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Quantitative Analysis of X-ray Lithographic Pores by SEM Image Processing

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Abstract

Arrays of regular macropores in electronic, magnetic, photonic and sensing devices can be patterned by X-ray lithography. Such structures inevitably contain some irregularity and require time-consuming pattern inspections. In this work, a pattern inspection by intensity-based digital image processing procedure is proposed and tested on scanning electron microscopy images of porous SU-8 polymer resist. The Otsu’s thresholding converted grayscale to binary images and the closing morphology algorithm was applied to reduce noise in the images. The Canny edge detector was used to identify the contour of each pore by detecting abrupt intensity changes in the binary image. Pores were detected and their sizes were subsequently evaluated. The morphological distributions analyzed by this procedure are comparable to those carried out by the one-by-one human inspection.

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Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by the Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (I/UCRC) in HDD Component, the Faculty of Engineering, Khon Kaen University and National Electronics and Computer Technology Center, National Science and Technology Development Agency with the approval of Seagate Technology (Thailand). The authors would like to thank C. Sriphung for the assistance in the sample preparation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Molecular Technology Research Unit, School of Science, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat, 80161, Thailand

    Udomchok Phromsuwan & Chitnarong Sirisathitkul

  2. School of Informatics, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat, 80161, Thailand

    Yaowarat Sirisathitkul

  3. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, 65000, Thailand

    Paisarn Muneesawang

  4. School of Information, Computer and Communication Technology, Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology (SIIT), Thammasat University, Pathumthani, 12000, Thailand

    Bunyarit Uyyanonvara

Authors
  1. Udomchok Phromsuwan
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  2. Yaowarat Sirisathitkul
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  3. Chitnarong Sirisathitkul
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  4. Paisarn Muneesawang
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  5. Bunyarit Uyyanonvara
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Correspondence to Chitnarong Sirisathitkul.

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Phromsuwan, U., Sirisathitkul, Y., Sirisathitkul, C. et al. Quantitative Analysis of X-ray Lithographic Pores by SEM Image Processing. MAPAN 28, 327–333 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12647-013-0089-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12647-013-0089-2

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