Pattern Measurement Device for Self-Assembly Lithography
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current evaluation methods for semiconductor patterns, particularly those using Directed Self-Assembly (DSA) techniques, face challenges in accurately and precisely quantifying random patterns like fingerprint patterns due to the influence of guide patterns and complexity in measuring pitch and dimension, leading to reduced precision.
Innovation Solution
A pattern measurement device and method that utilizes a charged particle beam to selectively extract straight line portions from fingerprint patterns, measuring distances, ratios, and lengths, and outputs frequency-based pattern distances, enabling precise evaluation of polymer materials in self-assembly lithography.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If guide patterns are used to arrange BCP material in desired shapes, then quantification of pattern shape becomes simple, but workmanship of guide patterns influences the BCP pattern and pure material evaluation cannot be conducted
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and analyzes only the straight line portions from fingerprint patterns, separating the measurement target from the curved/undulating portions that contain unnecessary information. This extraction allows quantitative analysis of pitch and dimensions while eliminating the influence of guide patterns and focusing purely on material characteristics.
2Ease of operation
If pitch measurement using Fourier analysis is conducted on fingerprint patterns, then measurement can be performed, but unnecessary information is included resulting in lowered precision
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the fingerprint pattern into straight line portions and curved portions, then performs measurement only on the straight line portions. This segmentation eliminates the inclusion of unnecessary curved information that degrades precision, while maintaining the ability to conduct quantitative pitch measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts straight line portions from the complete fingerprint pattern using image processing techniques, thereby removing curved and undulating portions that contain unnecessary information. This extraction enables precise pitch measurement by analyzing only the relevant straight line segments.
3Reliability
If one-hundred percent inspection is conducted for every shipment, then material quality control is improved, but evaluation time and resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces complex manual measurement and analysis methods with automated image processing and analysis algorithms. The system automatically extracts straight line portions, calculates pitch, and evaluates material characteristics, enabling rapid one-hundred percent inspection without excessive time consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the measurement approach from analyzing complete fingerprint patterns to analyzing only straight line portions. This parameter change reduces the amount of data to be processed while maintaining measurement accuracy, thereby enabling faster inspection throughput for one-hundred percent quality control.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables quantitative and high-precision evaluation of random patterns, such as fingerprint patterns, by isolating straight line portions and analyzing their characteristics, thereby improving material evaluation accuracy and reducing the impact of guide pattern workmanship.
Implementation Method 1
a pattern measurement device which measures a pattern on the basis of information obtained by a charged particle beam device
Data Source
AI summary
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a pattern measurement device which evaluates quantitatively and with high precision random patterns such as finger print patterns. In order to fulfill this purpose, a pattern measurement device which measures the pattern on a sample on the basis of an image acquired by a charged particle beam is proposed which selectively extracts linear or linearly approximable parts of the pattern on the sample, and outputs at least one of the following: the measurement of the distance between the extracted parts, the ratio of said extracted parts in a prescribed region, and the length of said extracted parts. Further, as a more specific embodiment, a pattern measurement device is proposed which calculates a frequency depending on a distance value between extracted parts, and outputs, as a pattern distance, distance values for which said frequency fulfills a prescribed condition.