Patent ID: 7476856
Filing Date: 2009-01-13
Classification: G01N,H01J

Abstract:
1. A dimension-measuring method for selectively measuring a first circuit pattern of a die of a semiconductor wafer with a charged particle beam comprising; irradiating a light to a second pattern formed on a scribing region of the semiconductor wafer other than the first circuit pattern before loading the semiconductor wafer into a measuring chamber in which the sample would be scanned by the charged particle beam; measuring a dimension of the second pattern based on a reflected light from the second pattern; determining whether the measured dimension value of the second pattern is out of a pre-estimated range; and in the event the measured dimension value of the second pattern is out of the pre-estimated range, scanning the charged particle beam to the first circuit pattern for measuring a dimension of the first circuit pattern formed on the die which is surrounded by the scribing region having the second pattern determined as being out of the pre-estimated range, after loading the semiconductor wafer into the measuring chamber.