JPH04194905A - Microscopic image mapping device and method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To allow displaying of desired mapping images in superposition by reading image data from a microscope, combining plural sets of the image data as desired to form a brood visual field image and displaying this image on a display device. CONSTITUTION:An image reading means 12 removes a peripheral area part 54 of the images, adopts a central part 52 and takes in the position of the image data on a sample by an X-Y stage controller 20. The sample stage of the microscope 24 is operated to read in the next adjacent image by an X-Y stage controller 20 and these images are successively connected by the respective position information if the image data stored in a frame memory 30 is not the image of the final position. the broad visual field image data on the frame memory 30 is subjected to data compression by an image compression board 32 if all the image are judged to be drawn. The image data is then stored on a hard disk 34. The broad visual field data on the frame memory 30 are displayed on a multiscan CRT 38. The mapping is adequately set in this way.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a microscopic image mapping device and method, and more particularly to a microscopic image mapping device and method that can confirm the mapping state using a wide-field microscopic image.

[Prior Art] Various types of microinfrared spectrometers are used, for example, to investigate the molecular structure of a metal film attached to a solid surface or to inspect foreign substances on an IC substrate.

These micro infrared spectrum measurement devices usually
It also serves as a microscope, and the infrared spectrum measurement site is confirmed by visual observation, and the infrared spectrum is collected in the second step.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] By the way, when inspecting for foreign matter or dirt on, for example, an IC board, if the inspection is performed at too high a magnification, the field of view will be limited and a rapid inspection will not be possible. Furthermore, as a result of the limited field of view, the contrast at boundaries such as llJ' becomes unclear, which may actually hinder the detection of foreign objects, dirt, etc.

On the other hand, when observing at low magnification, it is easy to find foreign objects or dirt, but if you collect infrared spectra at low magnification, you may pick up both the infrared spectra of normal parts and foreign objects. Conceivable.

Therefore, a method is adopted in which the infrared spectrum is collected by observing at a low magnification and after determining the infrared spectrum collection site, the optical system is switched to a high magnification optical system and the infrared spectrum is collected.

However, the focal position may shift due to switching of the optical system, making it extremely difficult to collect infrared spectra of foreign objects or dirt on IC boards and the like.

In particular, in order to analyze the size, shape, etc. of foreign matter, dirt, etc. on a substrate, it is necessary to obtain a large number of infrared spectra surrounding the foreign matter, which requires a great deal of labor and effort.
It was time consuming.

Moreover, the measurement position and the number of fixed points must be set by reading 1 + standard value on the X-Y stage and adding i;1, and the relationship between the sample surface and the measurement position is unclear. The confirmation operation was also difficult because there was no correspondence between the data after measurement and the surface of the sample to be measured.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and its first object is to provide a microscope image mapping device that can confirm the mapping state using a wide-field microscope image.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, a microscope image mapping device according to the present invention includes an image reading means, a wide-field image creating means, and an image mapping means.

Then, the image reading means reads image data from the microscope.

The wide-field image creation means can combine a plurality of the image data as desired to create a wide-field image.

The image mapping means can display a desired mapping image superimposed on the wide-field image displayed on the display device.

Furthermore, the method according to the present invention is characterized by comprising a cutting step of cutting out a peripheral portion of the image data.

[Function] Since the microscope image mapping apparatus according to the present invention has the above-described means, first, for example, a sample is sequentially moved by an X-Y stage, and a high-magnification microscope image is read at each position by an image reading means.

Then, the high-magnification microscope images are combined by a wide-field image creating means to create a wide-field image.

By superimposing a mapping image on this wide-field image, the mapping image can be confirmed, and if necessary, for example, an infrared spectrum can be collected at each mapping point.

Further, according to the method according to the present invention, since a cutting step is provided, a wide-field image can be created with blurred portions of the image removed.

[Example] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a microscope image mapping apparatus 10 according to the present invention.

In the figure, an image mapping device 10 includes an image reading means 12, a wide-field image creating means 14, and an image mapping means 16.

The image reading means 12 is the TV right camera controller 1.
8 and an xy stage controller 20° connected to a microscope 24 via a microscanner 22.

=6- Also, the wide-field image creation means 14 has a frame memory 30.
It includes an image compression board 32 and a hard disk 34, and a frame memory 30 includes an image mapping means 16 and a CRT.
38 and a video interface 36.

Further, the image capturing means 12 also has a video interface 3.
6 to a multi-scan CRT monitor 38.

In this embodiment, the microscope image mapping apparatus is a personal computer, and various operation commands can be given via the keyboard 40.

Further, switching of the optical system of the microscope 24, etc. is performed via the microscope controller 42.

On the other hand, the infrared spectrum obtained by the microscope 24 is analyzed by the spectrum analysis means 44 and the spectrum data analysis means 46.
The data is analyzed and displayed on the CRT 30.

The microscope image mapping device according to this embodiment is roughly constructed as described above, and its operation will be explained below with reference to FIGS.
This will be explained with reference to FIG.

FIG. 2 shows a flow chart of the operation of the microscope image mapping apparatus according to this embodiment.

In the apparatus according to this embodiment, the image reading means 12 first
” Microscope image data at a desired position is read from the microscope 24 via the vcontroller 18 (step 100).

In general, with a microscope (microscopic infrared spectrum measuring device) using a Cassegrain mirror, the microscope image 50 is either a clear image at the center 52 or a dark and distorted image at the periphery 54, as shown in FIG. .

Therefore, the image reading means 12 according to the present embodiment deletes the peripheral area 54 of the image (see FIG. 4), collects only the central area 52 (step 102), and sends the image data from the x-y stage controller 20. The position on the sample is captured (step 104).

This image data is then stored in the frame memory 3o together with position information (step 106).

Next, if the image data stored in the frame memory 30 is not an image at the final position, the sample stage of the microscope 22 is operated by the x-Y stage controller 20, the next adjacent image is read, and the same operation is performed. do it (
Step 108).

In this way, sequentially adjacent microscopic image data are
．． 1, and then piece them together using their respective location information (see Figure 5).

If it is determined in step 108 that all images have been captured, then the wide-field image data in the frame memory 30' is compressed by the image compression board 32 (step 110) and stored on the hard disk 34. (Step 112).

On the other hand, the wide-field image data stored in the frame memory 30'' is displayed on a multi-scan CRT 38 via a video interface 36 (see FIG. 6).

In the example shown in FIG. 6, the data corresponding to the center portion 52 in FIG. 4 is composed of 16 images in which four columns and four rows are connected.

As a result, for example, the IC board 60 and its dirt 62 can be clearly seen in a wide field of view on the CRT 38J-.

Note that the dashed-dotted lines in the figure are drawn for convenience and to distinguish between individual image data, and are not actually displayed.

Next, the image mapping means 16 sends the image to the CRT 381 via the video interface 36.

(step 116)
, see Figure 7).

The small rectangle 1 shown by the dotted line in FIG. 7 is a mapping image, and infrared spectrum data, for example, is measured for each rectangle.

Here, if the measurement interval of the infrared spectrum data is too large or too small, if the measurement interval is changed, the mapping image at the reset measurement interval is redisplayed (step 118). ).

If it is determined that the mapping image displayed in this way is appropriate, actual infrared spectrum measurement etc. are started (step 120).

The measurement at this time is carried out for each of the small squares.

As described above, according to the microscope image mapping device according to this embodiment, it is possible to collect high-magnification image information and display a wide-field observation image on the CRT 381, and it is possible to simply obtain an image at a low magnification. Observation images with higher clarity can be obtained than in the case of

Furthermore, by superimposing a mapping image on this wide-field observation image, it is possible to display and recognize the infrared spectrum sampling position very clearly.

Therefore, it is easy to set the measurement position and the number of measurement points, and it is also easy to associate the image of the sample data with the measurement sample surface.

Furthermore, since infrared spectrum measurement can be started without changing the optical system, there is no need to switch the optical system, correct for defocus, etc., and it is possible to perform highly accurate measurements.

In this embodiment, it is preferable to first collect a preliminary image and set an appropriate range based on the result of the cutting of the peripheral area in step 102.

Further, in this embodiment, an example of measuring an infrared spectrum has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and can also be applied to, for example, laser Raman microscopic measurement.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained below, the microscope image mapping device according to the present invention connects the microscope image data to form a wide-field microscope image, and the mapping state can be confirmed in the second step, so that it is possible to Also, there is no need to switch the optical system during measurement, and mapping settings can be made appropriately.

Furthermore, according to the method of the present invention, a wide-field microscope image can be constructed by removing unclear image portions through the cutting process.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a microscope image mapping device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart of the operation of the device shown in FIG. 1.
3 to 7 are explanatory diagrams showing the image processing state of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1. 10...Microscope image mapping device 12...Image reading means 14...Wide field image creation means 16...Image mapping means

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) an image reading means for reading image data from a microscope; a wide-field image creation means capable of creating a wide-field image by combining a plurality of the image data as desired; and for the wide-field image displayed on a display device, A microscope image mapping device comprising: image mapping means capable of superimposing and displaying desired mapping images; (2) an image reading step of reading image data from a microscope; a cutting step of cutting out a peripheral portion of the image data; a wide-field image creation step capable of creating a wide-field image by combining a plurality of the image data; and display. A microscope image mapping method comprising: an image mapping step of superimposing and displaying a desired mapping image on a wide-field image displayed on a device.