Patent ID: 7230723

Claim:
A pattern shape evaluating apparatus comprising: a scanning electron microscope for acquiring an electron beam image of an examination specimen with a formed line pattern; an information processing device for processing the electron beam image acquired by the microscope; information input means for inputting required information to the information processor, and storage means for storing first image data necessary for performing a compensation operation; wherein the information processor: acquires a plurality of position coordinates of end points of the line pattern along the line pattern from image data in a predetermined area of the line pattern; performs an averaging process any number of times on a roughness data series formed by differences each between a respective one of the acquired position coordinates and an average value of the position coordinates; calculates a standard deviation of the roughness data series subjected to the averaging process, using the real value and bias component of roughness as fitting parameters to the standard deviation, thereby producing a data series of standard deviation for the number of times of performing the averaging process; calculates a real value and bias component of roughness included in the edge roughness index, using the standard deviation data series; displays on the monitor a request to input a minimum and a maximum value of the number of times of performing the averaging process; repeats the averaging process the number of times corresponding to the maximum of the number of times of performing the averaging process inputted by the information inputting means; and displays on the monitor an image involving the first image data and a request to select a predetermined area of the image.