Advanced AI Software for Semiconductor Metrology

Template Matching:

At the heart of PCI-AM 9 is its new template matching engine, which allows users to design templates using an intuitive graphical editor and to specify what measurements are desired. Once designed, the software uses machine learning to automatically identify, align, and measure all instances of the template feature within individual and batched microscope images—no manual intervention required. This dramatically reduces measurement time, improves repeatability, and ensures consistency among users.

Lock Existing Measurements:

You can lock or “finalize” existing measurements so that edge detection parameters can be adjusted between measurements without affecting existing measurements and so that measurements can overlap with each other.

Labeling:

• You can specify that feature labels should be shown on the image.

Tolerances:

• Out of tolerance measurements are highlighted on the image.

Colors and Fonts:

• You can specify the colors and fonts used for measurements within the settings for each measurement.

Vertical Reference Lines:

• You can add vertical reference lines to your image that can be used as endpoints for horizontal measurements. You can also specify the location of the X origin.

Improved Point-and-Shoot:

• The point-and-shoot measurements have been improved:
• Measurements recalculate when moved.
• Holding down the Ctrl key and dragging a point-and-shoot tool will automatically perform a specified number of equidistant measurements between the end points of the specified line.
• Holding down the Shift key and dragging a point-and-shoot tool will automatically measure all segments between the endpoints.
• The endpoints of each point-and-shoot measurement are recorded in the measurement grid and output to the CSV file.

Improved Measurements:

• In addition to measuring the maximum depth and height of trenches and pillars, you can choose to measure the depth and height at the center of the feature.
• Similarly, in addition to measuring the Maximum and minimum caliper of shapes, you can measure the maximum width and height or the width and height through the geometric center of the shape.
• A multipoint measurement has been added to the shape tool that allows you to Measure a specified number of widths across the shape.
• A radius of curvature measurement has been added.
• A pitch measurement has been added.
• The collinearity measurement now outputs signed values.
• You can press the Shift key to make a measurement on top of a reference line instead of moving the reference line.
• A checkbox is provided on the File Export dialog to export measurements.

Filters:

• A bilateral filter has been added to the preprocessing filters available. The bilateral filter smooths the image while preserving edges. The speed of filtering operations has been increased.

Preprocessing:

• You can choose to perform autorotation, rotation by arbitrary angle, tilt correction or auto histogram immediately upon entry to AM mode or in batch processing.
• The Process | Rotate | Align Horizontal Reference function can be used to rotate the image so as to make the horizontal reference line horizontal.

Batch Mode:

• Batch mode sorts measured images into separate Pass, Fail and Reject folders.
• Exact match of image sizes is no longer required in batch mode.

Menus:

• The PCI-AM functions have been moved to a separate Feature menu for ease of access and to reduce complexity.