Radiant energy – Inspection of solids or liquids by charged particles – Electron probe type
Reexamination Certificate
2007-01-23
2007-01-23
Wells, Nikita (Department: 2881)
Radiant energy
Inspection of solids or liquids by charged particles
Electron probe type
C250S307000, C250S252100, C250S306000, C250S311000, C250S252100, C250S442110, C250S397000, C438S714000, C073S105000
Reexamination Certificate
active
11320752
ABSTRACT:
Conventionally, there is no method for quantitatively evaluating the three-dimensional shape of an etched pattern in a non-destructive manner and it takes much time and costs to determine etching conditions. With the conventional length measuring method only, it has been impossible to detect an abnormality in the three-dimensional shape and also difficult to control the etching process. According to the present invention, variations in signal amounts of an SEM image are utilized to compute three-dimensional shape data on the pattern associated with the etching process steps, whereby the three-dimensional shape is quantitatively evaluated. Besides, determination of etching process conditions and process control are performed based on the three-dimensional shape data obtained. The present invention makes it is possible to quantitatively evaluate the three-dimensional shape of the etched pattern in a non-destructive manner. Further, the efficiency of determining the etching process conditions and a stable etching process can be realized.
REFERENCES:
patent: 6472662 (2002-10-01), Archie
patent: 7067808 (2006-06-01), Kochi et al.
Electron Beam Testing Handbook, Electron Beam Research 7thVolume, Committee No. 132, the 98thResearch Material, pp. 261, May 1987.
Shishido Chie
Takagi Yuji
Tanaka Maki
Hashmi Zia R.
Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
Wells Nikita
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