Abstract: An optical measurement system, which include an illumination path that is configured to illuminate an illuminated area of a sample; a collection path configured to collect illumination emitted from the illuminated area as a result of the illumination of the illuminated area; a spatial filter that is tunable; a Raman detector; and wherein the spatial filter is positioned upstream to the Raman detector, and is configured to spatially filter the illumination emitted from the illuminated area to provide spatially filtered illumination. The Raman detector is configured to receive the spatially filtered illumination and to generate one or more Raman spectra.

Abstract: A method for use in measuring one or more characteristics of patterned structures, the method including providing measured data comprising data indicative of at least one Raman spectrum obtained from a patterned structure under measurements using at least one selected optical measurement scheme each with a predetermined configuration of at least one of illuminating and collected light conditions corresponding to the one or more characteristics to be measured, processing the measured data, and determining, for each of the at least one Raman spectrum, a distribution of Raman-contribution efficiency (RCE) within at least a part of the structure under measurements, being dependent on characteristics of the structure and the predetermined configuration of the at least one of illuminating and collected light conditions in the respective optical measurement scheme, and analyzing the distribution of Raman-contribution efficiency and determining the one or more characteristics of the structure.

Abstract: A system and methods for OCD metrology are provided including receiving training data for training an OCD machine learning (ML) model, the training data measured from multiple wafers and including multiple pairs of corresponding input and label datasets obtained from each respective wafer. The input dataset of each pair includes multiple scatterometric datasets, measured at multiple respective locations defined by a first map. The label dataset of each pair includes one or more critical dimension (CD) parameters of respective locations defined by a second map, the second map including at least one location not in the first map. The OCD ML model is then applied to a new set of scatterometric datasets, measured from locations of a new wafer, according to the first map, to generate predicted CD parameters of locations of the second map on the new wafer.

Abstract: An optical measurement system, the optical measurement system comprises optics, wherein the optics include a collection path and an illumination path and an objective lens. The optics is configured to acquire Raman spectrums of one or more structural elements located at a measurement site of the sample while being set-up to apply one or more optics parameters that comprise an illumination angle out of a set of multiple illumination angles that correspond to a numerical aperture of the objective lens. Each of the one or more structural elements has a dimension that ranges between one tenth of nanometer to one hundred microns; an optical spectrometer; a Raman detector that is downstream to the optical spectrometer; and a control unit that is configured to determine an expected radiation pattern to be detected by the Raman detector when the optics are set-up to apply the one or more optics parameters.

Abstract: A control system and method are presented for use in optical measurements on patterned samples. The control system comprises a computer system configured for data communication with a measured data provider and comprising a data processor configured and operable to receive and process raw measured data of first and second types concurrently collected from the patterned sample being measured. said first and second types of the measured data comprising, respectively. scatterometry measured data. characterized by first relatively high signal-to-noise and predetermined first relatively low spatial resolution, and interferometric measured data characterized by second relatively low signal-to-noise and predetermined second relatively high spatial resolution, said data processor being configured to process the measured data to determine pattern parameters along said patterned sample characterized by said first signal to-noise and said second spatial resolution.

Abstract: A semiconductor metrology system including a spectrum acquisition tool for collecting, using a first measurement protocol, baseline scatterometric spectra on first semiconductor wafer targets, and for various sources of spectral variability, variability sets of scatterometric spectra on second semiconductor wafer targets, the variability sets embodying the spectral variability, a reference metrology tool for collecting, using a second measurement protocol, parameter values of the first semiconductor wafer targets, and a training unit for training, using the collected spectra and values, a prediction model using machine learning and minimizing an associated loss function incorporating spectral variability terms, the prediction model for predicting values for production semiconductor wafer targets based on their spectra.

Abstract: A system for use in metrology of a patterned structure, the system which includes a data input utility configured to receive: first type of data related to the patterned structure, the first type of data was obtained by a first type of metrology system and comprises first type measurements and first geometrical information regarding the patterned structure; second type of data related to the patterned structure, the second type of data was obtained by a second type of metrology system and comprises second type measurement results and second geometrical information regarding the patterned structure; the second type of metrology system differs from the first type of metrology system, and a data processing and analyzing utility configured to determine values of parameters of interest based on the first type of data and the second type of data.

Abstract: A method and system are presented for use in X-ray based measurements on patterned structures. The method comprises: processing data indicative of measured signals corresponding to detected radiation response of a patterned structure to incident X-ray radiation, and subtracting from said data an effective measured signals substantially free of background noise, said effective measured signals being formed of radiation components of reflected diffraction orders such that model based interpretation of the effective measured signals enables determination of one or more parameters of the patterned structure, wherein said processing comprises: analyzing the measured signals and extracting therefrom a background signal corresponding to the background noise; and applying a filtering procedure to the measured signals to subtract therefrom signal corresponding to the background signal, resulting in the effective measured signal.

Abstract: A method, a system, and a non-transitory computer readable medium for measuring a local critical dimension uniformity of an array of two-dimensional structural elements, the method may include obtaining an acquired optical spectrometry spectrum of the array; feeding the acquired optical spectrometry spectrum of the array to a trained machine learning process, wherein the trained machine learning process is trained to map an optical spectrometry spectrum to an average critical dimension (CD) and a local critical dimension uniformity (LCDU); and outputting, by the trained machine learning process, the average CD and the LCDU of the array.

Abstract: A method, a system, and a non-transitory computer readable medium for accurate Raman spectroscopy. The method may include executing at least one iteration of the steps of: (i) performing, by an optical measurement system, a calibration process that comprises (a) finding a misalignment between a region of interest defined by a spatial filter, and an impinging beam of radiation that is emitted from an illuminated area of a sample, the impinging beam impinges on the spatial filter; and (b) determining a compensating path of propagation of the impinging beam that compensates the misalignment; and (ii) performing a measurement process, while the optical measurement system is configured to provide the compensating path of propagation of the impinging beam, to provide one or more Raman spectra.

Abstract: A method and system are presented for monitoring measurement of parameters of patterned structures based on a predetermined fitting model. The method comprises: (a) providing data indicative of measurements in at least one patterned structure; and (b) applying at least one selected verification mode to said data indicative of measurements, said at least one verification mode comprising: I) analyzing the data based on at least one predetermined factor and classifying the corresponding measurement result as acceptable or unacceptable, II) analyzing the data corresponding to the unacceptable measurement results and determining whether one or more of the measurements providing said unacceptable result are to be disregarded, or whether one or more parameters of the predetermined fitting model are to be modified.

Abstract: A method, a system, and a non-transitory computer readable medium for Raman spectroscopy. The method may include determining first acquisition parameters of a Raman spectroscope to provide a first acquisition set-up, the determining is based on at least one expected radiation pattern to be detected by a sensor of the Raman spectroscope as a result of an illumination of a first area of a sample, the first area comprises a first nano-scale structure, wherein at least a part of the at least one expected radiation pattern is indicative of at least one property of interest of the first nano-scale structure of the sample; wherein the first acquisition parameters belong to a group of acquisition parameters; setting the Raman spectroscope according to the first acquisition set-up; and acquiring at least one first Raman spectrum of the first nano-scale structure of the sample, while being set according to the first acquisition set-up.

Abstract: A measurement system for use in measuring parameters of a patterned sample, the system including a broadband light source, an optical system configured as an interferometric system, a detection unit, and a control unit, where the interferometric system defines illumination and detection channels having a sample arm and a reference arm having a reference reflector, and is configured for inducing an optical path difference between the sample and reference arms, the detection unit for detecting a combined light beam formed by a light beam reflected from the reflector and a light beam propagating from a sample's support, and generating measured data indicative of spectral interference pattern formed by spectral interference signatures, and the control unit for receiving the measured data and applying a model-based processing to the spectral interference pattern for determining one or more parameters of the pattern in the sample.

Abstract: A method and system are presented for use in measuring on patterned samples, aimed at determining asymmetry in the pattern. A set of at least first and second measurements on a patterned region of a sample is performed, where each of the measurements comprises: directing illuminating light onto the patterned region along an illumination channel and collecting light reflected from the illuminated region propagating along a collection channel to be detected, such that detected light from the same patterned region has different polarization states which are different from polarization of the illuminating light, and generating a measured data piece indicative of the light detected in the measurement. Thus, at least first and second measured data pieces are generated for the at least first and second measurements on the same patterned region. The at least first and second measured data pieces are analyzed and output data is generated being indicative of a condition of asymmetry in the patterned region.

Abstract: A system and methods for Advance Process Control (APC) in semiconductor manufacturing include: for each of a plurality of waiter sites, receiving a pre-process set of scatterometric training data, measured before implementation of a processing step, receiving a corresponding post-process set of scatterometric training data measured after implementation of the process step, and receiving a set of process control knob training data indicative of process control knob settings applied during implementation of the process step; and generating a machine learning model correlating variations in the pre-process sets of scatterometric training data and the corresponding process control knob training data with the corresponding post-process sets of scatterometric training data, to train the machine learning model to recommend changes to process control knob settings to compensate for variations in the pre-process scatterometric data.

Abstract: A method and system are presented for use in measuring one or more characteristics of patterned structures. The method comprises: performing measurements on a patterned structure by illuminating the structure with exciting light to cause Raman scattering of one or more excited regions of the pattern structure, while applying a controlled change of at least temperature condition of the patterned structure, and detecting the Raman scattering, and generating corresponding measured data indicative of a temperature dependence of the detected Raman scattering; and analyzing the measured data and generating data indicative of spatial profile of one or more properties of the patterned structure.

Abstract: A polarized Raman Spectrometric system for defining parameters of a polycrystalline material, the system comprises a polarized Raman Spectrometric apparatus, a computer-controlled sample stage for positioning a sample at different locations, and a computer comprising a processor and an associated memory. The polarized Raman Spectrometric apparatus generates signal(s) from either small sized spots at multiple locations on a sample or from an elongated line-shaped points on the sample, and the processor analyzes the signal(s) to define the parameters of said polycrystalline material.

Abstract: A method for use in measuring one or more characteristics of patterned structures, the method including providing measured data comprising data indicative of at least one Raman spectrum obtained from a patterned structure under measurements using at least one selected optical measurement scheme each with a predetermined configuration of at least one of illuminating and collected light conditions corresponding to the one or more characteristics to be measured, processing the measured data, and determining, for each of the at least one Raman spectrum, a distribution of Raman-contribution efficiency (RCE) within at least a part of the structure under measurements, being dependent on characteristics of the structure and the predetermined configuration of the at least one of illuminating and collected light conditions in the respective optical measurement scheme, and analyzing the distribution of Raman-contribution efficiency and determining the one or more characteristics of the structure.

Abstract: A method for semiconductor device metrology. The method may include creating a time-domain representation of wavelength-domain measurement data of light reflected by a three dimensional (3D) patterned structure of a semiconductor device; selecting one or more relevant peaks of the time-domain representation and at least one irrelevant portion of the time-domain representation. One or more relevant peaks occur during one or more relevant time periods; and are associated with corresponding relevant reference peaks that are associated with different versions of a reference 3D patterned structure.

Abstract: A measurement system for use in optical metrology, the measurement system which includes a control system configured and operable to carry out the following: (i) receive raw measured data generated by a measurement unit that is configured and operable for performing normal-incidence spectral interferometric measurements on a sample and generating the raw measured data indicative of spectral interferometric signals measured on the sample for a number of different optical path differences (OPDs) between sample and reference arms using infrared wavelengths; (ii) extract, from the raw measured data, a portion of spectral interferometric signals describing variation of signal intensity with a change of an optical path difference OPD during interferometric measurements, said portion of the spectral interferometric signals being independent of interferometric signals returned from a bottom portion of the sample in response to said illuminating electromagnetic field; and (iii) directly determine, from the extracted p