JPH10149793A - Method and device for controlling cursor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable the operation for continuously moving a linear cursor and the fine movement operation per each picture element unit, and while to simplify the structure of an operation panel so as to improve the operability by comparing size of each decomposed component of the moving signal for moving a linear cursor in each axial direction of a two-dimensional coordinate, and using the only large component so as to move the linear cursor. SOLUTION: Four linear cursors of a first and a second linear cursors Xs , Xe , which are extended in the lateral direction, and a third and a fourth linear cursors Ys , Ye , which are extended in the vertical direction and which respectively cross the first and the second linear cursors Xs , Xe , are provided. In a carousal control method for moving a desirable linear carousal among the four cursors, size of each component of the moving signal for moving the linear carousal, which is decomposed in each direction of a two-dimensional cooperation of the lateral direction and the vertical direction, is compared with each other, and the only large component is used so as to move the linear cursor. A method and a device for controlling cursor, which has the simple structure and the excellent operability, can be thereby obtained.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cursor control method and apparatus suitable for displaying on a monitor of a charged particle beam measuring apparatus or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional control method of a cursor superimposed and displayed on an image obtained by an electron beam measuring device or the like when performing length measurement on the image will be described.

Conventionally, in a measurement by an electron beam measuring apparatus, a range in which a measurement is performed is enclosed by two vertical and horizontal linear cursors or box cursors extending in parallel to each other with respect to a captured image, and image information within the range is obtained. A length-measuring waveform is created by taking the luminance-modulated waveform for each line in the horizontal direction, performing an averaging of the luminance-modulated waveform in the vertical direction for each line, and setting in advance a portion where the luminance change is steep in the waveform. At least two points have been detected according to edge detection conditions, and length measurement has been performed based on information such as the distance between the detected positions. This method is very useful because the measurement range is displayed by a linear cursor and can be recognized visually. Since the length measurement is not essentially related to the present invention, the detailed description is omitted.

When the linear cursors are moved one by one on the monitor, such as changing the measurement range and repeating the measurement, as a first measure, for example,
Prepare four selection switches so that a total of four linear cursors can be selected, two in the vertical direction and two in the horizontal direction, or set two switches to the right, left, and horizontal directions of the vertical linear cursor respectively. There has been a method in which a function of switching the linear cursor up and down is provided, and the selected linear cursor is moved by operating means such as a joystick or a trackball.

As a second measure, a method of moving the intersection of the vertical linear cursor and the horizontal linear cursor, for example, by simultaneously moving the vertical left linear cursor and the horizontal upper linear cursor, that is, moving the intersection to the upper left A method of simultaneously moving two cursors having the intersection at the lower right by operating the intersection switch by simultaneously operating the two cursors using operating means such as a joint stick or a trackball. was there.

[0006]

However, the above measures have the following problems. That is, in the former method of selecting and moving the linear cursor to be moved by using a plurality of selection switches, it is necessary to select each of the linear cursors by using the selection switch, for example, when moving four cursors, which impairs operability. At the same time, a plurality of switches must be provided on an operation panel for performing linear cursor control and the like, which causes a problem that the operation becomes complicated.

In the latter method of simultaneously moving both one vertical cursor and one linear cursor in the horizontal direction, that is, moving the intersection, the operability is excellent, but the joystick, trackball, or the like is used. Under the prerequisite of using an operating means without axis guide, it is extremely difficult to move the intersection only in either the horizontal direction or the vertical direction. Movement at the pixel level for matching has a problem in terms of fine movement operability, for example, when only the vertical cursor is to be moved, the horizontal cursor is also moved in any direction.

An object of the present invention is to provide an operability that allows the linear cursors to move almost continuously, and allows fine movement of each linear cursor one pixel at a time, and further simplifies the configuration of the operation panel and the like. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for controlling a linear cursor which can be performed easily and have excellent operability.

[0009]

A cursor control method according to the present invention comprises a first and a second linear cursors displayed on a screen and extending in a horizontal direction and the first and second linear cursors extending in a vertical direction. In a cursor control method for moving a desired linear cursor among four linear cursors comprising two linear cursors and third and fourth linear cursors respectively intersecting with each other, a movement signal for moving the linear cursor is horizontally and vertically. The size of the components decomposed in the two-dimensional coordinate axis direction is compared, and the corresponding linear cursor is moved using only the compared large components.

Further, the cursor control device of the present invention comprises a first and a second linear cursor, which are displayed on a screen and extend in parallel in a horizontal direction, and the first and second linear cursors extend in parallel in a vertical direction. And a third and fourth linear cursors respectively intersecting with each other. In a cursor control device for moving a desired linear cursor among the four linear cursors, a movement signal for moving the linear cursor is decomposed in a two-dimensional coordinate axis direction. The size of the component is compared, and the linear cursor is moved using only the large component compared by the comparing means.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings, in which a cursor control device according to the present invention is incorporated in an electron beam measuring device.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of an electron beam measuring device incorporating a cursor control device according to the present invention as one embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 2, an electron beam emitted from an electron gun 1 passes through a condenser lens 2, a scanning coil 3, and an objective lens 4, and irradiates a wafer 6 mounted on an XY stage 5. A secondary electron detector 7 detects secondary electrons generated from the wafer 6 by the irradiation of the electron beam, and a detection signal of the secondary electron detector 7 is converted into digital data by an A / D converter 9 through an amplifier 8. The data is converted and stored in the frame memory 10. The digital data is a two-dimensional image signal synchronized with the control signal of the scanning coil 3 for displaying the secondary electron signal on the CRT 12. The electron optical system drive circuit 13 drives the electron gun 1, the condenser lens 2, the scanning coil 3, and the like according to a command from the CPU 11.

On the other hand, operation means such as a trackball 20 provided on the operation panel has an X-direction encoder 21 and a Y-direction encoder 22. This XY direction is CRT
The horizontal direction (horizontal direction) and the vertical direction (vertical direction) of 12 correspond to X and Y, respectively. Generally, an operating means such as a trackball having an encoder in the XY direction is also used as a drive control of the XY stage 5 and is used by switching with a switch or the like. Will be explained.

By rotating the trackball 20, an X-direction encoder 21 and a Y-direction encoder 22
Are quantified by an X-direction counter 23 and a Y-direction counter 24. The comparator 25 compares the value Cx of the X-direction counter 23 with the value Cy of the Y-direction counter 24, and as a result, the value Cx of the X-direction counter becomes the value Cy of the Y-direction counter as shown in the following equation (1). If it is larger, only the pulse signal of the X-direction encoder 21 is passed,
If the value Cx is smaller than the value Cy as in the following equation (2), only the pulse signal of the Y-direction encoder 22 is passed.

Cx ≧ Cy (1) Cx <Cy (2) It should be noted that there is no practical problem if the equality of the above equation is included in either equation (1) or (2).

The address control unit 26 determines which linear cursor in the X-Y direction and how much to move in the X-Y direction according to the encoder pulse signal in the X- or Y-direction sent from the comparator 25.

The function switch 27 is connected to the address controller 26. When the function switch 27 is not pressed, the linear cursor indicated by Xs or Ys in FIG. 1 can be moved, and the function switch 27 is pressed. In the state, the state is switched to a state in which the linear cursor indicated by Xe or Ye in FIG. 1 can be moved. Therefore, according to the result of the comparator 25 and the state of the function switch 27, the linear cursors Xs, Ys, Xe,
A pulse signal from the encoder 21 or 22 is sent to the text memory 28 to move either Ye.

The text memory 28 is a memory for writing measurement data, an edge detection luminance waveform, and the like. Cursor information is also written in the text memory 28, and is superimposed on the image of the frame memory 10 and displayed on the CRT 12. The address controller 26 and the text memory 28 are comprehensively controlled by the CPU 11.

As described above, the vertical left-side linear cursor Y
s or the vertical linear cursor Ye in the vertical direction is moved left and right by the output of the X-directional encoder when the trackball is rotated, and the upper linear cursor Xs in the horizontal direction or the lower linear cursor Xe in the horizontal direction is moved. In this case, the trackball moves up and down by the output of the Y-direction encoder when the trackball is rotated.

As described above, when one of the four linear cursors, two in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction, is moved and the trackball is rotated without pressing the function switch 27, the linear cursor in FIG. When the trackball is rotated in a certain direction and the Y-direction encoder output is larger than the X-direction encoder output, the linear cursor Xs is moved by the Y-direction encoder output value on the monitor in the Y direction (vertical direction). Go to). Conversely, if the output of the X direction encoder is larger than the output of the Y direction encoder when the trackball is rotated in a certain direction, the linear cursor Ys is moved by the X direction encoder output value in the X direction (lateral direction) on the monitor.

When the trackball is rotated while pressing the function switch 27, the linear cursor Xe shown in FIG.
And Ye are moved, but the movement control of the linear cursor when the trackball is rotated in a certain direction is exactly the same as in the case of the linear cursors Xs and Ys.

As described above, even if the trackball is rotated relatively roughly with respect to the linear cursor to be moved, only the cursor can be moved by a required amount. It is possible to automatically switch which linear cursor is moved according to the magnitude of the trackball encoder output. Therefore, the two linear cursors are moved alternately, but almost continuously, depending on how the trackball is rotated. To move the cursor to a linear cursor that you do not want to move. The inconvenience of doing so disappears.

The X and Y linear cursors, each of which is superimposed and displayed on an image captured for measurement by the cursor control device constructed as described above, can be moved efficiently and accurately with a simple operation. Became possible.

[0025]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a cursor control and a device having a simple structure and excellent operability.

Further, according to the present invention, for example, in order to clarify the range of measurement in the image of the electron beam measuring apparatus, a total of four cursors, two in the vertical direction and two in the horizontal direction, are displayed superimposed on the image. When moving one by one, the four linear cursors can be moved separately or almost continuously by operating only the operation means such as a trackball and the changeover switch, and fine positioning in pixel units is possible. Becomes
It has a great effect on operability. Further, only the operation means such as a trackball and the changeover switch need to be prepared on the operation panel, and there is an advantage that simplification is achieved and manufacturing cost is reduced.

Further, the present invention provides not only the cursor control but also
The present invention can also be applied to the control of four motors in two sets of XY stages.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a display example of a linear cursor displayed on a monitor.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an electron beam measuring apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 12 CRT 20 Trackball 21 X-direction encoder 22 Y-direction encoder 23 X-direction counter 24 Y-direction counter 25 Comparator 26 Address control device 27 Function switch

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code FI G09G 5/08 G09G 5/08 T

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. First and second linear cursors displayed on a screen and extending in a horizontal direction and third and fourth linear cursors extending in a vertical direction and intersecting with the first and second linear cursors, respectively. A cursor control method for moving a desired linear cursor among these four linear cursors, wherein a component obtained by decomposing a movement signal for moving the linear cursor into two-dimensional horizontal and vertical coordinate axes. A cursor control method characterized by comparing the sizes of the cursors and moving the corresponding linear cursor using only the compared large components. 2. The cursor control method according to claim 1, wherein two sets of linear cursors each consisting of two vertical and horizontal lines that intersect at two intersections on one diagonal of quadrangular intersections formed by the linear cursors. A cursor control method characterized by switching and moving any one of the cursors. 3. A screen displaying first and second linear cursors extending parallel to the horizontal direction and third and fourth linear cursors extending parallel to the vertical direction and intersecting the first and second linear cursors, respectively. A cursor control device displayed above and having operation means for inputting a movement signal for moving a desired linear cursor among these four linear cursors, wherein a horizontal direction of the cursor movement signal input by the operation means is provided. And an encoder for extracting the vertical component, a comparing unit for comparing the magnitudes of the extracted horizontal and vertical components, and a control unit for moving the linear cursor using only the large component compared by the comparing unit. A cursor control device comprising: 4. The cursor control device according to claim 3, wherein two sets of linear cursors each consisting of two vertical and horizontal lines intersecting at two intersections on one diagonal of the intersections of the quadrangle formed by the linear cursors. A cursor control device, further comprising a switching unit that switches and moves any one of the cursors.