Patent ID: 6140644
Filing Date: 2000-10-31
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
An inspection apparatus employing a particle-beam having a sample-image-obtaining means for scanning said particle-beam on an object sample, the apparatus comprising;a focusing-shift-evaluator which generates a plurality of first values of characteristic quantity of focusing shift from a plurality of Fourier spectrum of particle-beam profiles of a standard sample respectively obtained at different focus shift quantities, and a second value of characteristic quantity of focusing shift from a Fourier spectrum of a particle-beam profile of said object sample; anda memory for storing said particle-beam profiles of the standard sample respectively corresponding to said first values of characteristic quantity and said first values of characteristic quantities of focus shift of the standard sample and said second value of characteristic quantity of focus shift of said object sample; anda beam-blur-profile generator which estimates a beam-blur profile of said standard sample which corresponds to said second value of characteristic quantity from particle-beam profiles stored in said memory;blur-separation means which generates a blur-separated image based upon a reduction of said particle-beam from said object sample image using a de-convolution operation; anda critical dimension evaluator which measures a fine dimension of said object sample from said blur-separated image.