JP5170429B2 - Image display device for analyzer and surface analyzer using the device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention is an image display for an analyzer that processes and displays an image by processing two-dimensional distribution data of a plurality of different physical quantities for the same region of a sample obtained by an analyzer such as a scanning probe microscope (hereinafter abbreviated as SPM). The present invention relates to an apparatus and a surface analysis apparatus using the apparatus.

  In SPM, which is one of typical surface analysis apparatuses, two-dimensional distribution data of a plurality of different physical quantities such as height (unevenness), current, viscoelasticity, magnetic force, surface potential, etc., for the same region on a sample. Can be acquired (see Non-Patent Document 1). Such physical quantity two-dimensional distribution data is displayed on the display screen as a two-dimensional image or a three-dimensional image to which color information or the like is added, for example. Since it may be obtained from distribution images of different types of physical quantities, users often want to refer to a plurality of distribution images.

  Specifically, in SPM, generally, a three-dimensional image (see FIG. 5A) representing a two-dimensional distribution of the height of the sample surface is displayed on the display screen, thereby observing the surface shape of the sample at a high magnification. However, in the DFM measurement mode, a two-dimensional distribution of the phase reflecting the surface physical properties of the sample is also obtained, and a three-dimensional image of the phase as shown in FIG. 5B is created. In the three-dimensional image of the height, the image is colored so that the unevenness is clear, and in the three-dimensional image of the phase, different coloring is performed according to the value of the phase.

  In the conventional SPM, for example, when an observer (user) wants to observe the surface shape of a specific phase range, the specific phase range is confirmed on the three-dimensional image of the phase, and the height of the region is confirmed. It is necessary to perform an operation to confirm on the three-dimensional observation image. That is, if a region of a specific phase range in a three-dimensional image of a phase is a region of interest (ROI = Region Of Interest) to which an observer pays attention, it corresponds to a region of interest on a three-dimensional image having a height as an observation image. It was necessary for the observer to grasp the range. However, the conventional method of specifying a region of interest on an observation image while comparing two images has a heavy burden on the observer and may cause an erroneous understanding of the sample.

  As a solution to this problem, Patent Document 1 makes it easy to understand the correspondence between two images by mapping and superimposing color information of the other two-dimensional distribution on a three-dimensional image of certain two-dimensional distribution data. A method is disclosed. However, the created image is a composite image in which information on the original image is reflected, and the physical quantity association (for example, the association between the height and the color information of the region of interest) at the time of the composition is an observer. The operation was troublesome. In addition, since the color information of the original image is lost, it is possible to understand the correspondence in parts where it is difficult to see the color, such as a part where the uneven shape change is small or a part that is shadowed because it is behind the viewpoint in 3D display. There was a problem of becoming difficult.

  Patent Document 2 allows a three-dimensional image showing a two-dimensional distribution of the height of the sample surface to be displayed in a superimposed manner with a two-dimensional distribution (color distribution) of physical quantities such as temperature and pressure, and The latter is disclosed in which the transparency of the color distribution can be arbitrarily designated. However, in general, the three-dimensional shape is optimally colored in order to show the unevenness etc. in an easy-to-understand manner, but when the images of other physical quantities are superimposed, the color of the original image is lost. There was a problem that it became difficult to grasp.

  In addition, each of the above conventional techniques intends to display information (physical quantity) appearing on two original images in a state where they are stored as much as possible, and display them on one image. There is a problem that it is difficult to determine at a glance where the region of interest is based on another physical quantity on the three-dimensional image.

JP-A-11-110532 JP 2006-105684 A "Scanning probe microscope SPM-9600", [online], Shimadzu Corporation, [searched on August 22, 2008], Internet <URL: http://www.shimadzu.co.jp/surface/products/ spm / index.html>

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and the object of the present invention is to perform a two-dimensional image of another physical quantity on a two-dimensional image or a three-dimensional image based on the two-dimensional distribution data of a certain physical quantity. An object of the present invention is to provide an image display device for an analyzer that can display a portion corresponding to a region of interest of a user based on distribution data without troublesome operations and easily visible, and a surface analyzer using the device.

The present invention made in order to solve the above problems is an analyzer that displays a two-dimensional image or a three-dimensional image of a region based on two-dimensional distribution data of a plurality of types of physical quantities collected from the same region of a sample. Image display device
a) Using two-dimensional distribution data of one or more physical quantities excluding the two-dimensional distribution data of the first physical quantity among the two-dimensional distribution data of the plurality of kinds of physical quantities, satisfying a predetermined condition or designated from the outside A region of interest extraction means for extracting a region as a region of interest;
b) On the image displaying the two-dimensional distribution data of the first physical quantity as a two-dimensional image or a three-dimensional image, the extraction of the display color within the range corresponding to the extracted region of interest is not changed. Display control means for highlighting a range corresponding to the selected region of interest so as to be distinguishable from other ranges;
It is characterized by comprising.

  In the image display device for an analyzer according to the present invention, the two physical images of the comparison target created by using the two-dimensional distribution data of different physical quantities are not superimposed, but the two-dimensional distribution data of the first physical quantity is used. The image of the observation object created using the image is distinguished from the image of extracting the region of interest created using the two-dimensional distribution data of other physical quantities. The region-of-interest extracting means extracts, as a region of interest, a region that satisfies a predetermined condition or designated from the outside from the target region extraction target image. In order to extract the region of interest, the range of the region of interest can be indicated by the user's judgment on the displayed image, but if the user is interested in a certain physical quantity, the size is automatically It is more convenient to be judged.

  Therefore, as one aspect of the image display apparatus for an analysis apparatus according to the present invention, the apparatus further includes threshold setting means for a user to set a threshold of a physical quantity used for extracting the region of interest, and the region of interest extracting means includes A region that is greater than or less than a threshold value may be extracted as a region of interest. For example, if the threshold setting means can change the threshold freely using a pointing device such as a mouse or a cursor key, the range of the region of interest is changed following the threshold changing operation by the user. can do.

  When the region of interest is extracted based on the region-of-interest extraction target image as described above, the display control unit highlights the range corresponding to the region of interest on the observation target image. As the highlighting, for example, the brightness, brightness, saturation, etc. of the highlighted range are increased, conversely, the brightness, brightness, saturation, etc. of the non-highlighted range are lowered, or the non-highlighted range is made translucent. In any case, the hue of the original image remains in the highlighted area, and the original information can be identified for the area that is not highlighted. Since it is not an image superposition, information such as color information and shading that appeared in the extraction target image of the region of interest is not directly reflected on the observation target image, but the original information of the observation image is not lost instead. Therefore, the correspondence between the region of interest on the observation image and other regions can be easily understood.

  In the image display apparatus for an analyzer according to the present invention, various physical quantities collected from a predetermined region of the sample can be considered. As a typical aspect of the image display device according to the present invention, the first physical quantity is information relating to a height within a predetermined region of the sample, and the display control means is two-dimensional distribution data relating to the first physical quantity. Can be displayed as a three-dimensional image.

Further, a surface analyzer using the image display device for an analyzer according to the above invention is
First physical quantity acquisition means for acquiring two-dimensional distribution data relating to height as a first physical quantity for a predetermined region of the sample;
Second physical quantity acquisition means for acquiring one or more types of physical quantity two-dimensional distribution data different from the first physical quantity for the predetermined region of the sample;
It is characterized by having.

  Examples of the surface analyzer include an SPM, an electron microanalyzer (EPMA), a scanning electron microscope, and a micro fluorescent X-ray analyzer. In SPM, the physical quantity acquired by the second physical quantity acquisition means is current, viscoelasticity, magnetic force, surface potential, electrostatic force, piezoelectric characteristics, nonlinear dielectric constant, complex transmittance, and the like.

  According to the image display device for an analysis apparatus according to the present invention, the region of interest is automatically associated between a plurality of images, and it is not necessary for the observer himself to perform this. The burden on the user can be reduced. Moreover, even those who have little experience in operation can perform appropriate analysis. Further, since the region of interest is highlighted on the observation image, the observer can easily grasp the distribution of the first physical quantity within the range of the region of interest in which attention is paid. At this time, since the hue or the like of the region of interest does not change on the observation image, it is possible to accurately grasp the first physical quantity, for example, the two-dimensional distribution of height information, in an optimally colored state. In addition, since information on portions other than the region of interest on the observation image is also left, the position of the region of interest in the entire observation image and the relationship between the inside and outside of the region of interest can be easily recognized.

  Further, according to the surface analysis apparatus using the image display device for an analysis apparatus according to the present invention, a physical quantity other than the height is used when analyzing the sample surface roughness using the surface shape image in which the region of interest is emphasized. Therefore, it is possible to identify and analyze a region of interest based on the above, so that efficient and accurate analysis is possible.

  First, the concept of the image display method in the image display apparatus for analyzers according to the present invention will be described with reference to the schematic diagram shown in FIG.

  Now, an image created based on the data obtained by measuring the two-dimensional distribution of the first physical quantity for a predetermined area on the sample is shown in FIG. 3A, and the second physical quantity for the same area on the sample. Assume that the image created based on the data obtained by measuring the two-dimensional distribution is as shown in FIG. FIG. 3A shows an image to be observed, and FIG. 3B shows an extraction target image of the region of interest. As a result of extracting the region of interest from the image of FIG. 3B on the condition that the second physical quantity is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the region of interest is extracted as shown in FIG. .

  The observation image and the region of interest extraction target image are for the same region, and the range (position) in the observation image corresponding to the region of interest is known. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3D, the range corresponding to the region of interest shown in FIG. 3C is highlighted on the observation image. In this example, it is assumed that the original observation image is maintained as it is only in the range corresponding to the region of interest, and the luminance is reduced from the original observation image in the other range. In this method, only the range of the region of interest is extracted from the region of interest extraction target image, and the information on the region of interest extraction target image (that is, the value of the second physical quantity) is not reflected on the observation image. Instead, the information (the magnitude of the first physical quantity) originally possessed by the observation image is not lost, and the positioning of the region of interest in the entire observation image can be easily understood.

  Next, an SPM is given as an example of a surface analysis apparatus using the image display apparatus according to the present invention, and an image display operation based on data collected by the SPM will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of the SPM of this embodiment. A sample 1 to be observed is held on a sample table 2 provided on a scanner 3 having a substantially cylindrical shape. The scanner 3 includes a piezoelectric element, and scans the sample 1 in two X and Y axes by a voltage applied from the outside and finely moves the sample 1 in the Z axis. A cantilever 4 having a probe 5 at the tip is disposed above the sample 1, and the cantilever 4 is vibrated by an excitation unit including a piezoelectric element (not shown). Above the cantilever 4, a displacement detection unit including a laser light source 11, a lens 12, a beam splitter 13, a mirror 14, a photodetector 15, and the like is provided in order to detect the displacement of the cantilever 4. The laser light emitted from the laser light source 11 and condensed by the lens 12 is reflected by the beam splitter 13 and irradiated near the tip of the cantilever 4. The reflected light is detected by the photodetector 15 via the mirror 14. The photodetector 15 has a light receiving surface divided into a plurality of parts in the displacement direction (Z-axis direction) of the cantilever 4.

  When performing observation in the DFM mode, the cantilever 4 is vibrated in the Z-axis direction at a frequency f near the resonance point. At this time, when an attractive force (or repulsive force) such as an atomic force acts between the probe 5 and the surface of the sample 1, the vibration amplitude of the cantilever 4 changes. When the cantilever 4 is displaced up and down, the ratio of the amount of light incident on the plurality of light receiving surfaces of the photodetector 15 changes. The displacement amount calculation unit 16 calculates a displacement amount of the cantilever 4 by performing calculation processing on the detection signals corresponding to the plurality of received light amounts, and inputs the displacement amount to the control unit 21.

  The control unit 21 sets a voltage value for displacing the scanner 3 in the Z-axis direction so that the displacement amount of the cantilever 4 is zero, that is, the distance between the probe 5 and the surface of the sample 1 is always constant. Then, the scanner 3 is finely moved in the Z-axis direction via the scanner driving unit 22. Further, the control unit 21 calculates the voltage values in the X-axis and Y-axis directions so that the sample 1 moves relative to the probe 5 in the XY plane according to a predetermined scanning pattern, and the scanner driving unit The scanner 3 is finely moved in the X-axis and Y-axis directions via 22. A signal reflecting the feedback amount (scanner voltage) in the Z-axis direction is also sent from the control unit 21 to the data processing unit 23, and the data processing unit 23 processes the signal at each position in the X-axis and Y-axis directions. Data corresponding to the unevenness of the sample surface is calculated, and the display processing unit 24 forms a three-dimensional image and renders it on the screen of the display unit 27. The acquired data is stored in the data storage unit 25.

  In addition to the uneven shape on the surface of the sample 1 as described above, current, magnetic force, surface potential, phase, etc. can be measured simultaneously according to the measurement mode, and all the data thus obtained is stored in the data storage unit 25. . The control unit 21, the data processing unit 23, the display processing unit 24, and the like are embodied by a personal computer, and data collection as described above is performed by executing dedicated control / processing software installed in advance on the computer. For this purpose, an image display process described later can be performed.

  Next, characteristic image display processing executed by the display processing unit 24 in the SPM of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  First, the observer selects two-dimensional distribution data of an observation image by using the input unit 26 (step S1). Typically, two-dimensional distribution data of the unevenness (height) on the surface of the sample 1 is selected, but the present invention is not limited to this. Upon receiving the selection, the display processing unit 24 reads the corresponding data from the data storage unit 25, creates a two-dimensional image or a three-dimensional image, and displays it on the screen of the display unit 27 (step S2).

  Next, the observer selects the two-dimensional distribution data of the target image from which the region of interest is extracted by the input unit 26 (step S3). In response to the selection, the display processing unit 24 reads the corresponding data from the data storage unit 25, creates a two-dimensional image or a three-dimensional image, and displays it on the screen of the display unit 27 (step S4). The image to be displayed here may be displayed in the same window as the observation image, or the display image may be selected by tab switching or the like.

  Next, the display processing unit 24 compares the data value for each (X, Y) position with respect to the region-of-interest extraction target image, and extracts a position where the data value is equal to or greater than the threshold as the region of interest (step S5). . Here, the threshold may be set in advance by the observer, or the observer can set the threshold from the input unit 26 in a state where the region of interest extraction target image is drawn on the screen of the display unit 27. May be. The method of extracting the region of interest is not limited to this, and the observer designates an arbitrary range by, for example, a drag operation with a mouse or the like in a state where the region of interest extraction target image is drawn on the screen of the display unit 27. The region of interest may be used.

  When the region of interest is determined as described above, the display processing unit 24 acquires position information (numerical information such as coordinates) corresponding to the region of interest in the region of interest extraction target image (step S6). Since the observation image and the region-of-interest extraction target image are images corresponding to the same region on the sample 1, the position information of both images completely corresponds, and the position of the region of interest on the observation image is also clarified. . Therefore, the display processing unit 24 highlights only the range corresponding to the region of interest in the observation image (step S7). As an example of emphasis display, without changing the display outside the region of interest on the observation image at all, by increasing the brightness, brightness, etc. of the display within the region of interest, the hue of the display color within the region of interest is not changed. To be clearly distinguishable from outside the region of interest. Conversely, the brightness, brightness, etc. of the display in the region of interest on the observation image may be lowered or made translucent without changing the display in the region of interest at all. In any case, what is important is that the color information (color palette) in the region of interest is not changed in the observation image displayed in step S2.

  Thereafter, if there is an instruction to change the region of interest by the operation of the input unit 26 of the observer, the process returns from step S8 to S5, and if there is an instruction to change the region of interest extraction target image by the operation of the input unit 26 of the observer. Returning from S9 to S3, if there is an instruction to change the observation image by operating the input unit 26 of the observer, the process returns from step S10 to S1.

  An example of an image displayed on the screen of the display unit 26 will be described with reference to an image actually obtained by SMP. Here, the second physical quantity forming the region-of-interest extraction target image is a phase.

  FIG. 4 shows an example of 2D (two-dimensional) image display. 4A is an observation image (height image) for a predetermined region on the sample, and FIG. 4B is an image (phase image) for extracting a region of interest measured at the same time. The region of interest as shown in FIG. 4C is obtained from the image of FIG. 4B (the region of light color in the image of FIG. 4C is the region of interest), and the observation shown in FIG. By highlighting the region of interest shown in FIG. 4C on the image, an image as shown in FIG. 4D is displayed. In this example, the original information (FIG. 4A) is maintained as it is in the range corresponding to the region of interest, and the luminance of the original information is reduced outside the range corresponding to the region of interest.

  FIG. 5 shows an example of 3D (three-dimensional) image display, in which the example of the two-dimensional image shown in FIG. 4 is expanded to a three-dimensional image. In particular, in the case of three-dimensional image display, if the color changes on the original observation image, it becomes difficult for the observer to grasp the uneven state. However, in the method according to the present invention, it corresponds to the region of interest as shown in FIG. Since the original observation image (see FIG. 5A) is maintained as it is in the range, the sample surface shape in the region of interest can be accurately grasped.

  FIG. 6 is an example showing changes in the observed image when the threshold value for extracting the region of interest is changed. An image showing threshold setting is displayed at the upper left of each figure. Since the range (size and position) of the region of interest changes when the threshold value is changed, it can be clearly seen that the range highlighted on the observation image changes accordingly.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a region for extracting a region of interest is designated by a user operation on the region of interest extraction target image. As the user operation, for example, a marker superimposed on an image can be dragged with a mouse or the like. The user can easily set the region of interest based on experience and knowledge of the target sample while referring to the image.

  In the above embodiment, it is assumed that the observation image and the region-of-interest target image are still images, but the present invention can also be applied to the case where the observation image and the region-of-interest target image are moving images. When the region of interest is highlighted by image mapping as in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to perform an overlay calculation on the entire region of the image. In the present invention, the calculation target is controlled in the region of interest. Therefore, only the observation image can be converted into a moving image. Therefore, the calculation amount for each frame of the moving image is suppressed, and an advantage in terms of processing speed can be expected.

  Moreover, the said Example is an example of this invention, and even if it changes suitably in the range of the meaning of this invention, correction, and addition, it is clear that it is included by the claim of this application. For example, the above embodiment is an example in which the present invention is applied to an SPM which is one of surface analysis apparatuses, but the same effect can be obtained by applying the present invention to other various surface analysis apparatuses as mentioned above. It is obvious that

The schematic block diagram of SPM which is one Example of this invention. The flowchart which shows the image display process in SPM of a present Example. The conceptual explanatory view of the image display method in an image display device. The figure which shows the example of a two-dimensional image display by SPM of a present Example. The figure which shows the example of a three-dimensional image display by SPM of a present Example. The figure which shows the example of a change of the observation image at the time of changing the threshold value for extracting a region of interest. The figure which shows the example in case a user designates a region of interest directly.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Sample 2 ... Sample stand 3 ... Scanner 4 ... Cantilever 5 ... Probe 11 ... Laser light source 12 ... Lens 13 ... Beam splitter 14 ... Mirror 15 ... Photo detector 16 ... Displacement amount calculation part 21 ... Control part 22 ... Scanner drive Unit 23 ... Data processing unit 24 ... Display processing unit 25 ... Data storage unit 26 ... Input unit 27 ... Display unit

Claims (4)

In an image display device for an analyzer that displays a two-dimensional image or a three-dimensional image of the region based on two-dimensional distribution data of a plurality of types of physical quantities collected from the same region of the sample,
a) Using two-dimensional distribution data of one or more physical quantities excluding the two-dimensional distribution data of the first physical quantity among the two-dimensional distribution data of the plurality of kinds of physical quantities, satisfying a predetermined condition or designated from the outside A region of interest extraction means for extracting a region as a region of interest;
b) On the image displaying the two-dimensional distribution data of the first physical quantity as a two-dimensional image or a three-dimensional image, the extraction of the display color within the range corresponding to the extracted region of interest is not changed. Display control means for highlighting a range corresponding to the selected region of interest so as to be distinguishable from other ranges;
An image display device for an analyzer, comprising: The image display device for an analyzer according to claim 1,
The first physical quantity is information relating to a height of a sample in a predetermined region, and the display control means displays two-dimensional distribution data relating to the first physical quantity as a three-dimensional image. Image display device. The image display device for an analyzer according to claim 1 or 2,
The apparatus further comprises threshold setting means for a user to set a threshold of a physical quantity used for extracting the region of interest, and the region of interest extracting means extracts an area having the physical quantity greater than or less than the threshold as a region of interest. An image display device for an analyzer. A surface analyzer using the analyzer image display device according to claim 1,
First physical quantity acquisition means for acquiring two-dimensional distribution data relating to height as a first physical quantity for a predetermined region of the sample;
Second physical quantity acquisition means for acquiring one or more types of physical quantity two-dimensional distribution data different from the first physical quantity for the predetermined region of the sample;
A surface analysis apparatus comprising: