Skip to main content
Log in

A stitching algorithm for measuring large areas using scanning electron microscopes

  • Published:
International Journal of Precision Engineering and Manufacturing Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

SEM is very useful measuring equipment in the micro and nano area. In general, it is not used to accurately measure the size information of a sample, but to measure its shape characteristics. In addition, it has a measuring area that is limited to just several micro-meters, and it is unsuitable for accurate measurements larger than several tens of micro meters. This paper proposed a stitching algorithm for the split electron beam images using an image processing technique to minimize measurement error. Experiments were conducted targeting circular and rectangular shapes 500 nm∼10 μ in diameter and line length. Finally, stitching accuracy was verified through a comparison with AFM measuring data.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Reimer, L., “Scanning Electron Microscopy and X-Ray Microanalysis,” Prentice Hall, 1998.

  2. Ma, B., Zimmermann, T., Rohde, M., Winkelbach, S., He, F., Lindenmaier, W., and Dittmar, K. E. J., “Use of Autostitch for Automatic Stitching of Microscope Images,” J. of Micron., Vol. 38, pp. 492–499, 2007.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Zomet, A., Levin, A., Peleg, S., and Weiss, Y., “Seamless Image Stitching by Minimizing False Edges,” IEEE Trans. Image Process, Vol. 15, pp. 969–977, 2006.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Levin, A., Zomet, A., Peleg, S., and Weiss, Y., “Seamless Image Stitching in the Gradient Domain,” Int. Proc. of the 8th European Conference on Computer Vision, Vol. 4, pp. 377–389, 2004.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Shum, H. Y. and Szeliski, R., “Construction of Panoramic Image Mosaics with Global and Local Alignment,” Int. J. of Computer Vision, Vol. 36, No. 2, pp. 101–130, 2000.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Chen, C. Y. and Klette, R., “Image Stitching — Comparisons and New Techniques,” Comp. Anal. Image Patterns, pp. 615–622, 1999.

  7. Jeon, J. U. and Kim, J. W., “Design and Manufacture of an Electron Detector for Scanning Electron Microscope,” J. of KSPE, Vol. 24, No. 4, pp. 53–60, 2008.

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  8. Kim, J. H., Synn, S. Y., and Kim, J. H., “Comparative Studies of Parameters Calibration for Focused Ion Beam Deposition,” Int. J. Precis. Eng. Manuf., Vol. 11, No. 5, pp. 755–761, 2010.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Gonzalez, R. C. and Woods, R. E., “Digital Image Processing,” Prentice Hall, 2002.

  10. Finlayson, G. D. and Hordley, S. D., “Color Constancy at a Pixel,” J. of Optical Society of America, Vol. 18, No. 2, pp. 253–264, 2001.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Ding, L. and Goshtasby, A., “On the Canny Edge Detector,” J. of Pattern Recognition Society, Vol. 34, pp. 721–725, 2001.

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  12. Goshtasby, A. and Shyu, H. L., “Edge Detection by Curve Fitting,” Image and Vision Computing, Vol. 13, No. 3, pp. 169–177, 1995.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Hong, W. P., Kim, S. T., Lee, S. W., and Choi, H. Z., “The Development of Automatic Measurement Algorithm of Electron Beam Image,” Journal of Industrial Technology, Vol. 20, pp. 73–82, 2009.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Won-Pyo Hong.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hong, WP., Lee, SW. & Choi, HZ. A stitching algorithm for measuring large areas using scanning electron microscopes. Int. J. Precis. Eng. Manuf. 14, 147–151 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12541-013-0020-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12541-013-0020-3

Keywords

Navigation