Patent ID: 7230243
Filing Date: 2007-06-12
Classification: H01J

Abstract:
1. A method for measuring a three-dimensional profile using a SEM, comprising: a first secondary electron image obtaining step of scanning a pattern to be measured with a focused electron beam incident on said pattern from a first direction, and detecting secondary electrons emitted from said pattern as a result of said scanning to obtain a first secondary electron image of said pattern; a first three-dimensional profile estimating step of estimating a first three-dimensional profile based on the obtained first secondary electron image of the pattern and a determination of an inclination angle of the pattern based upon a previously obtained relationship between an amount of secondary electron signal and an inclination angle of a specimen; a second secondary electron image obtaining step of scanning said pattern with a focused electron beam incident on said pattern from a second direction, and detecting secondary electrons emitted from said pattern as a result of said scanning to obtain a second secondary electron image of said pattern; a second three-dimensional profile estimating step of estimating a second three-dimensional profile based on the obtained second secondary electron image of the pattern and a determination of an inclination angle of the pattern based upon a previously obtained relationship between the amount of secondary electron signal and an inclination angle of the specimen; a step of segmenting the estimated first three-dimensional profile and the estimated second three-dimensional profile into small areas by a slope of the area; and a step of estimating a three-dimensional profile of the pattern by selecting the segmented profile which is sensitive to the slope from each of the segmented small areas and reconstructing a three-dimensional profile of the pattern from the selected segmented profiles.