Method and apparatus for determining defect in scanning electron microscope image

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of semiconductors. Provided are a method and apparatus for determining a defect in a scanning electron microscope image. The method comprises: on the basis of a design layout, determining a first graphic detector and a first detection position, which corresponds to the first graphic detector, in the design layout; on the basis of the design layout, the first graphic detector and the first detection position corresponding to the first graphic detector, determining a second graphic detector and a second detection position, which corresponds to the second graphic detector, in the design layout; and on the basis of the first graphic detector and the first detection position corresponding thereto, and the second graphic detector and the second detection position corresponding thereto, performing detection on a scanning electron microscope image corresponding to the design layout, so as to determine a defect in the scanning electron microscope image. Thus, a determined first graphic detector and second graphic detector can be more comprehensive and more reliable, thereby improving the accuracy and reliability of the detection for a defect in a scanning electron microscope image.

Description

Method and device for determining defects in scanning electron microscope images Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of semiconductor technology, and in particular to a method and device for determining defects in a scanning electron microscope image. Background Art

[0002] In the integrated circuit production process, since it involves many processes, each process may contaminate the wafer, damage the wafer surface, etc., which may cause certain defects in the wafer.

[0003] In the related art, defect detection based on the design layout can be performed on images such as scanning electron microscopes (SEMs). In the process of defect detection, it is usually necessary to first generate a corresponding detector or detection frame that can be used for defect detection based on the design layout and according to the graphic description rules (that is, the rules that can describe the corresponding graphics on the design layout). For complex graphics on the design layout, describing the graphics based on the graphic description rules becomes quite complicated, so it is also easy to produce various omissions and errors. Usually, in order to avoid missed detections, it is generally solved by adjusting the graphic description rules. However, since there are many possibilities for actual graphic shapes, after the graphic description rules solve the missed detection of one graphic, it is still unknown whether other missed detections will occur, resulting in low defect detection accuracy. Therefore, how to improve the accuracy of defect detection is crucial.

[0004] Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present application provides a method and device for determining defects in a scanning electron microscope image.

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present application, a method for determining defects in a scanning electron microscope image is provided, the method comprising: determining, based on a design layout, a first graphic detector and a first detection position corresponding to the first graphic detector in the design layout; determining, based on the design layout, the first graphic detector and the first detection position corresponding to the first graphic detector, a second graphic detector and a second graphic detector corresponding to the second graphic detector in the design layout; and detecting a scanning electron microscope image corresponding to the design layout based on the first graphic detector and the corresponding first detection position, the second graphic detector and the corresponding second detection position, to determine defects present in the scanning electron microscope image.

[0007] In some embodiments, determining the first graphic detector and the first detection position corresponding to the first graphic detector in the design layout based on the design layout includes: traversing the design layout based on a preset graphic description rule to determine the type of each first graphic detector and the first detection position corresponding to each first graphic detector in the design layout.

[0008] In some embodiments, determining the second graphic detector and the second detection position corresponding to the second graphic detector in the design layout based on the design layout, the first graphic detector and the first detection position corresponding to the first graphic detector includes: when any graphic unit in the design layout has other graphic areas except the first graphic detector, determining the other graphic areas as the second graphic detector; and determining the position of the second graphic detector in the design layout as the second detection position.

[0009] In some embodiments, the scanning electron microscope image corresponding to the design layout is inspected based on the first graphic detector and the corresponding first inspection position, the second graphic detector and the corresponding second inspection position to determine defects in the scanning electron microscope image, including: when the design layout is aligned with the scanning electron microscope image, determining a third inspection position corresponding to the first inspection position and a fourth inspection position corresponding to the second inspection position in the scanning electron microscope image; based on the first graphic detector corresponding to the first inspection position, inspecting at the third inspection position to obtain a first inspection result; based on the second graphic detector corresponding to the second inspection position, inspecting at the fourth inspection position to obtain a second inspection result; and determining defects in the scanning electron microscope image based on the first inspection result and the second inspection result.

[0010] In some embodiments, determining the defect present in the scanning electron microscope image based on the first detection result and the second detection result includes: in response to the matching degree corresponding to the first detection result being greater than a first threshold, determining the defect corresponding to the first detection result as a first defect; in response to the matching degree corresponding to the second detection result being greater than a second threshold, determining the defect corresponding to the second detection result as a second defect; and determining the first defect and the second defect as defects in the scanning electron microscope image.

[0011] In some embodiments, the method further includes: determining a first area that does not include a graphic unit in the design layout; determining a second area corresponding to the first area in the scanning electron microscope image; and inspecting the second area based on preset inspection rules to determine defects in the second area.

[0012] In some embodiments, the detecting of the second area based on a preset detection rule to determine defects present in the second area includes: when the first area is larger than a reference area, dividing the first area into a plurality of sub-areas; determining a target preset detection rule corresponding to each of the sub-areas based on a preset relationship table; determining a target sub-area corresponding to each of the sub-areas in the scanning electron microscope image; and detecting each of the target sub-areas based on the target preset detection rule to determine defects present in each of the target sub-areas.

[0013] According to a second aspect of the present application, a device for determining defects in a scanning electron microscope image is provided, comprising: a first determination module for determining, based on a design layout, a first graphic detector and a first detection position corresponding to the first graphic detector in the design layout; a second determination module for determining, based on the design layout, the first graphic detector and the first detection position corresponding to the first graphic detector, a second detection position corresponding to the second graphic detector in the design layout; and a first detection module for detecting, based on the first graphic detector and the corresponding first detection position, the second graphic detector and the corresponding second detection position, a scanning electron microscope image corresponding to the design layout, to determine defects in the scanning electron microscope image.

[0014] In some embodiments, the first determination module is specifically configured to: traverse the design layout based on a preset graphic description rule to determine the type of each first graphic detector and the first detection position corresponding to each first graphic detector in the design layout.

[0015] In some embodiments, the second determination module is specifically used to: when any graphic unit in the design layout has other graphic areas except the first graphic detector, determine the other graphic areas as the second graphic detector; determine the position of the second graphic detector in the design layout as the second detection position.

[0016] In some embodiments, the first detection module includes: a first determination unit for determining, in the scanning electron microscope image, a third detection position corresponding to the first detection position and a fourth detection position corresponding to the second detection position, when the design layout is aligned with the scanning electron microscope image; a first detection unit for performing detection at the third detection position based on a first graphic detector corresponding to the first detection position to obtain a first detection result; a second detection unit for performing detection at the fourth detection position based on a second graphic detector corresponding to the second detection position to obtain a second detection result; and a second determination unit for determining defects in the scanning electron microscope image based on the first detection result and the second detection result.

[0017] In some embodiments, the second determination unit is specifically configured to: in response to a matching degree corresponding to the first detection result being greater than a first threshold, determine the defect corresponding to the first detection result as a first defect; in response to a matching degree corresponding to the second detection result being greater than a second threshold, determine the defect corresponding to the second detection result as a second defect; and determine the first defect and the second defect as defects in the scanning electron microscope image.

[0018] In some embodiments, the device further includes: a third determination module for determining a first area that does not include a graphic unit in the design layout; a fourth determination module for determining a second area corresponding to the first area in the scanning electron microscope image; and a second detection module for detecting the second area based on preset detection rules to determine defects in the second area.

[0019] In some embodiments, the second detection module is specifically used to: divide the first area into multiple sub-areas when the first area is larger than the reference area; determine a target preset detection rule corresponding to each of the sub-areas based on a preset relationship table; determine a target sub-area corresponding to each of the sub-areas in the scanning electron microscope image; and detect each of the target sub-areas based on the target preset detection rule to determine defects present in each of the target sub-areas.

[0020] According to a third aspect of the present application, an electronic device is provided, comprising: a processor and a memory storing computer program instructions; when the processor executes the computer program instructions, any of the above-mentioned methods for determining scanning electron microscope image defects is implemented.

[0021] According to a fourth aspect of the present application, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, characterized in that computer program instructions are stored on the computer-readable storage medium, and when the computer program instructions are executed by a processor, any of the above-mentioned methods for determining scanning electron microscope image defects is implemented.

[0022] In summary, the method and device for determining defects in scanning electron microscope images provided by the present application have at least the following beneficial effects: first, based on the design layout, a first graphic detector and a first detection position corresponding to the first graphic detector in the design layout can be determined; then, based on the design layout, the first graphic detector and the first detection position corresponding to the first graphic detector, a second graphic detector and a second detection position corresponding to the second graphic detector in the design layout can be determined; then, based on the first graphic detector and the corresponding first detection position, the second graphic detector and the corresponding second detection position, the scanning electron microscope image corresponding to the design layout is detected to determine defects present in the scanning electron microscope image. Thus, the first graphic detector and the corresponding first detection position can be determined based on the design layout, and then the second graphic detector and the corresponding second detection position can be determined; then, defect detection can be performed on the scanning electron microscope image; in the process of determining the first graphic detector and the second graphic detector, each area of ​​the graphic unit in the design layout is fully taken into account, so that the determined first graphic detector and the second graphic detector can be made more comprehensive and reliable, and then, when performing defect detection, missed detection can be effectively avoided, thereby improving the accuracy and reliability of defect detection in scanning electron microscope images. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] In order to more clearly illustrate the specific implementation methods of the present application or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following is a brief introduction to the drawings required for use in the specific implementation methods or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are some implementation methods of the present application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work.

[0024] FIG1 is a flow chart of a method for determining defects in a scanning electron microscope image provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0025] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of a graphic unit and a graphic detector provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0026] FIG3 is a flow chart of a method for determining defects in a scanning electron microscope image provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0027] FIG4 is a structural diagram of a device for determining defects in a scanning electron microscope image provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0028] FIG5 is a structural diagram of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] In order to make the above and other features and advantages of the present application more clear, the present application is further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments given herein are for the purpose of explaining to those skilled in the art and are only exemplary and not restrictive.

[0030] In the following description, many specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present application. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that it is not necessary to adopt the specific details to practice the present application. In other cases, well-known steps or operations are not described in detail to avoid obscuring the present application.

[0031] The method for determining a scanning electron microscope image defect provided in an embodiment of the present application can be executed by the device for determining a scanning electron microscope image defect provided in an embodiment of the present application, and the device can be configured in an electronic device.

[0032] With reference to FIG1 , the present application provides a method for determining defects in a scanning electron microscope image, the method comprising:

[0033] Step 101 : determining a first pattern detector and a first detection position corresponding to the first pattern detector in the design layout based on a design layout.

[0034] A first pattern detector may be generated based on each pattern unit in the design layout, and then the first pattern detector may be used to detect a scanning electron microscope (SEM) image.

[0035] In addition, there may be multiple types of the first graphic detector, such as a broken line defect detector, a bridge defect detector, a critical dimension (CD) abnormality defect detector, etc., which is not limited in this application.

[0036] Among them, the broken line defect detector can be used to detect defects caused by the disconnection of lines in the actual SEM image where there should be lines in the graphics in the design layout; the bridge defect detector can be used to detect defects caused by the connection between graphics in the actual SEM image where there should be separation and spacing between graphics in the design layout; the CD abnormality defect detector can be used to detect defects in the SEM image where the line width or spacing is significantly different from the design line width or design spacing width in the design layout, etc. This application does not limit this.

[0037] Therefore, in an embodiment of the present application, the corresponding first graphic detector can be determined based on the characteristics of the graphic unit in the design layout, and then the first detection position of the first graphic detector in the design layout can be determined based on the position coordinates of the graphic area covered by the first graphic detector.

[0038] Optionally, based on a preset graphic description rule, the design layout may be traversed to determine the type of each first graphic detector and the first detection position corresponding to each first graphic detector in the design layout.

[0039] The graphic description rules may be pre-set rules, of which there may be multiple types. Furthermore, the defect characteristics in a large number of SEM images may be analyzed in advance to derive defect patterns, thereby forming the pre-set graphic description rules. Alternatively, defects in historical SEM images may be analyzed, and defect patterns may be derived through model training, thereby forming the pre-set graphic description rules, etc., which are not limited in this application.

[0040] For example, based on preset graphic description rules, each graphic unit in the design layout can be traversed to determine the type of the first graphic detector corresponding to the graphic unit, and then the position of the first graphic detector in the design layout can be determined based on the position coordinates of the graphic area covered by the first graphic detector.

[0041] For example, when the preset graphic description rules are as follows: graphic description rule 1 is "broken line type", graphic description rule 2 is "bridge type", graphic description rule 3 is "CD abnormal type", etc., if the design layout is traversed based on the preset graphic description rules, and it is determined that graphic unit 1 is consistent with graphic description rule 1, then it can be determined that the graphic unit 1 should be a "broken line type" defect graphic detector, and based on the position coordinates of the graphic area covered by the "broken line type" defect graphic detector, the first detection position of the first graphic detector in the design layout is determined, and so on. This application does not limit this.

[0042] Therefore, in the embodiment of the present application, based on the preset graphic description rules, the design layout can be traversed to determine the corresponding first graphic detector, and the first graphic detector can detect simple graphics that meet the graphic description rules.

[0043] Step 102 : Determine a second pattern detector and a second pattern detector corresponding to the design layout based on the design layout, the first pattern detector, and a first detection position corresponding to the first pattern detector.

[0044] It can be understood that after determining the design layout, the first graphic detector and the first detection position corresponding to the first graphic detector, the design layout and the first graphic detector can be processed to determine the second graphic detector and the second detection position corresponding to the second graphic detector in the design layout.

[0045] There may be multiple operation modes, such as Boolean subtraction operation, or any other desirable operation, etc., which is not limited in this application.

[0046] In addition, the second graphic detector can be a more complex detector that is different from the first graphic detector. It may be a combination of multiple defects and cannot be described by simple rules. Therefore, the design layout, the first graphic detector and the first detection position need to be processed before the second graphic detector and the corresponding second detection position can be determined from the design layout, etc. This application does not limit this.

[0047] For example, after determining the design layout, the first graphic detector, and the first detection position corresponding to the first graphic detector, each graphic unit in the design layout can be subjected to a Boolean subtraction operation with the corresponding first graphic detector to determine the second graphic detector corresponding to each graphic unit, and the second detection position corresponding to the second graphic detector in the design layout, etc. This application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0048] Optionally, when any graphic unit in the design layout has graphic areas other than the first graphic detector, the remaining graphic areas can be determined as second graphic detectors, and then the position of the second graphic detector in the design layout can be determined as the second detection position.

[0049] It is understandable that after the second graphic detector is determined, the second detection position of the second graphic detector in the design layout can be determined based on the position coordinates of the graphic area covered by the second graphic detector.

[0050] For example, if any graphic unit in the design layout is as shown in Figure 2, if it is determined that there are two first graphic detectors in the any graphic unit, such as the first graphic detector 1 and the first graphic detector 2 in Figure 2(a), then a Boolean subtraction operation is performed on the any graphic unit and the two first graphic detectors, and the remaining graphic area in the any graphic unit is determined as the second graphic detector, such as the shaded part in Figure 2(b) is the second graphic detector, and the corresponding position is the position of the second graphic detector, then the any graphic unit can correspond to three graphic detectors, namely the first graphic detector 1, the first graphic detector 2 and the second graphic detector, as shown in Figure 2(c).

[0051] It should be noted that the above examples are merely illustrative and cannot be used as limitations on the number and position of any graphic unit, first graphic detector, or second graphic detector in the embodiments of the present application.

[0052] Step 103 : Based on the first pattern detector and the corresponding first detection position, the second pattern detector and the corresponding second detection position, the SEM image corresponding to the design layout is detected to determine defects in the SEM image.

[0053] After determining the first graphic detector and its corresponding first detection position, and the second graphic detector and its corresponding second detection position, a corresponding third position can be determined in the SEM image corresponding to the design layout based on the first detection position. Then, based on the second detection position, a corresponding fourth position can be determined in the SEM image corresponding to the design layout. The first detector can be used to perform detection at the third position to obtain a first detection result, such as determining a specific simple defect type, and the second detector can be used to perform detection at the fourth position to obtain a second detection result, such as determining whether a defect exists at that location. Defects can then be determined in the SEM image based on the first and second detection results.

[0054] That is, the first graphic detector can be used to detect defects that meet the graphic rule description, and the second graphic detector can be used to detect complex graphics that cannot be detected by the first graphic detector. Therefore, even if the first graphic detector has omissions, after the design layout is subjected to Boolean operations with the first graphic detector, all areas on the design layout except the first detection position will become various second graphic detectors and will not be affected by the rule description. Therefore, when defect detection is performed on the SEM image based on the first graphic detector and the second graphic detector, it is ensured that there are no missed detection positions in the entire SEM image, thereby improving the comprehensiveness and accuracy of defect detection.

[0055] Therefore, in the embodiment of the present application, the SEM image can be detected by the first graphic detector and the second graphic detector. Since the various areas of the graphic unit in the design layout are fully taken into consideration in the process of determining the first graphic detector and the second graphic detector, the determined first graphic detector and the second graphic detector can be made more comprehensive and reliable. Therefore, when the first graphic detector and the second graphic detector are used to detect the SEM image, missed detection can be effectively avoided, thereby improving the accuracy and reliability of SEM image defect detection.

[0056] In an embodiment of the present application, a first graphic detector and a first detection position corresponding to the first graphic detector in the design layout can be first determined based on the design layout. Then, based on the design layout, the first graphic detector, and the first detection position corresponding to the first graphic detector, a second graphic detector and a second detection position corresponding to the second graphic detector in the design layout can be determined. Then, based on the first graphic detector and the corresponding first detection position, the second graphic detector and the corresponding second detection position, a scanning electron microscope image corresponding to the design layout can be inspected to determine defects present in the scanning electron microscope image. Thus, the first graphic detector and the corresponding first detection position can be first determined based on the design layout, and then the second graphic detector and the corresponding second detection position can be determined, and then the scanning electron microscope image can be inspected for defects. In the process of determining the first graphic detector and the second graphic detector, each area of ​​the graphic unit in the design layout is fully considered, so that the determined first graphic detector and the second graphic detector can be made more comprehensive and reliable. Then, when performing defect detection, missed detection can be effectively avoided, thereby improving the accuracy and reliability of defect detection in the scanning electron microscope image.

[0057] As shown in FIG3 , the method for determining defects in a scanning electron microscope image may include the following steps:

[0058] Step 301 : Based on a preset graphic description rule, traverse the design layout to determine the type of each first graphic detector and the first detection position corresponding to each first graphic detector in the design layout.

[0059] Step 302 : Determine a second pattern detector and a second detection position corresponding to the second pattern detector in the design layout based on the design layout, the first pattern detector, and a first detection position corresponding to the first pattern detector.

[0060] Step 303 : When the design layout is aligned with the SEM image, a third detection position corresponding to the first detection position and a fourth detection position corresponding to the second detection position are determined in the SEM image.

[0061] There are many ways to align the design layout with the SEM image. For example, the geometric centers of the design layout and the SEM image can be determined separately, and then the two can be aligned. Alternatively, the geometric centers of the design layout and the SEM image can be determined separately, and then the first center pattern unit closest to the geometric center in the design layout and the second center pattern unit closest to the geometric center in the SEM image can be determined, and the second center pattern unit can be aligned with the first center pattern unit to achieve alignment between the design layout and the SEM image, etc. This application is not limited to this.

[0062] Therefore, in an embodiment of the present application, when the design layout is aligned with the SEM image, a third detection position corresponding to the first detection position of the first image detector in the design layout can be determined in the SEM image, and a fourth detection position corresponding to the second detection position can be determined in the SEM image based on the second detection position of the second image detector in the design layout, and so on. This application does not limit this.

[0063] For example, based on the coordinates of the first detection position in the design layout, the corresponding coordinate position in the SEM image can be determined as the corresponding third detection position, and based on the coordinates of the second detection position in the design layout, the corresponding coordinate position in the SEM image can be determined as the corresponding fourth detection position, and so on. This application does not limit this.

[0064] It should be noted that step 302 may be performed first and then step 303, or step 303 may be performed first and then step 302, or step 302 and step 303 may be performed simultaneously, etc. This application does not limit this.

[0065] Step 304 : Perform detection at a third detection position based on the first graphic detector corresponding to the first detection position to obtain a first detection result.

[0066] Among them, after the third detection position is determined based on the first detection position, the first graphic detector corresponding to the first detection position can be used to perform detection at the third detection position to obtain a first detection result. For example, if the first graphic detector is a "broken line type", then the "broken line type" detector can be directly used to perform detection at the third detection position to determine whether a "broken line type" defect exists at the third detection position. If a "broken line type" defect exists, then the first detection result can be determined as: a "broken line type" defect exists at the third detection position; if it is determined that a "broken line type" defect does not exist, then the first detection result can be determined as: no "broken line type" defect exists at the third detection position, and so on. This application does not limit this.

[0067] Step 305 : Perform detection at a fourth detection position based on the second graphic detector corresponding to the second detection position to obtain a second detection result.

[0068] After the fourth detection position is determined based on the second detection position, a second graphic detector corresponding to the second detection position may be used to perform detection at the fourth detection position to obtain a second detection result.

[0069] For example, when the second graphic detector is a "complex type", the "complex type" detector can be directly used to perform detection at the fourth detection position to determine whether there is a "complex type" defect at the fourth detection position, etc. This application does not limit this.

[0070] It is understood that the first pattern detector may be a simple pattern detector capable of detecting specific simple defect types, and the second pattern detector may be a detector different from the first pattern detector. The second pattern detector may be configured with pattern description rules different from those of the first pattern detector, enabling detection of any complex defect. For example, the second pattern detector may be configured with universal complex pattern description rules to detect any complex pattern, thereby determining whether a complex defect exists therein, etc., although this application does not limit this.

[0071] Therefore, in the embodiment of the present application, the first graphic detector and the second graphic detector can be used to detect all graphic units in the design layout, which can effectively avoid missed detections, thereby improving the accuracy and reliability of defect detection.

[0072] Optionally, after determining a fourth detection position corresponding to the second detection position in the SEM image, calculations and tests may be performed on the graphic unit at the fourth detection position, such as grayscale value testing and graphic integrity calculation, to determine whether a defect exists. Any desirable method may be used for calculations and tests to determine whether a defect exists, and this application does not limit this.

[0073] Step 306 : Determine defects in the SEM image based on the first detection result and the second detection result.

[0074] The first and second detection results may be determined as defects present in the SEM image. Alternatively, the first detection result and the corresponding third detection position, the second detection result and the corresponding fourth detection position may be determined as defects present in the SEM image and the defect positions, and so on. This application does not limit this.

[0075] Optionally, in response to the matching degree corresponding to the first detection result being greater than a first threshold, the defect corresponding to the first detection result is determined as a first defect; in response to the matching degree corresponding to the second detection result being greater than a second threshold, the defect corresponding to the second detection result is determined as a second defect; the first defect and the second defect are determined as defects in the scanning electron microscope image.

[0076] Among them, the matching degree can be used to characterize the accuracy of the test results. If the matching degree is higher, it can indicate that the test result is more accurate; if the matching degree is lower, it can indicate that the accuracy of the test result is relatively low, etc. This application does not limit this.

[0077] In addition, the first threshold and the second threshold can be pre-set values, which can be equal or different, and can also be adjusted according to actual conditions. For example, to improve the accuracy of simple defect detection, the first threshold can be set to a larger value; to ensure the comprehensiveness and completeness of complex defect detection, the second threshold can be set to a relatively small value, and so on. For example, the first threshold can be 0.9 and the second threshold can be 0.6. Alternatively, to further improve the accuracy of complex defect detection, the second threshold can be set to a larger value, such as 0.85, 0.9, etc., which is not limited in this application.

[0078] For example, if the first threshold is 0.88 and the second threshold is 0.65, and the defect types and matching degrees in the first detection result are: "Broken Wire Type 1" has a matching degree of 0.93, "Bridge Type 1" has a matching degree of 0.6, "Broken Wire Type 2" has a matching degree of 0.95, and "Bridge Type 2" has a matching degree of 0.96, then the first defects can be determined to be: Broken Wire Type 1, Broken Wire Type 2, and Bridge Type 2. If the defects and matching degrees in the second detection result are: Complex Defect 1 has a matching degree of 0.75, Complex Defect 2 has a matching degree of 0.6, and Complex Defect 3 has a matching degree of 0.4, then the second defect can be determined to be: Complex Defect 1.

[0079] Alternatively, if the defects and matching degrees in the second detection result are: the matching degree of "the combination of broken line type and broken line type" is 0.7, the matching degree of "the combination of bridge type and bridge type" is 0.68, and the matching degree of "the combination of broken line type and bridge type" is 0.55, then it can be determined that the second defect can be: a combination of broken line type and broken line type, a combination of bridge type and bridge type, etc., and this application does not limit this.

[0080] Optionally, a certain threshold range can also be set, such as setting a first threshold range and a second threshold range. The first threshold range and the second threshold range can be adjusted according to indicators such as the accuracy of defect detection, the completeness and comprehensiveness of defect detection, etc. This application does not limit this.

[0081] It should be noted that the above examples are merely illustrative and cannot be used as limitations on the methods of determining the first defect and the second defect in the embodiments of the present application.

[0082] It can be understood that after determining the first defect and the second defect, the first defect and the second defect can be determined as defects in the SEM image; or when determining the defects in the scanning electron microscope image, the first defect and the second defect can be determined, and the positions corresponding to each defect in the first defect and the positions corresponding to each defect in the second defect can also be determined, etc. This application does not limit this.

[0083] It is understandable that in the actual production process, the wafer may be scratched due to misoperation, which may cause defects such as scratches. Therefore, in this application, defect detection can also be performed on areas that do not contain graphic units to ensure the integrity and comprehensiveness of defect detection.

[0084] Optionally, a first area that does not include graphic units can be determined in the design layout, and then a second area corresponding to the first area can be determined in the scanning electron microscope image, and the second area can be inspected based on preset inspection rules to determine defects in the second area.

[0085] Among them, based on the position of the graphic unit in the design layout, the first area that does not contain the graphic unit can be determined, which may be a regular area, or an irregular area, etc., and this application does not limit this.

[0086] In addition, there can be multiple preset detection rules, such as setting the allowable range of grayscale values, setting the pixel value to a certain constant value, etc., which is not limited in this application.

[0087] For example, the preset detection rule is: the allowable range of grayscale values ​​is [200, 255]. If there is a grayscale value of 0 at a certain position 1 in the current second area, which exceeds the allowable range of the grayscale value, then it can be determined that there may be a defect at that position. The image data at the second position of the SEM image can then be analyzed to determine the defect, etc. This application does not limit this.

[0088] Optionally, the preset detection rule may also be: whether the grayscale value is equal to the grayscale average corresponding to the second region; if the grayscale value is equal to the grayscale average corresponding to the second region, then no defect exists. For example, if the grayscale average within the second region is 60, the grayscale value of a certain position 6 within the second region is 40, and the grayscale value of a certain position 7 within the second region is 80, then based on the preset detection rule, it can be determined that a defect exists within the second region, and so on. This application does not limit this.

[0089] Optionally, the preset detection rule may also be: whether the deviation between the grayscale value and the grayscale average value corresponding to the second area is within a certain range; if the deviation is within the certain range, there is no defect.

[0090] For example, when the preset detection rule is that the deviation between the grayscale value and the grayscale average value is within 5, if the grayscale average value in the current second area is 100, the grayscale value of a certain position 2 in the second area is 50, and the error between it and the grayscale average value of 100 exceeds the deviation 5, then it can be determined that there is a defect in the second area. Alternatively, if the grayscale average value in the current second area is 80, the grayscale value of a certain position 3 in the second area is 120, and the error between it and the grayscale average value exceeds the deviation 5, then it can be determined that there is a defect in the second area. Alternatively, if the grayscale average value in the current second area is 50, the grayscale value of a certain position 4 in the second area is 78, and the grayscale value of a certain position 5 in the second area is 41, and the errors between them and the grayscale average value exceed the deviation 5, then it can be determined that there is a defect in the second area, and so on. This application does not limit this. It can be understood that the blank area that does not contain graphic units can also be divided into areas close to the design layout, areas far away from the design layout, etc. Therefore, in the embodiment of the present application, the first area can also be divided into multiple sub-areas, and then the second area can be inspected based on each sub-area to determine the possible defects in the second area.

[0091] Optionally, when the first area is larger than the reference area, the first area can be divided into multiple sub-areas, and then based on a preset relationship table, the target preset detection rule corresponding to each sub-area is determined, and the target sub-area corresponding to each sub-area is determined in the scanning electron microscope image, and then each target sub-area is inspected based on the target preset detection rule to determine the defects in each target sub-area.

[0092] The reference area can be a pre-set area. If the first area is smaller than the reference area, then the first area can be considered to be an area close to the design layout, and its area range is relatively small, and there is no need to divide it into sub-areas. If the first area is larger than the reference area, it can be considered to be a relatively large area, including both the area close to the design layout and the area far from the design layout. Then, the first area can be divided into multiple sub-areas. For example, the first area can be divided into sub-area 1 and sub-area 2 according to the area smaller than the reference area and the area larger than the reference area; or the first area can be divided equally according to the area size to obtain multiple sub-areas, etc. This application does not limit this.

[0093] In addition, the preset relationship table may include the corresponding relationship between each sub-area and the preset detection rules, for example, it may include the mapping relationship between three sub-areas and the corresponding preset detection rules, the mapping relationship between four sub-areas and the corresponding preset detection rules, the mapping relationship between ten sub-areas and the corresponding preset detection rules, etc. This application does not limit this.

[0094] For example, after the first area is divided into three sub-areas, the relationship table can be traversed to obtain the mapping relationship between the three sub-areas and the corresponding preset detection rules. For example, the distances between sub-area 1, sub-area 2, and sub-area 3 and the design layout are from near to far, and the preset detection rule corresponding to sub-area 1 is that the allowable range of grayscale values ​​is [0, 100], the preset detection rule corresponding to sub-area 2 is that the allowable range of grayscale values ​​is [101, 200], and the preset detection rule corresponding to sub-area 3 is that the allowable range of grayscale values ​​is [201, 225]. Then, it can be determined that the target preset detection rule 1 of sub-area 1 is that the grayscale value should satisfy [0, 100], the target preset detection rule 2 of sub-area 2 is that the grayscale value should satisfy [101, 200], and the target preset detection rule 3 of sub-area 3 is that the grayscale value should satisfy [201, 225], and so on. This application does not limit this.

[0095] Afterwards, the target sub-regions corresponding to each sub-region can be determined in the SEM image. For example, when the design layout is aligned with the SEM image, the target sub-regions corresponding to each sub-region can be determined according to the coordinate position, etc., or the target sub-regions corresponding to each sub-region can be determined in any desirable manner, etc. This application does not limit this.

[0096] It is understandable that after determining the target sub-regions corresponding to each sub-region in the SEM image, the target preset detection rules corresponding to each sub-region can be used to detect the corresponding target sub-region to determine whether there are defects in each target sub-region.

[0097] For example, the target preset detection rule 1 for sub-region 1 is that the grayscale value should satisfy [0, 100], the target preset detection rule 2 for sub-region 2 is that the grayscale value should satisfy [101, 200], and the target preset detection rule 3 for sub-region 3 is that the grayscale value should satisfy [201, 225]. Then, the target sub-region 1 in the SEM image can be inspected to determine whether the grayscale value of the target sub-region 1 satisfies [0, 100]. If both are less than 100, it can be determined that the target sub-region 1 does not have defects. Then, the grayscale value of the target sub-region 2 in the SEM image can be inspected according to the target preset detection rule 2, and the grayscale value of the target sub-region 3 in the SEM image can be inspected according to the target preset detection rule 2 to determine whether the target sub-regions 2 and 3 have defects.

[0098] It should be noted that the above examples are merely illustrative and cannot be used as limitations on the number of target sub-regions, the number of defects, and the method of determining the defects present in each target sub-region in the embodiments of the present application.

[0099] Therefore, in the embodiment of the present application, not only can the detection based on the contour extraction of the graphic unit be realized through the first graphic detector and the second graphic detection, but defect detection can also be performed in the blank area that does not contain the graphic unit, so as to determine more possible defects by detecting singular points, thereby realizing defect detection covering the entire image, which not only ensures the integrity and comprehensiveness of the defect detection, but also further improves the accuracy of the overall defect detection.

[0100] In an embodiment of the present application, a traversal can be performed in the design layout based on a preset graphic description rule to determine the type of each first graphic detector and the first detection position corresponding to each first graphic detector in the design layout. Then, based on the design layout, the first graphic detector and the first detection position corresponding to the first graphic detector, the second graphic detector and the second detection position corresponding to the second graphic detector in the design layout can be determined. When the design layout is aligned with the scanning electron microscope image, a third detection position corresponding to the first detection position and a fourth detection position corresponding to the second detection position in the scanning electron microscope image are determined. Then, based on the first graphic detector corresponding to the first detection position, detection can be performed at the third detection position to obtain a first detection result, and based on the second graphic detector corresponding to the second detection position, detection can be performed at the fourth detection position to obtain a second detection result. Then, based on the first detection result and the second detection result, defects in the scanning electron microscope image can be determined. Therefore, based on the design layout, the first graphic detector and the corresponding first detection position can be determined first, and then the second graphic detector and the corresponding second detection position can be determined, and then the SEM image can be subjected to defect detection. In the process of determining the first graphic detector and the second graphic detection, the various areas of the graphic unit in the design layout are fully considered, so that the determined first graphic detector and the second graphic detector can be made more comprehensive and reliable, and then when performing defect detection, missed detection can be effectively avoided, thereby improving the accuracy and reliability of SEM image defect detection.

[0101] According to the present application, a device for determining defects in a scanning electron microscope image is provided. As shown in FIG. 4 , the device includes a first determination module 410 , a second determination module 420 and a first detection module 430 .

[0102] Among them, the first determination module 410 is used to determine the first graphic detector and the first detection position corresponding to the first graphic detector in the design layout based on the design layout; the second determination module 420 is used to determine the second graphic detector and the second detection position corresponding to the second graphic detector in the design layout based on the design layout, the first graphic detector and the first detection position corresponding to the first graphic detector; the first detection module 430 is used to detect the scanning electron microscope image corresponding to the design layout based on the first graphic detector and the corresponding first detection position, the second graphic detector and the corresponding second detection position, so as to determine the defects in the scanning electron microscope image.

[0103] In some embodiments, the first determination module 410 is specifically configured to: traverse the design layout based on a preset graphic description rule to determine the type of each first graphic detector and the first detection position corresponding to each first graphic detector in the design layout.

[0104] In some embodiments, the second determination module 420 is specifically used to: when any graphic unit in the design layout has other graphic areas except the first graphic detector, determine the other graphic areas as the second graphic detector; determine the position of the second graphic detector in the design layout as the second detection position.

[0105] In some embodiments, the first detection module 430 includes: a first determination unit for determining, in the scanning electron microscope image, a third detection position corresponding to the first detection position and a fourth detection position corresponding to the second detection position, when the design layout is aligned with the scanning electron microscope image; a first detection unit for performing detection at the third detection position based on a first graphic detector corresponding to the first detection position to obtain a first detection result; a second detection unit for performing detection at the fourth detection position based on a second graphic detector corresponding to the second detection position to obtain a second detection result; and a second determination unit for determining defects in the scanning electron microscope image based on the first detection result and the second detection result.

[0106] In some embodiments, the second determination unit is specifically configured to: in response to a matching degree corresponding to the first detection result being greater than a first threshold, determine the defect corresponding to the first detection result as a first defect; in response to a matching degree corresponding to the second detection result being greater than a second threshold, determine the defect corresponding to the second detection result as a second defect; and determine the first defect and the second defect as defects in the scanning electron microscope image.

[0107] In some embodiments, the device further includes: a third determination module for determining a first area that does not include a graphic unit in the design layout; a fourth determination module for determining a second area corresponding to the first area in the scanning electron microscope image; and a second detection module for detecting the second area based on preset detection rules to determine defects in the second area.

[0108] In some embodiments, the second detection module is specifically used to: divide the first area into multiple sub-areas when the first area is larger than the reference area; determine a target preset detection rule corresponding to each of the sub-areas based on a preset relationship table; determine a target sub-area corresponding to each of the sub-areas in the scanning electron microscope image; and detect each of the target sub-areas based on the target preset detection rule to determine defects present in each of the target sub-areas.

[0109] The device for determining defects in scanning electron microscope images provided by the present application can first determine a first graphic detector and a first detection position corresponding to the first graphic detector in the design layout based on the design layout, and then determine a second graphic detector and a second detection position corresponding to the second graphic detector in the design layout based on the design layout, the first graphic detector, and the first detection position corresponding to the first graphic detector, and then detect the scanning electron microscope image corresponding to the design layout based on the first graphic detector and the corresponding first detection position, the second graphic detector, and the corresponding second detection position, to determine the defects present in the scanning electron microscope image. Thus, the first graphic detector and the corresponding first detection position can be determined based on the design layout, and then the second graphic detector and the corresponding second detection position can be determined, and then the scanning electron microscope image can be defect detected. In the process of determining the first graphic detector and the second graphic detector, the various areas of the graphic unit in the design layout are fully considered, so that the determined first graphic detector and the second graphic detector can be made more comprehensive and reliable, and then when performing defect detection, missed detection can be effectively avoided, thereby improving the accuracy and reliability of the scanning electron microscope image defect detection.

[0110] It should be understood that the specific features, operations, and details described hereinabove with respect to the method of the present application may also be similarly applied to the apparatus and system of the present application, or vice versa. In addition, each step of the method of the present application described above may be performed by a corresponding component or unit of the apparatus or system of the present application.

[0111] It should be understood that the various modules / units of the apparatus of the present application may be implemented in whole or in part by software, hardware, firmware, or a combination thereof. Each module / unit may be embedded in the processor of the electronic device in the form of hardware or firmware or may be independent of the processor, or may be stored in the memory of the electronic device in the form of software for the processor to call to execute the operation of each module / unit. Each module / unit may be implemented as an independent component or module, or two or more modules / units may be implemented as a single component or module.

[0112] As shown in Figure 5, the present application provides an electronic device 500, which includes a processor 501 and a memory 502 storing computer program instructions. When the processor 501 executes the computer program instructions, it implements the steps of the above-described method for determining defects in scanning electron microscope images. The electronic device 500 can be broadly defined as a server, a terminal, or any other electronic device with the necessary computing and / or processing capabilities.

[0113] In one embodiment, the electronic device 500 may include a processor, memory, network interface, communication interface, etc. connected via a system bus. The processor of the electronic device 500 may be used to provide necessary computing, processing, and / or control capabilities. The memory of the electronic device 500 may include a non-volatile storage medium and an internal memory. The non-volatile storage medium may store an operating system, computer programs, etc. The internal memory may provide an environment for the operation of the operating system and computer programs in the non-volatile storage medium. The network interface and communication interface of the electronic device 500 may be used to connect to and communicate with external devices via a network. When the computer program is executed by the processor, the steps of the method of the present application are performed.

[0114] The present application provides a computer-readable storage medium having computer program instructions stored thereon. When the computer program instructions are executed by a processor, the above-mentioned method for determining defects in a scanning electron microscope image is implemented.

[0115] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the method steps of the present application can be performed by instructing relevant hardware such as the electronic device 500 or a processor through a computer program, and the computer program can be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, which causes the steps of the present application to be performed when the computer program is executed. Depending on the circumstances, any reference to memory, storage or other media herein may include non-volatile or volatile memory. Examples of non-volatile memory include read-only memory (ROM), programmable ROM (PROM), electrically programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), flash memory, magnetic tape, floppy disk, magneto-optical data storage device, optical data storage device, hard disk, solid-state disk, etc. Examples of volatile memory include random access memory (RAM), external cache memory, etc.

[0116] The various technical features described above can be combined arbitrarily. Although not all possible combinations of these technical features are described, any combination of these technical features should be considered to be covered by this specification as long as such combination does not conflict.

[0117] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit them. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or replace some or all of the technical features therein with equivalents. However, these modifications or replacements do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application.

Claims

1. A method for determining defects in a scanning electron microscope image, characterized in that: include: Based on the design layout, determining a first graphic detector and a first detection position corresponding to the first graphic detector in the design layout; Determine, based on the design layout, the first graphic detector, and a first detection position corresponding to the first graphic detector, a second graphic detector and a second detection position corresponding to the second graphic detector in the design layout; Based on the first graphic detector and the corresponding first detection position, the second graphic detector and the corresponding second detection position, the scanning electron microscope image corresponding to the design layout is detected to determine defects in the scanning electron microscope image.

2. The method for determining a defect in a scanning electron microscope image according to claim 1, wherein: The determining, based on the design layout, of a first graphic detector and a first detection position corresponding to the first graphic detector in the design layout includes: Based on a preset graphic description rule, the design layout is traversed to determine the type of each first graphic detector and the first detection position corresponding to each first graphic detector in the design layout.

3. The method for determining a defect in a scanning electron microscope image according to claim 1, wherein: The determining, based on the design layout, the first graphic detector and the first detection position corresponding to the first graphic detector, the second graphic detector and the second detection position corresponding to the second graphic detector in the design layout comprises: In the case that any graphic unit in the design layout has other graphic areas except the first graphic detector, determining the other graphic areas as the second graphic detector; The position of the second graphic detector in the design layout is determined as a second detection position.

4. The method for determining a defect in a scanning electron microscope image according to claim 1, wherein: The detecting of the scanning electron microscope image corresponding to the design layout based on the first graphic detector and the corresponding first detection position, the second graphic detector and the corresponding second detection position to determine the defects in the scanning electron microscope image includes: In a case where the design layout is aligned with the SEM image, determining in the SEM image a third detection position corresponding to the first detection position and a fourth detection position corresponding to the second detection position; Based on the first graphic detector corresponding to the first detection position, performing detection at the third detection position to obtain a first detection result; Based on the second graphic detector corresponding to the second detection position, performing detection at the fourth detection position to obtain a second detection result; Defects existing in the scanning electron microscope image are determined based on the first detection result and the second detection result.

5. The method for determining a defect in a scanning electron microscope image according to claim 4, wherein: The step of determining defects in the scanning electron microscope image based on the first detection result and the second detection result includes: In response to the matching degree corresponding to the first detection result being greater than a first threshold, determining the defect corresponding to the first detection result as a first defect; In response to the matching degree corresponding to the second detection result being greater than a second threshold, determining the defect corresponding to the second detection result as a second defect; The first defect and the second defect are determined as defects in the scanning electron microscope image.

6. The method for determining a defect in a scanning electron microscope image according to claim 1, wherein: The method further comprises: Determining a first area that does not include a graphic unit in the design layout; determining a second region corresponding to the first region in the scanning electron microscope image; Based on a preset detection rule, the second area is detected to determine defects in the second area.

7. The method for determining a defect in a scanning electron microscope image according to claim 6, wherein: The detecting the second area based on the preset detection rule to determine the defects in the second area includes: In the case where the first area is larger than the reference area, dividing the first area into a plurality of sub-areas; Determining a preset target detection rule corresponding to each of the sub-areas based on a preset relationship table; Determining a target sub-region corresponding to each of the sub-regions in the scanning electron microscope image; Based on the preset detection rules of the target, each of the target sub-regions is detected to determine the defects existing in each of the target sub-regions.

8. A device for determining defects in a scanning electron microscope image, characterized in that: include: A first determining module, configured to determine, based on a design layout, a first graphic detector and a first detection position corresponding to the first graphic detector in the design layout; A second determining module, configured to determine a second graphic detector and a second detection position corresponding to the second graphic detector in the design layout based on the design layout, the first graphic detector and a first detection position corresponding to the first graphic detector; The first detection module is used to detect the SEM image corresponding to the design layout based on the first graphic detector and the corresponding first detection position, the second graphic detector and the corresponding second detection position, so as to determine the defects in the SEM image.

9. An electronic device, characterized in that: The electronic device includes: a processor and a memory storing computer program instructions; When the processor executes the computer program instructions, the method for determining a scanning electron microscope image defect as described in any one of claims 1 to 7 is implemented.

10. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that: The computer-readable storage medium stores computer program instructions, and when the computer program instructions are executed by a processor, the method for determining a scanning electron microscope image defect according to any one of claims 1 to 7 is implemented.

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