or mass}(particle separator tubes H01J49/00) · CPC title

• H01J2237/2446

  Position sensitive detectors · CPC title

• G01N23/2204

  Specimen supports therefor; Sample conveying means therefore · CPC title