Abstract:
An error of an outline point due to a brightness fluctuation cannot be corrected by a simple method such as a method of adding a certain amount of offset. However, in recent years as the miniaturization of the pattern represented by a resist pattern has progressed, it has been difficult to appropriately determine a region that serves as a reference. An outline of the resist pattern is extracted from an image of the resist pattern obtained by a charged particle beam apparatus in consideration of influence of the brightness fluctuation. That is, a plurality of brightness profiles in the vicinity of edge points configuring the outline are obtained and an evaluation value of a shape of the brightness profile in the vicinity of a specific edge is obtained based on the plurality of brightness profiles, and the outline of a specific edge point is corrected, based on the evaluation value.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a shape measurement of a fine pattern. 
       BACKGROUND ART 
       [0002]    A lithography technique with an ArF excimer laser as a light source is used for forming a fine pattern in a semiconductor manufacturing process. With the miniaturization of the pattern, the lithography is performed in the vicinity of a resolution limit in which the fine pattern of a size of a fraction of a wavelength of the ArF excimer laser is formed. An Optical Proximity Correction (OPC) technique for correcting a mask pattern shape or an exposure light source shape is essential for the lithography which is in the vicinity of the resolution limit in consideration of a proximity effect of the light. For optimization of the correction, it is necessary to measure a fine resist sample actually prepared by transferring a mask pattern and, to evaluate a deviation from a design, and to correct the mask or the light source shape. 
         [0003]    For measurement of an outline of a pattern shape of the fine resist sample, a scanning electron microscope (SEM) is used. Brightness in an edge portion of the pattern is strong in a SEM image of a sample obtained by using the SEM. The portion in which the brightness is strong is referred to as a white band and it is possible to measure the outline of the pattern shape of the sample by extracting the white band as a line segment. Furthermore, it is possible to extract the outline with high accuracy by determining a point (edge point) configuring the outline based on a brightness profile in the vicinity of the white band. 
         [0004]    However, the outline extracted from the SEM image by such a method is affected by contraction (shrinking) of the resist or charging of a resist surface by electron beam irradiation when observing the SEM. As a method to deal with such a problem, a method for correcting fluctuation of a SEM bias due to the charging by replacing the brightness profile of a correction target region is disclosed in PTL 1. 
         [0005]    Furthermore, there is a problem that the outline is lost when extracting the white band as the line segment in the SEM image in which noise is strong or a large error occurs in a position of the edge point in the image in which contrast of the white band is weak. As a method to deal with such a problem, a method for appropriately connecting a lost portion of the outline is disclosed in PTL 2 and a method for increasing the reliability of the outline by configuring the outline excluding the edge point if a degree of separation of the brightness is small in the brightness profile in the vicinity of the edge point is disclosed in PTL 3. 
       CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature 
       [0000]    
       
         [PTL 1] JP-A-2005-228560 
         [PTL 2] JP-A-2009-43937 
         [PTL 3] JP-A-2006-29891 
       
     
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
       [0009]    The SEM image is obtained by imaging an amount of signal electrons emitted from the sample by irradiating the electron beam as the brightness. That is, in theory, the image brightness is proportional to the amount of the signal electrons. However, a part of the signal electrons is taken into the sample again by charging of a sample surface, the signal electrons are affected by a steric hindrance with which the signal electrons are shielded by a high side wall of a pattern in the vicinity thereof, or the signal electrons are not taken into a detector and are not detected depending on an orbit of the signal electrons, and as a result, the brightness fluctuates. Furthermore, in a circuit for converting an amount of the signal electrons taken into the detector into image brightness, it may be non-linear conversion. For example, when the amount of the signal becomes a certain value or more, the amount of the signal electrons is output as the maximum value of the brightness regardless of the amount of the signal. The image brightness may not be proportional to the amount of the signal electrons for such reasons. 
         [0010]    Then, if the image brightness is not proportional to the amount of the signal electrons by occurrence of the fluctuation of the image brightness, an error occurs in an outline point that is determined based on the brightness profile. The charging or shielding effect of a neighboring pattern varies according to the pattern shape and a detection efficiency of the detector depends on a position within a field of vision of the SEM. Thus, the error of the outline point due to the brightness fluctuation cannot be corrected by a simple method such as a method of adding a certain amount of offset. 
         [0011]    In the method described in PTL 3, if the degree of separation of the brightness is decreased by the brightness fluctuation, the edge point can be excluded, but if the degree of separation of the brightness is not significantly decreased, excluding of the edge point is not effective and the position of the edge point cannot be corrected. 
         [0012]    Furthermore, in the method described in PTL 1, the brightness fluctuation is corrected by replacing the brightness profile of a target region with the brightness profile of a reference region, it is necessary to set a surface region (reference region) on the sample in which a difference of an amount of secondary electrons is relatively small in one place and it is necessary to predetermine a reference profile obtained in the reference region. However, in recent years as the miniaturization of the pattern has progressed, it has been difficult to appropriately determine a region that serves as the reference as described above. For example, when using such a method, the reference region that can be considered appropriate from experience by a measuring person observing the image should be designated. In such a case, a problem that damage is increased due to time or beam irradiation by expanding an observation target to a region other than the measuring target may occur. 
         [0013]    Therefore, a method in which the error of the edge point due to the brightness fluctuation is detected, the edge point in which the error is great is removed, and the position of the edge point is corrected is required without the need to predetermine the reference region. 
       Solution to Problem 
       [0014]    A typical example among the inventions disclosed in the present application is as follows. That is, proposed is a measurement method measuring an outline of a pattern from an image of a sample including the pattern obtained by a charged particle beam apparatus, including: a first step of extracting edge points configuring the outline of the pattern; a second step of obtaining a first brightness profile in the vicinity of a first edge point among the edge points; a third step of obtaining a second brightness profile in the vicinity of a second edge point among the edge points; a fourth step of obtaining a third brightness profile in the vicinity of a third edge point among the edge points; a fifth step of obtaining an evaluation value of a shape of the first brightness profile, based on the first brightness profile and the second and third brightness profiles that are obtained; and a sixth step of performing an outline correction of the pattern of the first edge point based on the evaluation value. 
         [0015]    Furthermore, as other examples, there is proposed an image processing device and a charged particle beam apparatus. The image processing device that measures an outline of a pattern from an image of a sample including the pattern obtained by the charged particle beam apparatus includes a brightness profile obtaining section that obtains a plurality of brightness profiles in the vicinity of edge points configuring the outline; a shape evaluation section that extracts an evaluation value of a shape of a first brightness profile, based on the plurality of brightness profiles; and an outline correction section that corrects the outline of the edge points of the first brightness profile, based on the evaluation value. 
       Advantageous Effects of Invention 
       [0016]    It is possible to accurately obtain the outline of the pattern of the sample by using the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0017]      FIG. 1A  is a schematic view of a sample having a pattern of a line shape. 
           [0018]      FIG. 1B  is a schematic view of a SEM image of a line pattern. 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view of a brightness profile. 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  is an entire view of a schematic configuration of an image processing device according to an embodiment. 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  is a view illustrating one example of a flowchart according to the embodiment. 
           [0022]      FIG. 5  is a view illustrating an example of an evaluation value of specificity according to the embodiment. 
           [0023]      FIG. 6  is a view illustrating one example of a flowchart according to the embodiment. 
           [0024]      FIG. 7  is a view illustrating one example of a re-determining method of an edge using a threshold method. 
           [0025]      FIG. 8  is a view illustrating an example of an outline before a correction and an outline after the correction. 
           [0026]      FIG. 9  is an entire view of a schematic configuration of an image processing device according to the embodiment. 
           [0027]      FIG. 10  is a view illustrating one example of a flowchart according to the embodiment. 
           [0028]      FIG. 11A  is a schematic view of a pattern structure in which brightness decrease occurs due to steric hindrance. 
           [0029]      FIG. 11B  is a schematic view of an outline before brightness decrease due to the steric hindrance is corrected. 
           [0030]      FIG. 12  is a view schematically illustrating brightness profiles before the correction and after the correction. 
           [0031]      FIG. 13  is a view illustrating one example of a flowchart according to the embodiment. 
           [0032]      FIG. 14  is a view illustrating one example of a schematic outside view of an entire configuration of the SEM in the embodiment. 
           [0033]      FIG. 15  is a view illustrating one example of a schematic outside view of an entire configuration of the SEM in the embodiment. 
           [0034]      FIG. 16  is a view illustrating one example of accumulated data of a database in the embodiment. 
           [0035]      FIG. 17  is a view illustrating one example of GUI for displaying or inputting image obtaining conditions. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0036]    As an embodiment to solve the problems described above, an image processing method extracting an outline of a resist pattern from a SEM image of the resist pattern obtained by a scanning electron microscope (SEM) in consideration of influence of brightness fluctuation will be described. 
         [0037]    First, a method for extracting the outline of the resist pattern from the SEM image is described. The pattern is a portion of a concave shape formed on a surface of a sample and signal electrons emitted from the sample when irradiating electron beams are increased in an outline section (edge section) of the pattern. Thus, a portion (white band) in which the brightness is strong corresponding to the outline is observed in the SEM image expressed as an image brightness by detecting the signal electrons. 
         [0038]      FIG. 1A  is a schematic view of the sample having a pattern (line pattern)  101  of a line shape and  FIG. 1B  is a schematic view of the SEM image of the line pattern. A white band  102  corresponding to the outline of the line pattern can be observed. 
         [0039]    For extracting the outline from the SEM image, a position of the white band is detected by an imaging process as edge points and a line segment provided by connecting the edge points may be obtained. As the image processing method, an arbitrary method may be used as long as the method detects a bright portion as the line segment. For example, only pixels having the brightness greater than a certain value are extracted and a miniaturizing process is performed so that a width of a region of the pixels is one pixel, and a center of remaining pixels is determined as the edge points, and thereby the outline is obtained by connecting the edge points. 
         [0040]    Furthermore, there is also a method for extracting the outline by using a brightness profile in the vicinity of the white band in addition to the method using the imaging process described above. Here, the brightness profile is a profile of the image brightness in a direction intersecting a direction of the white band, that is, is a profile of a brightness distribution in a region  103  in the vicinity of the white band. Moreover, in the following description, a case where the brightness profile in a direction orthogonal to the direction of the white band is obtained is exemplified, but the direction may not be the direction orthogonal to the direction of the white band necessarily. For example, if a magnification in a vertical direction and a magnification in a horizontal direction of the image are different, the direction orthogonal to the direction of the white band in the SEM image may not be a direction orthogonal to the outline corresponding to the white band on the sample. In such a case, an angle between the direction of the white band and a direction in which the brightness profile is obtained may be set corresponding to the magnification in the vertical direction and the magnification in the horizontal direction of the image so as to be the direction orthogonal to the outline on the sample. Furthermore, if a projection structure and the like appear in the white band due to local noise, the direction of the original outline and the direction of a local white band may be different. In such a case, design data of the pattern is referred to and the direction of the outline corresponding to the white band is determined, and then a direction orthogonal to the direction of the outline may be the direction to obtain the brightness profile. 
         [0041]    In order to reduce the noise of the profile when obtaining the brightness profile, the brightness that is obtained by being averaged in the direction of the white band may be also used. That is, the region  103  is set in a range in which the width in the direction of the white band is greater than one pixel and an averaged profile may be obtained in the range. Presence or absence of averaging, a size of the region, or the like is designated in advance. Furthermore, in a case where an outer periphery (side) of the region  103  does not match a grid of the pixel if a direction of a vertical axis or a direction of a horizontal axis of the SEM image does not match the direction (the direction orthogonal to the white band) to obtain the brightness profile, and the like, an imaging process in which the image is rotated, an imaging process in which the number of pixels is increased, or the like is applied, and the outer periphery of the region  103  exactly matches a boundary of the pixel and thereby the brightness profile can be obtained. 
         [0042]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view of the brightness profile. A peak of a brightness profile  201  corresponds to the white band. A position of the brightness peak may simply be the edge point, but in this case, the position of the outline is likely to receive influence of the brightness due to the noise of the brightness. As a method for determining the edge points in which the noise is strong, there is a threshold method using the brightness profile. In the threshold method, a reference brightness C ( 204 ) is obtained by Expression 1 using a maximum value A ( 202 ) of the brightness inside the profile and a minimum value B ( 203 ) of the brightness that is on the outside of the pattern more than the place (the position of the peak) of the maximum value. 
         [0000]        C=B +( A−B ) T   [Expression 1]
 
         [0043]    Here, T is a value of a range from 0 to 1 that is predetermined, and 0.5 is often used. Thereafter, a position  205  that is the reference brightness C is determined as the edge point in the brightness profile between the maximum value and the minimum value. Moreover, which side the outside of the pattern more than the position of the peak becomes is determined by another method such as a method referring to the design data of the pattern. The method described above is applied to each point on the white band and the obtained edge points are connected thereby obtaining the outline. Intervals on the points on the white band to be applied may be arbitrary. 
         [0044]    Furthermore, when connecting the edge points, each edge point may be connected by a straight line and may be connected by performing interpolation such as spline interpolation in an arbitrary method. 
       Embodiment 1 
       [0045]    One example of an embodiment for extracting the outline of the pattern in consideration of the brightness fluctuation will be described. The embodiment is a method in which the edge points influenced by the brightness fluctuation are detected and the outline is configured by removing the edge points. 
         [0046]      FIG. 3  is an entire view of a schematic configuration of the image processing device according to the embodiment and the image processing device is configured of a recording device  310  and a calculation device  320 . The recording device  310  is provided with an image recording section  311 , an outline recording section  312 , a brightness profile recording  313 , and an evaluation value recording  314 . The calculation device  320  is provided with an image processing calculation section  321 , a brightness profile evaluation calculation section  322 , and an outline correction calculation section  323 . The above configuration may be realized by configuring as a separate device respectively, or may be realized in one calculator or a plurality of calculators. 
         [0047]      FIG. 4  is one example of a flowchart according to the embodiment. Hereinafter, the flowchart will be described. 
         [0048]    In step S 401 , a SEM image file obtained by photographing a resist sample that is measured is input and is stored in the image recording section  311 . 
         [0049]    In step S 402 , the image processing calculation section  321  is used and calculation is performed with respect to SEM image data stored in the SEM image recording section  311 , and an outline of a sample pattern is extracted. An example of the outline is schematically indicated in a reference numeral  501  of  FIG. 5 . The extracted outline data is stored in the outline recording section  312 . Here, the outline data is an aggregation of coordinates of the edge points configuring the outline. For the extraction of the edge points, an arbitrary method may be used, but, for example, as described above, the position of the white band in which the brightness is strong in the image may be the edge point and the edge point may be determined by applying the threshold method. 
         [0050]    In step S 403 , the calculation is performed with respect to the SEM image stored in the SEM image recording section  311  using the image processing calculation section  321  and the brightness profile of the periphery of the edge point is calculated with respect to the edge points stored in the outline recording section  312 . An example of the brightness profile is schematically indicated in a reference numeral  502  of  FIG. 5 . The calculated brightness profile is stored in the brightness profile recording section  313 . At this time, combined information indicating a correspondence between each brightness profile and each edge point is stored. Moreover, the brightness profile that is obtained by applying a smoothing process for reducing the noise to the brightness profile may be stored. In addition, in step S 402 , if a process in which the brightness profile is calculated is included in such a case where the threshold method is used and the like, step S 403  is omitted and the brightness profile calculated in step S 402  may be stored in the brightness profile recording section  313 . 
         [0051]    In step S 404 , specificity of a shape is evaluated by using the brightness profile evaluation calculation section  322  for the brightness profile stored in the brightness profile recording section  313  and an obtained evaluation value of the specificity is stored in the evaluation value recording section  314 . An example of the evaluation value of the specificity is schematically indicated in a reference numeral  503  of  FIG. 5 . 
         [0052]    An example of the evaluation method of the specificity is described below. Moreover, the evaluation value of the specificity stored in the evaluation value recording section  314  may be one value for each brightness profile or may be a plurality of values obtained by a plurality of methods. 
         [0053]    One example is an evaluation method in which the maximum value of the brightness is extracted for each brightness profile and a deviation from an average value of the maximum value is the evaluation value. Here, the deviation may simply be a difference or may be a square or an absolute value of the difference. Otherwise, a deviation value is obtained and a difference (or the square or the absolute value of the difference) from 50 may be the evaluation value. In addition, an arbitrary statistical index indicating how much a certain value is deviated from an average of the aggregation including the value may be used. Moreover, the minimum value of the brightness may be used instead of the maximum value of the brightness, or a value calculated from a value such as a difference or an average between the maximum value and the minimum value of the brightness may be used. 
         [0054]    Furthermore, another example is a method using a plurality of values among the values (the maximum value or the minimum value of the brightness, and values calculated from those values) described in the above examples of the evaluation method. Simply, the evaluation value is calculated for each value by the example of the evaluation method described above and the average, a square sum average, the maximum value thereof, or the like may be the evaluation value of the specificity of the brightness profile. Otherwise, vectors in which the values (the maximum value or the minimum value of the brightness, and values calculated from those values) used for the evaluation are elements created for each brightness profile and an average vector of those vectors is obtained, and, for example, similarity between each vector and the average vector is obtained by a normalization correlation coefficient and the like, and thereby the similarity may be the evaluation value of the specificity. 
         [0055]    Furthermore, another example is a method for evaluating the specificity of the shape of the brightness profile. In the following description, an example of a case where the specificity is evaluated by the normalization correlation coefficient is described. A certain brightness profile is represented by a function P(i). That is, the brightness is P(1), P(2), P(3) . . . from an end of the profile. Furthermore, the brightness profile that is obtained by averaging all brightness profiles is represented by a function Q(i). The specificity of the brightness profile represented by the function P(i) can be evaluated by a normalization correlation coefficient R of P(i) and Q(i). A calculation method of R is as shown in the following Expression 2. 
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         [0056]    Here, N is the number of brightness data configuring the profile, P0 and Q0 are respectively the average brightnesses of P(i) and Q(i), and Pn(i) and Qn(i) are functions obtained by normalizing P(i) and Q(i) respectively. The coefficient R takes a value from −1 to 1 and, as the value is small, the deviation from the average brightness profile is increased, that is, the specificity is increased. So far, the evaluation method using the normalization correlation is described in detail, but the statistical index indicating the similarity with the average brightness profile may be used in addition thereto. For example, a difference between the maximum value of the normalized function Pn(i) and the maximum value of Qn(i), or a difference between the minimum values thereof may be used. 
         [0057]    Furthermore, a profile that is obtained by a statistical method for obtaining a standard profile from all brightness profiles may be used instead of the average brightness profile Q(i). For example, after obtaining the averaged profile from all brightness profiles, the normalization correlation coefficient R of the averaged profile is obtained, the brightness profile in which the normalization correlation coefficient R is the minimum value or the brightness profile in which the normalization correlation coefficient R is a predetermined value or less is determined to be abnormal, and the brightness profiles are omitted, and then an average of remaining profiles may be used. Furthermore, the process may be repeated until the normalization correlation coefficient R of all brightness profiles taking the average is a predetermined value or greater. 
         [0058]    In step S 405 , for each edge point stored in the outline recording section  312 , it is determined whether or not the evaluation value stored in the evaluation value recording section  314  is in a predetermined allowable range by using the outline correction calculation section  323 . If the evaluation value is not in the allowable range, it is regarded as a defective edge point and information indicating the defect is added to the outline recording section  312 . 
         [0059]    In step S 406 , a new outline is configured of the edge points other than the edge point that is determined as the defective edge point in step S 405  among the edge points stored in the outline recording section  312  by using the outline correction calculation section  323 , and the new outline is stored in the outline recording section  312 . An example of the newly configured outline is schematically indicated in a reference numeral  504  of  FIG. 5 . 
         [0060]    It is possible to remove the edge point in which an error occurs due to the brightness fluctuation by using the method described above when extracting the outline of the pattern from the SEM image and it is possible to obtain the outline having high reliability. Furthermore, it is also possible to indicate the reliability of the outline line to a user by outputting the outline before correction together with the evaluation value of the specificity of the edge point. 
         [0061]    Furthermore, a unit  505  may be provided for displaying that the edge point that is determined to be defective is the target to be corrected in step S 405  or the newly configured outline is obtained by a result of the correction by separating from or superimposing the output of the SEM image. Thus, the user can recognize the portion of the target to be corrected. Furthermore, the user may further have a unit  506  for inputting whether or not the final correction is performed from a display result of the output of the SEM image. Thus, it is possible to improve accuracy of the correction. 
         [0062]    The corrected outline obtained by the method may be output to a storage medium or another device as the data of the edge points or may be displayed as the outline line as the reference numeral  504  of  FIG. 5  by using a display device that is not illustrated in  FIG. 3 . This is also the same as embodiments hereinafter. 
       Embodiment 2 
       [0063]    Another embodiment according to the invention is a method in which an edge point influenced by brightness fluctuation is detected and an outline is configured by correcting the edge point. A schematic view of an entire configuration of an image processing device of the embodiment is similar to  FIG. 3 . 
         [0064]      FIG. 6  is one example of a flowchart according to the embodiment. Hereinafter, the flowchart will be described. Moreover, a process from step S 601  to step S 605  is similar to the process from step S 401  to step S 405  of  FIG. 4 . 
         [0065]    In step S 606 , for the edge point that is determined to be defective in step S 605 , the edge point is re-determined from the brightness profile stored in the brightness profile recording section  313  by using the image processing calculation section  321 . At this time, the correction is performed by using a comparison result of the brightness profile with the average brightness profile. Moreover, the re-determination of the edge point may be performed with respect to all edge points without performing the defect determination of step S 605 . 
         [0066]    As one example of a specific method of the re-determination of the edge, a case of using the threshold method is described below. The example is one example of a method for correcting a local decrease in the brightness. First, a difference M1 (value obtained by subtracting the minimum value of the normalized average brightness profile Qn(i) from the minimum value of the normalized brightness profile Pn(i)) between the minimum values of the normalized profiles is obtained. 
         [0067]      FIG. 7  is a view schematically illustrating the values. A reference numeral  701  is the profile Pn(i), a reference numeral  702  is the profile Qn(i), and a reference numeral  703  is the difference M1 between the minimum values. Then, in order to determine the edge point from the brightness profile, the threshold method is used with respect to the normalized brightness profile Pn(i). Here, the correction is performed on the reference brightness. If the correction is not performed, a reference brightness C is calculated by Expression 1, but a reference brightness C′ is used that is calculated by performing the correction using a symbol M as shown in the following Expression 3. 
         [0000]        C ′=( B−M   1 )+[ A −( B−M   1 )] T   [Expression 3]
 
         [0068]    That is, the method determines the reference brightness when applying the threshold method with respect to the normalized brightness profile Pn(i) by using the minimum value in the normalized average brightness profile Qn(i). Moreover, here, the method using the difference between the minimum values of the normalized profiles is described, but a method using a difference M2 (reference numeral  704  of  FIG. 7 ) between the maximum values of the normalized profiles or a method using both thereof may be provided. In this case, the reference brightness C′ is calculated by the following Expression 4 and Expression 5. 
         [0000]        C′=B +[( A−M   2 )− B )] T   [Expression 4]
 
         [0000]        C ′=( B−M   1 )+[( A−M   2 )−( B−M   1 )] T   [Expression 5]
 
         [0069]    Furthermore, one example of another edge re-determination method is described below. The example is one example of the method for correcting influence of a local brightness gradient in the SEM image. First, the normalized brightness profile Pn(i) and the normalized average brightness profile Qn(i) are obtained. Next, a difference Pn(i)-Qn(i) thereof is obtained and the difference is primarily approximated. Since a slope of an approximate straight line corresponds to the brightness gradient, the brightness profile in which the influence of the brightness gradient is corrected is obtained by subtracting a primarily approximated result from Pn(i). It is possible to determine the edge point by applying the threshold method with respect to the obtained brightness profile. 
         [0070]    In addition, a method for directly correcting the position of the edge point may be provided in which the position of the edge point is moved by a value obtained by multiplying a predetermined coefficient by the difference M1 (otherwise, the difference M2 between the maximum values, or M2−M1) of the minimum values of the normalized profile, and the like. Moreover, the reverse number of the gradient in the edge points of the normalized averaged profile may be used instead of using the predetermined coefficient. 
         [0071]    Furthermore, the brightness profile Pn(i) is replaced with the average brightness profile Qn(i) and the edge point may be re-determined by using the brightness profile. 
         [0072]    Furthermore, here, the method using the normalized brightness profile is described, but the same method may be performed by using the brightness profile before being normalized. 
         [0073]    In step S 607 , the outline is configured of the edge point that is determined in step S 606  and the outline is stored in the outline recording section  312 . Examples of the outline before the correction and the outline after the correction are schematically indicated as reference numerals  801  and  802  of  FIG. 8  respectively. 
         [0074]    It is possible to correct the error of the edge point due to the brightness fluctuation and it is possible to obtain the outline having high accuracy by using the method described above when extracting the outline of the pattern from the SEM image. 
       Embodiment 3 
       [0075]    Another embodiment according to the invention is a method in which the edge point receiving the influence due to the brightness fluctuation due to the steric hindrance is detected and the outline is configured by correcting the edge point. 
         [0076]    A schematic view of an entire configuration of the image processing device according to the embodiment is illustrated in  FIG. 9 . A pattern cross-section recording section  315  is provided in the recording device  310  and a steric hindrance calculation section  324  is provided in the calculation device  320  in addition to the configuration illustrated in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0077]      FIG. 10  is one example of a flowchart according to the embodiment. Hereinafter, the flowchart is described. 
         [0078]    A process from step S 1001  to step S 1005  is similar to the process from step S 401  to step S 405  of  FIG. 4 . 
         [0079]    In step S 606 , the edge point is re-determined by using the image processing calculation section  321  after the correction is performed with respect to the brightness profile of the edge point that is determined to be defective in step S 605  by using the steric hindrance correction section  324 . For the detection of the edge point, a known method such as the threshold method obtaining the edge point from the brightness profile may be used. 
         [0080]    Next, one example of the method for correcting the influence of the steric hindrance is described. 
         [0081]      FIG. 11A  is a schematic view of a pattern structure in which brightness decrease occurs due to the steric hindrance and  FIG. 11B  is a schematic view of the outline before correction obtained in step S 1002 . In  FIG. 11B , a place  1103  of a region indicated in a dotted line has many patterns in the vicinity thereof and a part of the signal electrons emitted from the surface of the sample collides with the pattern in the vicinity thereof and is not detected, and thereby the brightness is decreased. However, the decrease in the brightness due to the steric hindrance may be obtained by calculation if information of a stereoscopic shape of the pattern is known. The information of the stereoscopic shape is obtained from information of a pattern arrangement included in design data such as a CAD and information of the cross-section of the pattern that is obtained by calculation by lithography simulation or an observing method such as AFM, cross-section SEM, and cross-section TEM. Otherwise, as described below, the information of the outline extracted from the SEM image can be used instead of the information of the pattern arrangement by the design data. In the method, the information of the cross-sectional shape of the pattern stored in the pattern cross-section recording section  315  in advance and the pattern arrangement of the outline obtained in step S 1002  are matched to obtain a stereoscopic shape, and a solid angle in which the signal electrons can escape in each position in the image without being shielded by the pattern in the vicinity thereof is calculated, and then the solid angle is made to be a signal detection rate. A signal detection rate d(i) is obtained in each point of the brightness profile in which the correction is performed. Furthermore, the signal detection rate is obtained in each point of the brightness profile similarly by assuming the pattern of the line shape illustrated in  FIG. 1A  and the signal detection rate is made to be a standard signal detection rate d0(i), and the decrease in the detection rate is calculated by the following Expression 6. 
         [0000]        e ( i )= d ( i )/ d   0 ( i )  [Expression 6]
 
         [0082]    Thereafter, the correction is performed with respect to the brightness profile P(i) and the brightness profile P′(i) after the correction is obtained as shown in the following Expression 7. 
         [0000]        P ′( i )= P ( i )/ e ( i )  [Expression 7]
 
         [0083]    It is possible to correct the influence of the steric hindrance from the brightness profile by the method described above.  FIG. 12  schematically illustrates the brightness profile before the correction  1201  and the brightness profile  1202  before the correction. Moreover, the information of the cross-sectional shape stored in the pattern cross-section recording section  315  may be input before the flowchart of  FIG. 10  is performed or may use the shape that is stored in advance. Furthermore, if information of a detailed shape is not obtained, it may be determined by approximating a rectangular or trapezoidal shape by inputting only parameters such as a height (reference numeral  1101  of  FIG. 11A ) of the pattern or an inclined angle (reference numeral  1102  of  FIG. 11A ) of a side wall. Furthermore, in order to obtain the signal detection rate d(i) with high accuracy, angular dependence of an emission amount of the signal electrons may be considered. Generally, the emission amount of the signal electrons is known to be proportional to cos θ where an angle from the normal of the surface of the sample is θ and the signal detection rate may be obtained by adding a weight to each emission angle using the above description. 
         [0084]    In step S 1007 , similar to step S 607 , the outline is configured of the edge point that is determined in step S 1006  and the outline is stored in the outline recording section  312 . 
         [0085]    It is possible to correct the error of the edge point due to the brightness fluctuation caused by the steric hindrance and it is possible to obtain the outline having high accuracy by using the method described above when extracting the outline of the pattern from the SEM image. 
       Embodiment 4 
       [0086]    Another embodiment according to the invention is a method in which a degree of the error of the outline due to the brightness fluctuation is calculated with respect to the SEM image in which the outline is extracted and the reliability of the SEM image is determined. 
         [0087]    A schematic view of an entire configuration of an image processing device according to the embodiment is similar to  FIG. 3 . 
         [0088]      FIG. 13  is one example of a flowchart according to the embodiment. Hereinafter, the flowchart is described. 
         [0089]    A process from step S 1301  to step S 1304  is similar to the process from step S 401  to step S 404 . 
         [0090]    In step S 1305 , an average value of an evaluation value of the specificity is obtained with respect to all edge points in the SEM image and the average value is made to be a reliability index of the SEM image. Moreover, an after statistical index representing a plurality of values may be used in addition to the simple average value. If the reliability index of the SEM image is out of the range of the predetermined allowable value, it is determined that the reliability of the outline extracted from the SEM image is decreased. In this case, a warning indicating that there is a possibility of increase in the error of the outline may be displayed on a display device connected to the device. Thus, it is possible to promote re-obtaining of the SEM image or selection of the data by the user. 
       Embodiment 5 
       [0091]    Another embodiment according to the invention is a SEM incorporating the image processing device illustrated in Embodiments 1 to 4. 
         [0092]    The embodiment is described with reference to  FIG. 14 . 
         [0093]      FIG. 14  is one example of a schematic outside view of an entire configuration of the SEM in the embodiment. An electron beam  1402  that is emitted by an electron source  1401  is deflected by a deflector  1403 , is converged by an object lens  1404 , and is irradiated on a surface of a sample  1406  that is held on a stage  1405 . Secondary electron  1407  emitted from the surface of the sample by the irradiation of the electron beam is detected by a detector  1408 . Those sections are controlled by a device control section  1409 . The SEM image is generated by expressing signal intensity from the detector as the brightness of the pixel of a position corresponding to a deflection amount to the deflector on the image. The correction of the outline is performed by using an outline extracting calculation section  1410  with respect to the SEM image. The outline extracting calculation section  1410  is the image processing device illustrated in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0094]    The error due to the brightness fluctuation when obtaining the SEM image is corrected and it is possible to obtain the outline line with high accuracy by applying the processes illustrated in Embodiments 1 to 4 to the image obtained by the SEM. Furthermore, it is possible to notify the user of whether or not obtaining conditions of the SEM image are suitable for the outline measurement by expressing the reliability of the edge point or the reliability of the outline in the obtained SEM image. 
       Embodiment 6 
       [0095]    Another embodiment according to the invention is a SEM for realizing image obtaining conditions capable of obtaining the SEM image in which the reliability of the outline is increased. Since brightness fluctuation caused by the charging among the brightness fluctuations depends on obtaining conditions of the SEM image, it is possible to obtain the SEM image having high reliability by using appropriate image obtaining conditions. 
         [0096]    The embodiment is described with reference to  FIG. 15 . 
         [0097]      FIG. 15  is one example of a schematic outside view of an entire configuration of the SEM in the embodiment and the example includes SEM image obtaining conditions and information of a material or a part thereof, and a database  1411  holding data of a relationship with the reliability index of the SEM image in addition to the configuration illustrated in  FIG. 14 . The SEM image obtaining conditions are an acceleration voltage value of the electron beam, a probe current value, a magnification, the number of integration of the frame, a scan speed, the order of the scan, and the like. 
         [0098]    The SEM of the embodiment calculates the reliability index of the SEM image using the method of the Embodiment 4 when obtaining the SEM image and stores the SEM image obtaining conditions, the information of the material, and the reliability index at this time in the database  1411 . Otherwise, data that is accumulated in another SEM may be stored. Thus, the data is accumulated in the database.  FIG. 16  illustrates one example of the data. 
         [0099]    When obtaining the SEM image having high reliability by using the database  1411 , an input window illustrated in  FIG. 17  is displayed on a display device not illustrated in  FIG. 15 , an article that is designated by the user and an article that is automatically set in the image obtaining conditions are selected by the user, and a designated value is input with reference to the article that is designated by the user. Furthermore, also it is selected as to whether the material of the pattern is unknown or is designated by the user, and if the material is designated, a name of the material is input. Next, the data including a value of the designated article in the data accumulated in the database  1411  is extracted, the article that is automatically set is determined by extracting the data having high reliability of the SEM image therein, and the image is obtained in the conditions. Otherwise, the article that is automatically set is displayed on the display device and it may be selected by the user to determine whether or not the image is obtained with the setting. 
         [0100]    It is possible to decrease the brightness fluctuation caused by the charging and to obtain the SEM image having the outline with high accuracy by the method. Furthermore, the SEM image is obtained with respect to the same sample in a plurality of image obtaining conditions by using the SEM described in the embodiment and if the reliability indexes are greatly different when comparing the reliability indexes of the SEM images, it is possible to determine that the influence of the charging is great and to improve the reliability of the outline obtained from the SEM image. 
         [0101]    As described above, it is possible to correct the measurement error of the edge point caused by the local fluctuation of the brightness of the SEM image with high accuracy and it is possible to obtain the outline or the dimensions of the pattern of the resist sample with high accuracy by using the invention. 
       REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 
       [0000]    
       
         
           
               101  . . . line pattern,  102  . . . white band,  103  . . . region in the vicinity of white band,  201  . . . brightness profile,  202  . . . maximum value of brightness,  203  . . . minimum value of brightness,  204  . . . reference brightness,  205  . . . position that is reference brightness,  310  . . . recording device,  311  . . . image recording section,  312  . . . outline recording section,  313  . . . brightness profile recording section,  314  . . . evaluation value recording section,  315  . . . pattern cross-section recording section,  320  . . . calculation device,  321  . . . image processing calculation section,  322  . . . brightness profile evaluation calculation section,  323  . . . outline correction calculation section,  324  . . . steric hindrance calculation section,  1101  . . . height of pattern,  1102  . . . inclined angle of side wall,  1201  . . . brightness profile before correction,  1202  . . . brightness profile before correction,  1401  . . . electron source,  1402  . . . electron beam,  1403  . . . deflector,  1404  . . . object lens,  1405  . . . stage,  1406  . . . sample,  1407  . . . secondary electron,  1408  . . . detector,  1409  . . . device control section,  1410  . . . outline extracting calculation section,  1411  . . . database