JP4711263B2 - Image data processing method, image data processing device, image display method, image display device, and charged particle beam device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image data processing method, an image data processing device, an image display method, an image display device, and a particle beam device, and more particularly, from an original image arranged in an n × n orthogonal matrix and having a square outline, Pixels placed in a square area that is inscribed in the contour and inclined by 45 degrees with respect to the original image are taken out and rearranged, rotated 45 degrees with respect to the original image, and rotated into an n × n orthogonal matrix The present invention relates to an image data processing method, an image data processing device, an image display method, an image display device, and a charged particle beam device for obtaining an expanded image.

  Conventionally, a charged particle beam apparatus 10 such as a scanning electron microscope includes a lens barrel 20 and a sample chamber 30 as shown in FIG. In the lens barrel 20, an electron beam source 21 that generates an electron beam, deflectors 22 and 22 that deflect the electron beam from the electron beam source 21 in a predetermined direction, a converging lens (not shown), a reflected electron beam, A detector 23 for detecting electron beams and charged particles is provided. In the sample chamber 30, a sample stage is arranged and a sample 31 is placed.

  In such a charged particle beam apparatus 10, when the sample 31 placed in the sample chamber 30 is a silicon wafer, the notch 31 a and the like provided on the silicon wafer are charged to the charged particles so that the observation position can be easily specified. The sample is arranged so as to be oriented in a predetermined direction with respect to the charged particle beam device 10 in accordance with the reference position of the sample chamber 30 of the beam device 10. Then, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the scanning of the electron beam is performed in parallel with this region by selecting a rectangular region 33 parallel to the reference position of the charged particle beam apparatus 10.

  By the way, in the case where the pattern 32 of the sample 31 has a geometric shape such as an integrated circuit, the pattern 32 of the sample 31 is created based on the notch or the like of the sample. Therefore, the scanning direction of the sample pattern 32 and the electron beam is the same or perpendicular. Often becomes.

  An electron beam image obtained by such a charged particle beam apparatus 10 is a numerical value such as the number of secondary electron beams detected by detecting secondary electrons obtained by scanning a sample with an electron beam with a detector. It is an image with the brightness. For this reason, the pattern 32a having a straight line parallel to the scanning direction and the vertical pattern 32b have a difference in the amount of secondary electron beams generated depending on the pattern arrangement direction with respect to the scanning direction, as shown in FIG. Thus, a difference in brightness occurs in the image 71. In the example shown in the figure, the image 71a corresponding to the pattern 32a of the sample 31 is dark (displayed thinly), and the image 71b corresponding to the pattern 32b is bright (displayed thickly). Note that reference numeral 70 in the drawing indicates the outline of the region 33.

  Thus, if there is a difference in brightness between the obtained images, the charged particle beam apparatus 10 for measurement has a large measurement error. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 15, the scanning direction of the electron beam may be a rectangular region 34 inclined by 45 degrees with respect to the above-described direction, and the electron beam may be scanned in the same inclined direction of 45 degrees. In such a case, as shown in FIG. 16, the electron beam source 21 crosses each line of the pattern 32 obliquely, and the amount of secondary electron beams generated becomes equal, and the image can have uniform brightness. (For example, see Patent Document 1, paragraphs 0131 to 0135).

  In this way, the obtained image 81 is uniform regardless of the pattern arrangement direction, as shown in FIG. Here, the scanning area of the electron beam is inclined 45 degrees with respect to the reference line of the charged particle beam apparatus 10, but the obtained image does not consider the scanning direction of the electron beam, so the image 81 is inclined. It will be displayed as being inclined 45 degrees within the non-contour 80.

  As described above, the image obtained in this way corresponds to an image obtained by rotating the original pattern image by 45 degrees, so that it can be obtained in order to correspond to the pattern 32 of the sample 31. It is necessary to rearrange the obtained images so as to rotate 45 degrees in the reverse direction as shown in FIG.

Patent Document 2 shows such a rearrangement process. In this example, the image processing apparatus is provided with a work RAM for rearrangement, and the above-described rearrangement is performed by rewriting image data in the work RAM.
JP 2005-277395 A Japanese Patent Application No. 2-148369

  By the way, in recent years, image resolution has been improved, and the area to be imaged has become wider, and the data size of the image to be processed has increased. Moreover, since it is required to display the observation screen in real time as a moving image, it is necessary to perform the time required for the rearrangement described above until the next scanning of the electron beam.

  However, rearranging by the above-described conventional method has a problem that it is necessary to prepare a large-sized memory and that it takes time to exchange data between different memories.

Therefore, according to the present invention, the rearrangement is completed faster than the next electron beam scanning using the same memory area as the image data stored without adding a new large-sized memory, and the high-speed An object of the present invention is to provide an image data processing method, an image data processing device, an image display method, an image display device, and a charged particle beam device that can be rearranged.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, pixels arranged in an n × n orthogonal matrix and arranged in a square region inscribed in the outline of the original image and inclined by 45 degrees with respect to the original image from the original image having a square outline Are extracted, rearranged, and rotated to 45 degrees with respect to the original image, to obtain a rotated and expanded image expanded to an n × n orthogonal matrix, each pixel data forming the original image has an address corresponding to each pixel data. The image data processing method is arranged in the attached n × n memory space, and the rotated / expanded image is rearranged in the memory space, and includes the following processing.
a. An extraction area that is inscribed in the original image and that defines a pixel included in a square extraction area inclined by 45 degrees with respect to the original image as an extraction area, and that an area other than the extraction area is an empty area in which pixel data can be stored Confirmation process.
b. The oblique pixel data sequence arranged in a 45-degree direction on a predetermined one of the four sides forming the extraction region is moved to an empty region on one side of the memory region in the empty region of the memory space. The moved pixel area is set as an empty area, and the skewed pixel data string formed by pixels adjacent to the skewed pixel data string moved as the next pixel data string is moved to the empty area. Is performed for all pixels in the extraction region, and the pixel data movement processing is performed in which all pixel data is arranged without gaps on one side of the memory space.
c. The pixel data strings that have been moved are arranged in a row for each oblique pixel data string on the side of the memory space opposite to the side to which the pixel data is assigned in the reverse order of movement. A pixel data expansion process in which empty pixels are arranged in the pixel and these processes are performed on all the oblique pixel data.
d. A blank pixel complementing process for calculating and storing a complement value from surrounding pixels for a blank pixel in the expanded pixel data.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, pixels arranged in an n × n orthogonal matrix and arranged in a square area inscribed in the outline of the original image and inclined by 45 degrees with respect to the original image from the original image having a square outline. Are extracted, rearranged, and rotated to 45 degrees with respect to the original image, to obtain a rotated and expanded image expanded to an n × n orthogonal matrix, each pixel data forming the original image has an address corresponding to each pixel data. The image data processing apparatus is arranged in the attached n × n memory space, and the rotation / expansion image is rearranged in the memory space, and includes the following means.
a. An extraction area that is inscribed in the original image and that defines a pixel included in a square extraction area inclined by 45 degrees with respect to the original image as an extraction area, and that an area other than the extraction area is an empty area in which pixel data can be stored Confirmation means.
b. The oblique pixel data sequence arranged in a 45-degree direction on a predetermined one of the four sides forming the extraction region is moved to an empty region on one side of the memory region in the empty region of the memory space. The moved pixel area is set as an empty area, and the skewed pixel data string formed by pixels adjacent to the skewed pixel data string moved as the next pixel data string is moved to the empty area. The skew pixel data moving means for performing all the above processing on all the pixels in the extraction region and arranging all the pixel data without gaps on one side of the memory space.
c. The pixel data strings that have been moved are arranged in a row for each oblique pixel data string on the side of the memory space opposite to the side to which the pixel data is assigned in the reverse order of movement. A pixel data expansion unit that arranges empty pixels and performs these processes on all the oblique pixel data.
d. Sky pixel complementing means for computing and storing a complement value from surrounding pixels for the blank pixel in the developed pixel data.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, pixels arranged in an n × n orthogonal matrix and arranged in a square area inscribed in the outline of the original image and inclined by 45 degrees with respect to the original image from an original image having a square outline When the rotated and expanded image rotated 45 degrees with respect to the original image and expanded to an n × n orthogonal matrix is displayed, each pixel data forming the original image has an address corresponding to each pixel data. Is a processing method of image data that is arranged in an n × n memory space to which a rotation and decompression image is rearranged in the memory space, and includes the following processing.
a. An extraction area that is inscribed in the original image and that defines a pixel included in a square extraction area inclined by 45 degrees with respect to the original image as an extraction area, and that an area other than the extraction area is an empty area in which pixel data can be stored Confirmation process.
b. The oblique pixel data sequence arranged in a 45-degree direction on a predetermined one of the four sides forming the extraction region is moved to an empty region on one side of the memory region in the empty region of the memory space. The moved pixel area is set as an empty area, and the skewed pixel data string formed by pixels adjacent to the skewed pixel data string moved as the next pixel data string is moved to the empty area. Is performed for all pixels in the extraction region, and the pixel data movement processing is performed in which all pixel data is arranged without gaps on one side of the memory space.
c. The pixel data strings that have been moved are arranged in a row for each oblique pixel data string on the side of the memory space opposite to the side to which the pixel data is assigned in the reverse order of movement. A pixel data expansion process in which empty pixels are arranged in the pixel and these processes are performed on all the oblique pixel data.
d. A blank pixel complementing process for calculating and storing a complement value from surrounding pixels for the blank pixel in the developed pixel data.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the image data display device, a square that is arranged in an n × n orthogonal matrix and that is inscribed in the outline of the original image and inclined by 45 degrees with respect to the original image from an original image having a square outline. When the pixel arranged in the area is taken out and rearranged, and the rotated and expanded image rotated 45 degrees with respect to the original image and expanded to the n × n orthogonal matrix is displayed, each pixel data constituting the original image is displayed. An image data processing apparatus which is arranged in an n × n memory space to which an address corresponding to each pixel data is assigned, and in which a rotated and expanded image is rearranged in the memory space, and includes the following means: It is characterized by.
a. An extraction area that is inscribed in the original image and that defines a pixel included in a square extraction area inclined by 45 degrees with respect to the original image as an extraction area, and that an area other than the extraction area is an empty area in which pixel data can be stored Confirmation means.
b. The oblique pixel data sequence arranged in a 45-degree direction on a predetermined one of the four sides forming the extraction region is moved to an empty region on one side of the memory region in the empty region of the memory space. The moved pixel area is set as an empty area, and the skewed pixel data string formed by pixels adjacent to the skewed pixel data string moved as the next pixel data string is moved to the empty area. The skew pixel data moving means for performing all the above processing on all the pixels in the extraction region and arranging all the pixel data without gaps on one side of the memory space.
c. The pixel data strings that have been moved are arranged in a row for each oblique pixel data string on the side of the memory space opposite to the side to which the pixel data is assigned in the reverse order of movement. A pixel data expansion unit that arranges empty pixels and performs these processes on all the oblique pixel data.
d. Sky pixel complementing means for computing and storing a complement value from surrounding pixels for the blank pixel in the developed pixel data.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electron optical system that irradiates an electron beam from an electron beam source while scanning a predetermined range of the sample, and a charged particle beam generated from the sample is received to correspond to the scanning of the electron beam. A charged particle beam device including an arithmetic processing device that obtains image information includes the image processing device according to claim 2 or the image display device according to claim 4, and the arithmetic processing device includes the n The charged particle beam apparatus includes an image memory having an xn memory space, and the image processing apparatus or the image display apparatus performs processing using an image stored in the image memory as an original image.

According to the present invention, it is possible to perform rearrangement for rotating an image by 45 degrees in a short time without adding a new large-sized memory.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the charged particle beam apparatus according to the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of a charged particle beam apparatus according to the first embodiment.

  The charged particle beam apparatus 10 according to this example includes a lens barrel 20, a sample chamber 30, and control means 40. In the lens barrel 20, an electron beam source 21 that generates an electron beam, two deflectors 22 and 22 that deflect the electron beam from the electron beam source 21 in a predetermined direction, a converging lens (not shown), and a reflected electron beam And a detector 23 for detecting secondary electron beams and charged particles. In the sample chamber 30, a sample stage is arranged and a sample 31 is placed.

  The control means 40 generates an image signal based on the deflection control device 44 for controlling the deflection state of the electron beam in the deflectors 22 and 22, the signal from the detector 23 and the scanning signal from the deflection control device 44. The image processing apparatus 41 includes an image display apparatus 42 that includes a CRT or an LCD and displays an observation image based on a signal from the arithmetic processing apparatus 41. In this example, the arithmetic processing unit 41 includes a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM (not shown), acquires an observation image from the substrate current signal based on a program stored in advance, and stores it in the image memory 43. The deflection control device 44 can control the deflectors 22 and 22 to set an electron beam scanning range and an electron beam scanning direction. In addition, the arithmetic processing device 41 includes an image memory 43, and in this example, predetermined image processing is performed in an n × n memory space 60 set in the image memory 43.

  In this example, the image data processing device 50 is connected to the image memory 43, and the image data processing device 50 is arranged in an n × n orthogonal matrix without using any memory other than the image memory 43. From the original image having a square outline, pixels placed in a square area inscribed in the outline of the original image and inclined by 45 degrees with respect to the original image are taken out and rearranged, and 45 degrees with respect to the original image. A rotated and expanded image that is rotated and expanded to an n × n orthogonal matrix is created.

  Hereinafter, the image data processing apparatus 50 of the charged particle beam apparatus 10 according to the present example will be described. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the image processing apparatus shown in FIG. In this example, the image data processing device 50 includes a CPU, ROM, and RAM (not shown), and executes the following processing based on a program stored in advance.

  In this example, the image data processing device 50 includes an extraction area determination unit 51, an oblique pixel data movement unit 52, a pixel data expansion unit 53, and an empty pixel complementing unit 54.

  The extraction area determination means 51 determines pixels included in a square extraction area that is inscribed in the original image and is inclined 45 degrees with respect to the original image, and can store pixel data in areas other than the extraction area A free area.

  The skew pixel data moving means 52 converts a skew pixel data string arranged in a 45-degree direction on a predetermined one of the four sides forming the extraction area into one of the memory areas of the empty area of the memory space. Moving to the empty area on the side, the moved pixel area is made an empty area, and a skewed pixel data string formed by pixels adjacent to the skewed pixel data string moved as the next pixel data string Moving to the empty area, this movement is performed for all the pixels in the extraction area, and all the pixel data is arranged without a gap on one side of the memory space.

  The pixel data expansion means 53 is arranged in one row for each oblique pixel data column on the side opposite to the side where the pixel data is placed in the memory space in the reverse order of the moved pixel data sequence. At this time, empty pixels are arranged between the pixels, and these processes are performed on all the oblique pixel data.

  The empty pixel complementing unit 54 calculates and stores a complementary value from surrounding pixels for the empty pixel in the expanded pixel data.

  With these configurations, the image data processing device 50 exchanges image data with the memory space 60 of the image memory 43 and executes image processing. The operation of the image data processing device 50 will be described below.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the image processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the movement state of pixel data in the operation of the image processing apparatus shown in FIG.

  First, the extraction area confirmation means 51 confirms the extraction area (ST1). In this process, the charged particle beam apparatus 10 scans a predetermined region of the sample 31 and develops image data in an n × n matrix memory space 60 as shown in FIG. To do. Next, as shown in FIG. 4B, a square area inscribed in the outline of the original image in the memory space 60 and inclined by 45 degrees is set, and the pixels included in the extraction area are determined and the extraction area 61 is defined. (ST1). Further, an area other than the extraction area 61 is an empty area where data can be written.

  Next, the skew pixel data moving means 52 moves the skew pixel data string (ST2). In this process, as shown in FIG. 4C, skew is arranged in a 45-degree direction on a predetermined one of the four sides forming the extraction region 61 (in this example, the lower right side). The pixel data string 70 is moved without any gap to the lower side of the empty area of the memory area 60 in the empty area of the memory space. At this time, since the extraction region 61 is inclined by 45 degrees with respect to the original image, the pixels are continuous in an oblique direction, and the oblique pixel data arranged in the oblique direction are sequentially moved. In this case, odd-numbered columns (for example, the data columns 70-1, 70-3,... In FIG. 4C) of the oblique pixel data column 70 are on one side of the memory space 60 (the right data column 80a side (FIG. 4e)), even numbered columns (for example, the data string 10-2 in FIG. 4C) are moved to the other side of the memory space 60 (the left data string 80b side (see FIG. 4e)) and a new data string is created. 80 is formed. In the example shown in FIGS. 4C and 4D, the oblique data string 70-1 forms a data string 80-1a, and the oblique data string 70-2 forms a data string 80-1b. At this time, when the diagonal pixel data string 70 arranged in the memory space 60 is sequentially converted into the data string 80, the diagonal pixel data string 70 is sequentially set to empty pixels, and the data string 80 is sequentially stored. The original image is never left in the area.

  When such processing is performed on all the oblique data strings 70, data strings 80a and 80b are formed in the lower half of the memory space 60 as shown in FIG. At this time, the pixel area of the shifted oblique data string is set as an empty area.

  Next, the pixel data expansion means 53 expands the pixel data (ST3). As shown in FIG. 4 (f), this processing is performed on the side opposite to the side where the pixel data is placed in the memory space in the reverse order of the movement of the data in the data strings 80a and 80b, that is, on the upper side. Each oblique pixel data column is arranged in one column, and at this time, empty pixels are arranged between the pixels.

  That is, empty pixels are inserted between pixels of one data row, and are arranged one by one from the upper side of the memory space 60. For example, as shown in FIG. 4F, empty pixel data is inserted between the pixels of the data string 80-mb, and this is arranged in the memory space 60 as a new data string 90m. Next, empty pixel data is inserted between the pixels of the data string 80-m-1, and stored in the lower line of the data string 90-m as data 90-m-1. Thereafter, these processes are sequentially performed on all the oblique pixel data. At this time, the data expanded by arranging the empty pixels needs to be arranged in a zigzag manner in adjacent data strings in consideration of the arrangement of the main image. As a result, as shown in FIG. 4G, the pixel data of the extraction area 61 are all expanded in the memory space 60 with empty pixels arranged in a checkered pattern between the pixels.

  The empty pixel complementing unit 54 calculates and stores a complementary value from surrounding pixels for the empty pixel in the developed pixel data (ST4). In this process, an average value of pixels arranged around the empty pixels arranged in a checkered pattern in the previous process (ST3) is calculated and inputted. As empty pixels, there are four pixels having data in the surroundings, there are three cases, and there are two cases. In each case, an average value of four pixels, an average value of three pixels, and an average value of two pixels are written in the empty pixel. As a result, the pixel column 100 is written in the memory space 60 as shown in FIG.

  This process is as follows when the memory space 60 is 8 × 8. In this example, an image (gradation image) scanned by the charged particle beam device 10 is stored in the memory space 60, and this image is used as an original image. A square image inscribed in the original image is rearranged 45 degrees to obtain a target image.

  First, an extraction area is determined (ST1). In this example, as shown in FIG. 5, the pixels constituting the original image can be numbered 1 to 64, and the above-mentioned inclined square areas are 4, 11, 18, 25 in the upper left and left diagonal directions. The inner pixels surrounded by 33, 42, 51, 60 in the lower left and right diagonal directions, 61, 54, 47, 40 in the lower right and right diagonal directions, and 32, 23, 14, and 5 in the upper right and left diagonal directions Extracted. Thus, when n is an even number, the number of pixels to be extracted is an even number, 2 pixels in the first row, 4 pixels in the second row, 6 pixels in the third row, 8 pixels in the fourth row, and 8 pixels in the fifth row. 6 pixels, 6 pixels in the 6th row, 2 pixels in the 7th row, 0 pixels in the 8th row.

  Next, the skew data is moved (ST2). First, the end line of the target image is stored from the end to the bottom of the image space. As shown in FIG. 6, the pixel 53 is stored in 61 image space, the pixel 46 is stored in 62 image space, the pixel 39 is stored in 63 image space, and the pixel 32 is stored in 64 image space.

  Next, the pixel 52 is rearranged in the 57 image space, the pixel 45 is rearranged in the 58 image space, the pixel 38 is rearranged in the 59 image space, and the pixel 31 is rearranged in the 60 image space.

When such movement is performed sequentially, and even line and odd line processing is performed on all the extracted skew data, the extracted pixels are arranged below the area with no gap as shown in FIG. Things are obtained.
In this example, the pixel 44 is rearranged in the 53 image space, the pixel 37 is rearranged in the 54 image space, the pixel 30 is rearranged in the 55 image space, and the pixel 23 is rearranged in the 56 image space (second even line). 43 is rearranged in 49 image space, pixel 36 is rearranged in 50 image space, pixel 29 is rearranged in 51 image space, pixel 22 is rearranged in 52 image space (second odd line), and pixel 35 is rearranged in 45 image space. In the space, the pixel 28 is rearranged in the 46 image space, the pixel 21 is rearranged in the 47 image space, the pixel 14 is rearranged in the 48 image space (third even line), the pixel 34 is replaced in the 41 image space, and the pixel 27 To the image space of 42, the pixel 20 to the image space of 43, the pixel 13 to the image space of 44 (third odd line), the pixel 26 to the image space of 37, and the pixel 19 to the image space of 38 Pixel 12 in 39 image spaces and pixel 5 in 40 Sort in image space (the fourth of the even-numbered lines),
The pixel 25 is rearranged in the 33 image space, the pixel 18 is rearranged in the 34 image space, the pixel 11 is rearranged in the 35 image space, and the pixel 4 is rearranged in the 36 image space (fourth odd line).

  Next, pixel data is developed (ST3). In this example, the pixel data is expanded from the data stored below while inserting empty pixels between the odd lines and the even lines. In this example, the development contents are different between the odd lines and the even lines. This is because the extracted area has a half area of the original image, so that the image of the extracted area is enlarged and the phase difference of 1/2 pixel between adjacent lines is corrected.

  The development of odd lines is performed as follows. As shown in FIG. 9, the pixels 25, 18, 11, and 4 on the fourth odd-numbered line are stored from the first pixel in the image space of the first row, and each pixel is stored in order in an odd-numbered order.

Next, the development of the even lines is performed as follows. As shown in FIG. 10, the pixels 26, 19, 12, and 5 in the fourth even line are first stored in the even-numbered order by leaving one pixel first in the image space of the second row.
9 and FIG. 10, the image spaces defined as empty pixels are indicated by A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H,.

  Then, the blank pixels are complemented (ST4). In this processing, the image space shown as A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H,... In FIGS. Stores the average value. When all the images are developed, an image shown in FIG. 11 is obtained.

  That is, in FIG. 11, for example, in an image space corresponding to the pixel A in FIG. 10, an average value of pixels 25, 18, and 26 stored in three directions (lower and left and right image spaces) of the pixel (25 in this example). , 18, and 26), and the image space corresponding to the pixel F in FIG. 10 includes the pixel 18 stored in the image space in the four directions (up, down, left and right) of the pixel, The average value of 27, 26, 19 (the rounded value 24 of the average value 23.5 of this example 18, 27, 26, 19 is entered) is stored. This calculation can be performed in the image spaces A, B, D, E, F, G, H,..., The calculated pixels can be stored in the image space, and the pixels can be expanded.

  As described above, according to the charged particle beam apparatus 10 according to the present example, the image tilted at 45 degrees by the data movement in the image memory 43 arranged in the arithmetic processing unit 41 is reversely rotated along the sample arrangement direction. Images can be rearranged at high speed. In this example, the finally obtained image (FIG. 17B) is √2 times larger than the original image. For this reason, when such processing is performed, it is necessary to adjust the result obtained with the converted image by (1 / √2) times or to adjust the original image to (1 / √2) times in advance. is there.

  As described above, according to the charged particle beam apparatus according to the present example, it is possible to perform processing with only one image memory without requiring another work memory, and the processing is executed at high speed. Therefore, a moving image and a still image corresponding to the arrangement of the sample are displayed without making the operator aware of scanning the sample with an electron beam at an angle of 45 degrees, and adjustment and measurement can be performed as they are.

  In the above example, the pixel rearrangement is performed by rearranging the pixels in the extracted image space from the lower right to the upper left. However, the pixel rearrangement is not limited to this, and the pixel rearrangement is not limited to this. The pixels may be rearranged from the upper right to the lower left, or may be rearranged from an arbitrary pixel.

  In addition, the movement of image data in moving oblique pixel data and the image expansion in pixel data expansion were moved and expanded for each row in the horizontal direction. However, the present invention is not limited to this. May be performed.

  In the above embodiment, the charged particle beam device has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and there are various video images, television images, images projected on a mobile phone display screen, images projected on a personal computer screen, and the like. The present invention can also be applied to an image data processing apparatus and an image display apparatus that process various image signals.

  In the above example, the pixel data expansion process (ST3) and the empty pixel complement process (ST4) are performed in separate steps, but these processes can be performed in the same step.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the charged particle beam apparatus which concerns on an Example. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the image processing apparatus shown in FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the image processing apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a movement state of pixel data in the operation of the image processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1. It is a schematic diagram which shows the determination operation | movement of the extraction area | region of the image processing apparatus shown in FIG. It is a schematic diagram which shows the determination operation | movement of the extraction area | region of the image processing apparatus shown in FIG. It is a schematic diagram which shows the movement operation | movement of the skew pixel data sequence of the image processing apparatus shown in FIG. It is a schematic diagram which shows the movement result of the skew pixel data sequence of the image processing apparatus shown in FIG. It is a schematic diagram which shows the pixel data expansion | deployment operation | movement of the image processing apparatus shown in FIG. It is a schematic diagram which shows the pixel data expansion | deployment operation | movement of the image processing apparatus shown in FIG. It is a schematic diagram which shows the completion state of the empty pixel complementation operation | movement of the image processing apparatus shown in FIG. It is a schematic diagram which shows the scanning range of the conventional charged particle beam apparatus and its sample. It is a figure which shows the scanning state of the sample shown in FIG. It is a schematic diagram which shows the image obtained with the charged particle beam apparatus shown in FIG. It is a schematic diagram which shows the scanning range of the conventional charged particle beam apparatus and its sample. It is a figure which shows the scanning state of the sample shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the image obtained with the charged particle beam apparatus shown in FIG. 14, (a) is a schematic diagram which shows the obtained image, (B) is a schematic diagram which shows the image after rearrangement of a pixel.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Charged particle beam apparatus 20 ... Lens barrel 20 ... Pixel 21 ... Electron beam source 22 ... Deflector 23 ... Detector 30 ... Sample chamber 31 ... Sample 40 ... Control means 41 ... Arithmetic processing device 42 ... Image display device 43 ... Image memory 50 ... Image data processing device 51 ... Extraction area determination means 52 ... Skew pixel data movement Means 53 ... Pixel data expansion means 54 ... Empty pixel complementing means

Claims (5)

From an original image arranged in an n × n orthogonal matrix and having a square outline, pixels arranged in a square area inscribed in the outline of the original image and inclined by 45 degrees with respect to the original image are taken out and rearranged. When obtaining a rotated and expanded image rotated by 45 degrees with respect to the original image and expanded to an n × n orthogonal matrix, each pixel data forming the original image has n × n pixels to which addresses corresponding to the pixel data are attached. A method for processing image data, which is arranged in a memory space and in which a rotated and expanded image is rearranged in the memory space, and includes the following processing.
a. An extraction area that is inscribed in the original image and that defines a pixel included in a square extraction area inclined by 45 degrees with respect to the original image as an extraction area, and that an area other than the extraction area is an empty area in which pixel data can be stored Confirmation process.
b. The oblique pixel data sequence arranged in a 45-degree direction on a predetermined one of the four sides forming the extraction region is moved to an empty region on one side of the memory region in the empty region of the memory space. The moved pixel area is set as an empty area, and the skewed pixel data string formed by pixels adjacent to the skewed pixel data string moved as the next pixel data string is moved to the empty area. Is performed for all pixels in the extraction region, and the pixel data movement processing is performed in which all pixel data is arranged without gaps on one side of the memory space.
c. The pixel data strings that have been moved are arranged in a row for each oblique pixel data string on the side of the memory space opposite to the side to which the pixel data is assigned in the reverse order of movement. A pixel data expansion process in which empty pixels are arranged in the pixel and these processes are performed on all the oblique pixel data.
d. A blank pixel complementing process for calculating and storing a complement value from surrounding pixels for a blank pixel in the expanded pixel data. From an original image arranged in an n × n orthogonal matrix and having a square outline, pixels arranged in a square area inscribed in the outline of the original image and inclined by 45 degrees with respect to the original image are taken out and rearranged. When obtaining a rotated and expanded image rotated by 45 degrees with respect to the original image and expanded to an n × n orthogonal matrix, each pixel data forming the original image has n × n pixels to which addresses corresponding to the pixel data are attached. An image data processing apparatus which is arranged in a memory space and in which a rotation / expansion image is rearranged in the memory space, and includes the following means.
a. An extraction area that is inscribed in the original image and that defines a pixel included in a square extraction area inclined by 45 degrees with respect to the original image as an extraction area, and that an area other than the extraction area is an empty area in which pixel data can be stored Confirmation means.
b. The oblique pixel data sequence arranged in a 45-degree direction on a predetermined one of the four sides forming the extraction region is moved to an empty region on one side of the memory region in the empty region of the memory space. The moved pixel area is set as an empty area, and the skewed pixel data string formed by pixels adjacent to the skewed pixel data string moved as the next pixel data string is moved to the empty area. The skew pixel data moving means for performing all the above processing on all the pixels in the extraction region and arranging all the pixel data without gaps on one side of the memory space.
c. The pixel data strings that have been moved are arranged in a row for each oblique pixel data string on the side of the memory space opposite to the side to which the pixel data is assigned in the reverse order of movement. A pixel data expansion unit that arranges empty pixels and performs these processes on all the oblique pixel data.
d. Sky pixel complementing means for computing and storing a complement value from surrounding pixels for the blank pixel in the developed pixel data. From an original image arranged in an n × n orthogonal matrix and having a square outline, pixels arranged in a square area inscribed in the outline of the original image and inclined by 45 degrees with respect to the original image are taken out and rearranged. When displaying a rotated and expanded image rotated by 45 degrees with respect to the original image and expanded to an n × n orthogonal matrix, each pixel data forming the original image is assigned an address corresponding to each pixel data. An image data processing method in which a rotationally expanded image is rearranged in the memory space, and includes the following processing.
a. An extraction area that is inscribed in the original image and that defines a pixel included in a square extraction area inclined by 45 degrees with respect to the original image as an extraction area, and that an area other than the extraction area is an empty area in which pixel data can be stored Confirmation process.
b. The oblique pixel data sequence arranged in a 45-degree direction on a predetermined one of the four sides forming the extraction region is moved to an empty region on one side of the memory region in the empty region of the memory space. The moved pixel area is set as an empty area, and the skewed pixel data string formed by pixels adjacent to the skewed pixel data string moved as the next pixel data string is moved to the empty area. Is performed for all pixels in the extraction region, and the pixel data movement processing is performed in which all pixel data is arranged without gaps on one side of the memory space.
c. The pixel data strings that have been moved are arranged in a row for each oblique pixel data string on the side of the memory space opposite to the side to which the pixel data is assigned in the reverse order of movement. A pixel data expansion process in which empty pixels are arranged in the pixel and these processes are performed on all the oblique pixel data.
d. A blank pixel complementing process for calculating and storing a complement value from surrounding pixels for a blank pixel in the expanded pixel data. From an original image arranged in an n × n orthogonal matrix and having a square outline, pixels arranged in a square area inscribed in the outline of the original image and inclined by 45 degrees with respect to the original image are taken out and rearranged. When displaying a rotated and expanded image rotated by 45 degrees with respect to the original image and expanded to an n × n orthogonal matrix, each pixel data forming the original image is assigned an address corresponding to each pixel data. An image data processing apparatus in which a rotation / expansion image is rearranged in the memory space, and includes the following means.
a. An extraction area that is inscribed in the original image and that defines a pixel included in a square extraction area inclined by 45 degrees with respect to the original image as an extraction area, and that an area other than the extraction area is an empty area in which pixel data can be stored Confirmation means.
b. The oblique pixel data sequence arranged in a 45-degree direction on a predetermined one of the four sides forming the extraction region is moved to an empty region on one side of the memory region in the empty region of the memory space. The moved pixel area is set as an empty area, and the skewed pixel data string formed by pixels adjacent to the skewed pixel data string moved as the next pixel data string is moved to the empty area. The skew pixel data moving means for performing all the above processing on all the pixels in the extraction region and arranging all the pixel data without gaps on one side of the memory space.
c. The pixel data strings that have been moved are arranged in a row for each oblique pixel data string on the side of the memory space opposite to the side to which the pixel data is assigned in the reverse order of movement. A pixel data expansion unit that arranges empty pixels and performs these processes on all the oblique pixel data.
d. Sky pixel complementing means for computing and storing a complement value from surrounding pixels for the blank pixel in the developed pixel data. An electron optical system that scans and irradiates a predetermined range of a sample with an electron beam from an electron beam source, and an arithmetic processing unit that receives a charged particle beam generated from the sample and obtains image information of the sample corresponding to the scanning of the electron beam In a charged particle beam device comprising:
The image processing apparatus according to claim 2 or the image display apparatus according to claim 4 is provided.
The arithmetic processing unit includes an image memory having the n × n memory space,
The charged particle beam apparatus, wherein the image processing apparatus or the image display apparatus performs processing using an image stored in an image memory as an original image.