Abstract: Images of items are evaluated. A first image of the item, having a view of two or more of its surfaces, is captured at a first time. A measurement of at least one dimension of one or more of the surfaces is computed and stored. A second image of the item, having a view of at least one of the two or more surfaces, is captured at a second time, subsequent to the first time. A measurement of the dimension is then computed and compared to the stored first measurement. The computed measurement is evaluated based on the comparison.

Abstract: A measuring and calculating apparatus to measure and calculate a positional displacement amount of a pattern on a surface of a target object. The apparatus includes: a measuring unit to measure a first two-dimensional intensity distribution of a first diffracted light and a second two-dimensional intensity distribution of a second diffracted light; a storage unit to store a first and a second measurement data respectively indicating the first and the second two-dimensional intensity distribution; and an arithmetic unit to execute arithmetic processing using the first and the second measurement data to acquire difference data between the first and the second measurement data, and calculate a positional displacement amount of a difference pattern between the first and second patterns in accordance with the difference data.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for dimensioning a moving freight in motion along a path. An example system includes a plurality of laser line generators configured to emit coplanar laser beams forming a laser curtain oriented perpendicular to the floor and angled towards the direction of the path of the moving freight. A camera is configured to capture a series of two-dimensional images of the freight as it passes through the laser curtain. Additionally a positioning sensor is configured to detect the position and orientation of the moving freight as it passes through the laser curtain. A computing device in communication with the camera and the positioning sensor correlates each successive two-dimensional image with each corresponding position and orientation of the freight to obtain a composite three-dimensional shape of the freight. Furthermore, the computing device processes the composite three-dimensional shape of the freight to dimension the freight.

Abstract: An overlay measurement apparatus that can quickly measure an overlay error between layers with a large height difference is provided. The overlay measurement apparatus measures an error between a first overlay mark and a second overlay mark formed in a pair on different layers of a wafer. The overlay measurement apparatus includes an imaging system configured to acquire alignment images of a pair of first and second overlay marks at a plurality of focus positions, and a controller communicatively coupled to the imaging system. The overlay measurement apparatus can rapidly and accurately measure an overlay error between layers with a large height difference.

Abstract: A method, system and apparatus are provided in accordance with example embodiments for optically measuring workpiece features, and more particularly, to optically measure internal surfaces of round bores and countersinks. Methods include: advancing a probe through a bore and a countersink; and measuring dimensions of the bore and the countersink using a bore laser cone and a countersink laser cone, where the bore laser cone is received at the bore camera lens in response to reflecting from a first reflective surface of the probe to a surface of the bore to a third reflective surface of the probe and to the bore camera lens, and where the countersink laser cone is received at the countersink camera lens in response to the countersink laser cone reflecting from a second reflective surface of the probe to a surface of the countersink to a countersink beam reflector and to the countersink camera lens.

Abstract: A device for optical distance measurement includes a light emitter configured to emit light to a target object; a light receiver configured to receive reflected light obtained after the light is emitted to the target object, wherein the light receiver comprises a lens and an array image sensor containing a photosensitive area which is divided into one or more photosensitive sub-areas configured to collect one or more light spots of the reflected light; and the light receiver is further configured to generate a response signal comprising position information of the one or more light spots of the reflected light; and a processor configured to receive the response signal generated by the light receiver and calculate, according to the position information of the light spots of the reflected light, a distance from the target object to the device for optical distance measurement by triangulation method.

Abstract: Additive manufacturing, such as laser sintering or melting of additive layers, can produce parts rapidly at small volume and in a factory setting. To ensure the additive manufactured parts are of high quality, a real-time non-destructive evaluation (NDE) technique is required to detect defects while they are being manufactured. The present invention describes an in-situ (real-time) inspection unit that can be added to an existing additive manufacturing (AM) tool, such as an FDM (fused deposition modeling) machine, or a direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) machine, providing real-time information about the part quality, and detecting flaws as they occur. The information provided by this unit is used to a) qualify the part as it is being made, and b) to provide feedback to the AM tool for correction, or to stop the process if the part will not meet the quality, thus saving time, energy and reduce material loss.

Abstract: A crack measuring apparatus includes distance-measuring units, an image pickup unit having pixels the positions of which are identified on an imaging device, an infrared image pickup unit having pixels the positions of which are identified on an imaging device and having sensitivity to infrared rays, driving units, angle-measuring units, and an arithmetic control unit, the arithmetic control unit searches for a cracked portion from a temperature difference in an infrared image by turning the infrared image pickup unit, captures an image of the cracked portion by the image pickup unit and identifies a position of the cracked portion from a density difference in the captured image, measures the position of the cracked portion by the distance-measuring units and the angle-measuring units, and acquires three-dimensional absolute coordinates of the cracked portion.

Abstract: Methods and systems for improving a measurement recipe describing a sequence of measurements employed to characterize semiconductor structures are described herein. A measurement recipe is repeatedly updated before a queue of measurements defined by the previous measurement recipe is fully executed. In some examples, an improved measurement recipe identifies a minimum set of measurement options that increases wafer throughput while meeting measurement uncertainty requirements. In some examples, measurement recipe optimization is controlled to trade off measurement robustness and measurement time. This enables flexibility in the case of outliers and process excursions. In some examples, measurement recipe optimization is controlled to minimize any combination of measurement uncertainty, measurement time, move time, and target dose. In some examples, a measurement recipe is updated while measurement data is being collected.

Abstract: A method for measuring a height map of a test surface having a varying reflectivity using a multi-sensor apparatus including a pre-scan sensor and a height measuring sensor is disclosed. The multi-sensor apparatus further comprises one or more light sources configured to illuminate the test surface and a spatial light modulator. The spatial light modulator is placed in a light path between the one or more light sources and a measuring location of the multi-sensor apparatus and is configured to modulate light emitted from at least one of the light sources. The method comprises performing a measurement for determining an illumination intensity map of the test surface and a measurement for performing a height map of the test surface.

Abstract: A lidar sensor system and method use the parallax phenomenon to determine one or more attributes of an object, such its distance, size, or shape. An optical element illuminates the object with a linear beam along a first plane. A photodetector is displaced from the optical element so that it detects the reflection of the linear beam from the object along a second plane, which is at an angle to the first plane. A computer-implemented line detection module determines a measure of deviation of the linear beam reflection from a vanishing point of the first plane. A computer-implemented analysis module determines the attribute based on the measure of deviation.

Abstract: Technologies for steering sensors in a sensor carrier structure on an autonomous vehicle (AV) are described herein. In some examples, a sensor positioning platform on an AV can include an actuator system including a motor; a belt mechanically engaged to a set of pulleys such that operation of the motor results in the belt driving a first rotational movement of at least one of the pulleys, which, in turn, causes a second rotational movement of a sensor carrier structure; a motor controller that receives instructions for controlling the motor to reposition the sensor carrier structure and sending control signals to the motor to perform the repositioning of the sensor carrier structure; and a bundle of cables coiled within a central bore of the actuator system.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a processor configured to perform control to display, in the air, a first image that is observable in an ambient area of the first image and hinders a different image displayed in the air in a first area from being viewed from a second area. The first area is positioned on a first side of the first image. The first side faces a specific observer. The second area is positioned on a second side of the first image opposite to the first side. The processor is configured to perform control to display, in the air in the first area, a second image observable in an ambient area of the second image.

Abstract: Imaging systems and methods comprising imaging a first interior surface and a second interior surface of a flow cell are described. In some embodiments, the imaging systems may comprise: a) an objective lens; b) at least one image sensor; and c) at least one tube lens disposed in an optical path between the objective lens and the at least one image sensor; wherein the at least one tube lens is configured to correct imaging performance such that images of the first interior surface of the flow cell and the second interior surface of the flow cell have substantially the same optical resolution.

Abstract: A bonding apparatus is provided. This bonding apparatus uses images captured by an imaging apparatus and performs a packaging process for a semiconductor chip and additional processes other than the packaging process. The bonding apparatus is provided with: an aperture switching mechanism provided in an optical system of the imaging apparatus and capable of switching between a first aperture and a second aperture that has an aperture hole diameter greater than that of the first aperture; and a control unit which controls the aperture switching mechanism to switch to either the first aperture or the second aperture. The control unit performs the packaging process using an image captured by switching to the first aperture and performs the additional processes using an image captured by switching to the second aperture.

Abstract: A metrology system includes a controller communicatively coupled to one or more metrology tools. In another embodiment, the controller includes one or more processors configured to execute program instructions causing the one or more processors to receive one or more overlay metrology measurements of one or more metrology targets of the metrology sample from the one or more metrology tools; determine tilt from the one or more measurement overlay measurements; and determine one or more correctables for at least one of one or more lithography tools or the one or more metrology tools to adjust for the tilt, where the one or more correctables are configured to reduce an amount of tilt in the sample or overlay inaccuracy of the one or more overlay metrology measurements. The program instructions further cause the one or more processors to predict tilt with a simulator based on at least the determined tilt.

Abstract: A system align point clouds obtained by sensors of a vehicle using kinematic iterative closest point with integrated motions estimates. The system receives lidar scans from a lidar mounted on the vehicle. The system derives point clouds from the lidar scan data. The system iteratively determines velocity parameters that minimize an aggregate measure of distance between corresponding points of the plurality of pairs of points. The system iteratively improves the velocity parameters. The system uses the velocity parameters for various purposes including for building high definition maps used for navigating the vehicle.

Abstract: A distance measurement device includes an imaging optical system, an imaging unit, an emission unit, a derivation unit which performs a distance measurement to derive a distance to a subject based on a timing at which directional light is emitted by the emission unit and a timing at which reflected light is received by a light receiving unit, a shake correction unit which performs shake correction as correction of shake of the subject image caused by variation of an optical axis of the imaging optical system, and a control unit which performs control such that the shake correction unit does not perform shake correction or performs shake correction with a correction amount smaller than a normal correction amount determined in advance in a case of performing the distance measurement and performs shake correction with the normal correction amount in a case of not performing the distance measurement.

Abstract: A device for measuring strain and volume of a soil sample including an enclosure adapted to receive a soil sample within another enclosure. A base adapted to hold the sample enclosure. The device also has a plurality of moveable arms located between the enclosures which may be a spaced distance apart and adapted to move around the sample. Cameras as included on the arms.

Abstract: An approach is provided in which the approach establishes a communication link between a virtual reality device and a hologram system. The hologram system projects a hologram in a physical world and the virtual reality device projects a corresponding virtual hologram in a virtual world. The virtual reality device adjusts the virtual hologram based on request from a user operating the virtual reality device and the approach instructs the hologram system to adjust the hologram in a manner similar to the adjustments to the virtual hologram.

Abstract: A measurement method for a grooved axially symmetric body involves detecting the geometry of the peripheral surface of the axially symmetric body, reconstructing a virtual profile corresponding at least to the profile of the lateral flanks of a plurality of recesses or grooves of the peripheral surface of the grooved axially symmetric body, generating a plurality of virtual rounded bodies of a predetermined size and placed each at a tangent to a corresponding pair of lateral sides and making one or more measurements using a centre or another point belonging to said virtual rounded bodies as a reference point.

Abstract: Techniques for determining a value of a parameter of interest of a patterning process are described. One such technique involves obtaining a plurality of calibration data units from one or more targets in a metrology process. Each calibration data unit of at least two of the calibration data units represents detected radiation obtained using different respective polarization settings in the metrology process, each polarization setting defining a polarization property of incident radiation of the metrology process and of detected radiation of the metrology process. The calibration data units are used to obtain calibration information about the metrology process. A measurement data unit representing detected radiation scattered from a further target is obtained, the further target having a structure formed using the patterning process on the substrate or on a further substrate. A value of the parameter of interest is determined using the measurement data unit and the obtained calibration information.

Abstract: This wire shape inspecting apparatus comprises a camera which captures an image of a wire from above, a light which illuminates the wire from above, and a control unit, wherein the control unit performs: an inspection image acquiring process of acquiring a plurality of inspection images by causing the camera to capture images of the wire a plurality of times while changing a focal distance; and a first shape detecting process of identifying, in each inspection image, a light emitting portion, which is an image part including reflected light comprising light from the light that has been reflected by the wire, and identifying an actual light emitting portion position, which is the actual position of the light emitting portion, on the basis of the position of the light emitting portion in the inspection image and the focal distance when the inspection image was acquired.

Abstract: A direct retinal projector may include a gaze tracking system that tracks position of a subject's pupil and automatically adjusts projection of a scanned light field so that the light field enters the pupil. A control loop adjusts a scanning mirror to substantially center an IR beam on a position sensing detector (PSD). In so doing, the scanning mirror is correctly positioned so that the scanned light field from the projector enters the subject's pupil. In addition, a direct retinal projector may include an adjustable focusing element that adjusts focus of a combined light beam generated by a projector as the light beam is scanned to an ellipsoid mirror that reflects the light beam to the subject's pupil. The focusing of the scanned beam may be adjusted as the beam is scanned across the azimuth angle of the curved ellipsoid mirror.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an inspection device includes a stage on which a substrate having a protrusion portion on a surface thereof is mountable. A ring member presses an outer periphery of the substrate on the stage. A liquid supply unit supplies a liquid on the surface of the substrate from the surface thereof to a first height. An imaging unit captures an image of a surface of the liquid and the protrusion portion from above the surface of the substrate. An arithmetic operation unit determines a size of an exposed portion of the protrusion portion which is exposed from the surface of the liquid by using the image obtained from the imaging unit, and determines a height of the protrusion portion on the basis of the size of the exposed portion.

Abstract: Metrology targets, design methods and measurement methods thereof are provided with periodic structure(s) which are oblique with respect to orthogonal production axes X and Y of the lithography tool—enabling more accurate overlay measurements of devices having diagonal (oblique, tilted) elements such as DRAM devices. One or more oblique periodic structure(s) may be used to provide one- or two-dimensional signals, with respect to one or more layers, possibly providing overlay measurements for multiple steps applied to one layer. The oblique periodic structure(s) may be used to modify current metrology target designs (e.g., imaging targets and/or scatterometry targets) or to design new targets, and measurement algorithms may be adjusted respectively to derive signals from the oblique periodic structure(s) and/or to provide pre-processed images thereof. The disclosed targets are process compatible and reflect more accurately the device overlays with respect to various process steps.

Abstract: A surgical visualization system is disclosed. The surgical visualization system is configured to identify one or more structure(s) and/or determine one or more distances with respect to obscuring tissue and/or the identified structure(s). The surgical visualization system can facilitate avoidance of the identified structure(s) by a surgical device. The surgical visualization system can comprise a first emitter configured to emit a plurality of tissue-penetrating light waves and a second emitter configured to emit structured light onto the surface of tissue. The surgical visualization system can also include an image sensor configured to detect reflected visible light, tissue-penetrating light, and/or structured light. The surgical visualization system can convey information to one or more clinicians regarding the position of one or more hidden identified structures and/or provide one or more proximity indicators.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a camera arrangement (100) for measuring a movement of a person (150). The camera arrangement (100) comprises a camera (110) and is arranged to repeatedly determine at least one distance (120) between at least one area (160) on the person (150) and corresponding pixels in the camera (110) based on light (130) received from the at least one area (160). The camera arrangement (100) is adapted to receive different signal strengths between the corresponding pixels in the camera (110) and pixels in the vicinity of the corresponding pixels so that at least some of the corresponding pixels and the pixels in the vicinity of the corresponding pixels are neither over- nor underexposed. The camera arrangement (100) is adapted to base the determining of the at least one distance (120) on at least some of the corresponding pixels and the pixels in the vicinity of the corresponding pixels which are neither over- nor underexposed.

Abstract: Depth sensing apparatus includes a radiation source, which is configured to emit a first plurality of beams of light pulses toward a target scene. An array of a second plurality of sensing elements is configured to output signals indicative of respective times of incidence of photons on the sensing element, wherein the second plurality exceeds the first plurality. Light collection optics are configured to image the target scene onto the array of sensing elements. Processing and control circuitry is coupled to receive the signals from the array and is configured to search over the sensing elements in order to identify, responsively to the signals, respective regions of the array on which the light pulses reflected from the target scene are incident, and to process the signals from the identified regions in order determine respective times of arrival of the light pulses.

Abstract: A distance measurement device includes an imaging optical system, an imaging unit, an emission unit, a derivation unit which performs a distance measurement to derive a distance to a subject based on a timing at which directional light is emitted by the emission unit and a timing at which reflected light is received by a light receiving unit, a shake correction unit which performs shake correction as correction of shake of the subject image caused by variation of an optical axis of the imaging optical system, and a control unit which performs control such that the shake correction unit does not perform shake correction or performs shake correction with a correction amount smaller than a normal correction amount determined in advance in a case of performing the distance measurement and performs shake correction with the normal correction amount in a case of not performing the distance measurement.

Abstract: A method of focusing an imaging device includes acquiring an image. A determination is made whether contrast difference between a pixel and one or more adjacent pixels is likely due to noise, or whether the contrast difference is due to the image being out-of-focus. Focus of the imaging device is when the contrast difference is due to the image being out-of-focus while contrast difference determined to likely be due to noise is ignored.

Abstract: Performing critical-dimension localization microscopy includes: subjecting a first dimensional member and a second dimensional member of a reference artifact to critical-dimension metrology, the first and second dimensional members, in combination, including a critical dimension and each independently providing optical contrast; determining a primary length of the critical dimension to be traceable to International System of Units meter; imaging in a calibrant optical field, by optical microscopy, the first dimensional member and the second dimensional member, the calibrant optical field disposed in an ocular optical field; determining, from the optical microscopy of the first dimensional member and the second dimensional member, a secondary length and a secondary length uncertainty of the critical dimension subjected to the critical-dimension metrology; and calibrating the calibrant optical field and the secondary length, to the primary length to establish traceability of the secondary length to the Internat

Abstract: Systems and method are provided for analyzing target, process and metrology configuration sensitivities to a wide range of parameters, according to external requirements or inner development and verification needs. Systems comprise the following elements. An input module is arranged to receive parameters relating to targets, target metrology conditions and production processes, to generate target data. A metrology simulation unit is arranged to simulate metrology measurements of targets from the target data and to generate multiple metrics that quantify the simulated target measurements. A sensitivity analysis module is arranged to derive functional dependencies of the metrics on the parameters and to define required uncertainties of the parameters with respect to the derived functional dependencies. Finally, a target optimization module is arranged to rank targets and target metrology conditions with respect to the simulated target measurements.

Abstract: A metrology apparatus for determining a characteristic of interest of a structure on a substrate, the structure having diffractive properties, the apparatus comprising: focusing optics configured to focus illumination radiation comprising a plurality of wavelengths onto the structure; a first detector configured to detect at least part of the illumination radiation which has been diffracted from the structure; and additional optics configured to produce, on at least a portion of the first detector, a wavelength-dependent spatial distribution of different wavelengths of the illumination radiation which has been diffracted from the structure, wherein the first detector is arranged to detect at least a non-zero diffraction order of the illumination radiation which has been diffracted from the structure.

Abstract: An inspection system for measuring an object is provided. The inspection system includes an entryway sized to receive the object. At least two non-contact coordinate measurement devices are positioned with a field of view being at least partially within or adjacent to the entryway, each of the at least two non-contact coordinate measurement devices being operable to measure 3D coordinates for a plurality of points on the object as one of the object or the entryway move from a first position to a final position. A pose measurement device is operable to determine the six-degree of freedom (6DOF) pose of the object. One or more processors are provided that register the 3D coordinates for the plurality of points from each of the at least two non-contact coordinate measurement devices based at least in part on the 6DOF pose of the object.

Abstract: A system is configured to perform metrology on a front surface, a back surface opposite the front surface, and/or an edge between the front surface and the back surface of a wafer. This can provide all wafer metrology and/or metrology of thin films on the back surface of the wafer. In an example, the thickness and/or optical properties of a thin film on a back surface of a wafer can be determined using a ratio of a greyscale image of a bright field light emerging from the back surface of the wafer under test to that of a reference wafer.

Abstract: An over sampled image sensor in which the pixel size is small enough to provide spatial oversampling of the minimum blur size of the sensor optics is disclosed. Image processing to detect targets below the typical limit of 6× the temporal noise floor is also disclosed. The apparatus is useful in detecting dimmer targets and targets at a longer range from the sensors. The inventions exploits signal processing, which allows spatial temporal filtering of the superpixel image in such manner that the Noise Equivalent Power is reduced by a means of Superpixel Filtering and Pooling, which increases the sensitivity far beyond a non-oversampled imager. Overall visual acuity is improved due to the ability to detect dimmer targets, provide better resolution of low intensity targets, and improvements in false alarm rejection.

Abstract: A distance measurement device includes an imaging optical system, an imaging unit, an emission unit, a derivation unit which performs a distance measurement to derive a distance to a subject based on a timing at which directional light is emitted by the emission unit and a timing at which reflected light is received by a light receiving unit, a shake correction unit which performs shake correction as correction of shake of the subject image caused by variation of an optical axis of the imaging optical system, and a control unit which performs control such that the shake correction unit does not perform shake correction or performs shake correction with a correction amount smaller than a normal correction amount determined in advance in a case of performing the distance measurement and performs shake correction with the normal correction amount in a case of not performing the distance measurement.

Abstract: A method including: obtaining a measurement of a metrology target on a substrate processed using a patterning process, the measurement having been obtained using measurement radiation; and deriving a parameter of interest of the patterning process from the measurement, wherein the parameter of interest is corrected by a stack difference parameter, the stack difference parameter representing an un-designed difference in physical configuration between adjacent periodic structures of the target or between the metrology target and another adjacent target on the substrate.

Abstract: An image formation apparatus includes a conveyor configured to convey a moving element on which an image is formed, a generator configured to generate a first image and a second image by shooting the conveyed moving element at different timing, a detector configured to sense a first distance between the generator and the moving element at the time of shooting of the first image and sense a second distance between the generator and the moving element at the time of shooting of the second image, and a hardware processor configured to calculate a speed of conveyance of the moving element based on the first image, the second image, the first distance, and the second distance, and output the speed of conveyance.

Abstract: A depth measurement assembly (DMA) measures depth information of an object in a local area. The DMA includes structured light projector, a depth camera assembly, and a controller. The structured light projector projects structured light patterns into the local area. The structured light projector includes a diffractive optical unit that includes diffractive optical elements (DOEs) and selects a DOE. The selected DOE is illuminated by light from a light source and converts the light into a structured light pattern. In some embodiment, the diffractive optical units selects multiple DOEs associated with multiple structured light patterns. The structured light pattern is projected into the local area by a projection assembly of the structured light projector and illuminates the object. The depth camera assembly captures images of the object. The controller uses the captured images to determine depth information of the object.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for determining an overlay error between at least two layers in a multiple layer sample. An imaging optical system is used to measure multiple measured optical signals from multiple periodic targets on the sample, and the targets each have a first structure in a first layer and a second structure in a second layer. There are predefined offsets between the first and second structures A scatterometry overlay technique is used to analyze the measured optical signals of the periodic targets and the predefined offsets of the first and second structures of the periodic targets to thereby determine an overlay error between the first and second structures of the periodic targets. The scatterometry overlay technique is a phase based technique, and the imaging optical system is configured to have an illumination and/or collection numerical aperture (NA) and/or spectral band selected so that a specific diffraction order is collected and measured for the plurality of measured optical signals.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for visual inspection of a radial surface of a camshaft lobe. Upon visual inspection of the radial surface of the camshaft lobe via the apparatus and method of the present disclosure, surface roughness, or ‘chatter’, can be evaluated. Rapid evaluation of camshaft lobe chatter provides for improved manufacturing efficiency and decreased production delays.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for acquiring data relative to a dimension of an elongated object defining a longitudinal axis and a first and a second end, the apparatus comprising: an imaging sensor device defining a field of view and an optical axis, the imaging sensor device being adapted to image the elongated object in the field of view; a transporting device adapted to position the elongated object in the field of view and to transport the elongated object in a transport direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongated object and forming an angle with the optical axis; an illuminating device adapted to emit electromagnetic radiation to illuminate the elongated object in the field of view; and an optical deflection system including an optical deflector which is adapted to be movable between a first operative position where it is located outside the field of view of the imaging sensor device and a second operative position where it is located within the field of vi

Abstract: Methods according to the disclosure include: predicting process-sensitive geometries (PSGs) in a proposed IC layout based on violations of a set of processing constraints for the proposed IC layout, the set of processing constraints being calculated with a predictive model based on a training data repository having a plurality of optical rule check (ORC) simulations for different IC layouts; identifying actual PSGs in a circuit manufactured using the proposed IC layout; determining whether the predicted PSGs correspond to the actual PSGs in the manufactured circuit as being correct; in response to the predicting being incorrect: adjusting the predictive model based on the actual PSGs, wherein the adjusting includes submitting additional ORC data to the training data repository; and flagging the proposed IC layout as incorrectly predicted; and in response to the predicting being correct, flagging the proposed IC layout as correctly predicted.

Abstract: A pattern height measurement device capable of high-precision measurement of the dimensions of a fine pattern, and a charged particle beam device are provided. The pattern height measurement device includes a calculation device that determines dimensions of a sample, in the height direction, based on first reflected light information obtained by dispersing light reflected from a sample. The calculation device determines second reflected light information based on a formula for the relationship between the value for the dimension in the sample surface direction of a pattern formed upon the sample, obtained by irradiation of a charged particle beam on the sample, the value for the dimension in the height direction of the sample, and reflected light information; compares a second reflected light intensity and the first reflected light information; and outputs the value for the dimension in the height direction of the sample in the second reflected light information.

Abstract: Optimization of optical parametric models for structural analysis using optical critical dimension metrology is described. A method includes determining a first optical model fit for a parameter of a structure. The first optical model fit is based on a domain of quantities for a first model of the structure. A first near optical field response is determined for a first quantity of the domain of quantities and a second near optical field response is determined for a second, different quantity of the domain of quantities. The first and second near optical field responses are compared to locate a common region of high optical field intensity for the parameter of the structure. The first model of the structure is modified to provide a second, different model of the structure. A second, different optical model fit is determined for the parameter of the structure based on the second model of the structure.

Abstract: A method for monitoring a characteristic of illumination from a metrology apparatus includes using the metrology apparatus to acquire a pupil image at different focus settings of the metrology apparatus and calculating an asymmetry value for each acquired pupil image, where each pupil image is acquired on at least one edge of a target of a substrate.

Abstract: A method of metrology target design is described. The method includes providing a range or a plurality of values for design parameter of a metrology target and by a processor, selecting, by solving for and/or sampling within the range or the plurality of values for the design parameters, a plurality of metrology target designs having one or more design parameters meeting a constraint for a design parameter of the metrology target.

Abstract: In some embodiments a scanning method for deriving information about surfaces of objects for a surveying system is disclosed. In some embodiments, the surveying system may include a control and evaluation unit with scanning functionality, such as, for example, a laser scanner or a total station. In some embodiments, the recorded point set of the detected object points is kept available in a volatile memory of the control and evaluation unit and by means of the control and evaluation unit as part of the scanning process an adaptation of the recorded point set is effected depending on at least one point density of the recorded point set. The adapted point set generated thereby, with loss of the recorded point set, is stored in a permanent memory.