Abstract: In order to acquire high resolution ultrasound images while maintaining an appropriate frame rate in ultrasound diagnostic devices, the disclosed method generates high resolution ultrasound images by performing image reconstruction on the basis of multiple ultrasound frame images captured along a time series and the magnitudes of positional shifts, or forms high resolution ultrasound images by performing image reconstruction on the basis of multiple ultrasound frame images acquired by controlling the ultrasound probe and varying scan orientation or scan focal length frame by frame.

Abstract: In a panoramic image construction technology a wide-range imaging area (EP) of semiconductor patterns is divided into a plurality of imaging areas (SEP), and joined a group of images, which are obtained by imaging the SEPs using an SEM, through image processing. Although a pattern serving as a key to joining is not contained in an overlap area between some of the SEPs, all the images can be joined in some cases is noted so that: although the number of patterns serving as keys to joining is small, SEPs whose images are all joined can be determined; or even if such SEPs cannot be determined, SEPs satisfying user's request items as many as possible can be determined. The cases are extracted by optimizing an SEP arrangement, whereby the number of cases in which SEPs whose images are all joined can be determined is increased.

Abstract: In order to acquire high resolution ultrasound images while maintaining an appropriate frame rate in ultrasound diagnostic devices, the disclosed method generates high resolution ultrasound images by performing image reconstruction on the basis of multiple ultrasound frame images captured along a time series and the magnitudes of positional shifts, or forms high resolution ultrasound images by performing image reconstruction on the basis of multiple ultrasound frame images acquired by controlling the ultrasound probe and varying scan orientation or scan focal length frame by frame.

Abstract: An imaging region of a high-magnification reference image capable of being acquired in a low-magnification field without moving a stage from a position at which a defective region has been imaged at a low magnification is searched for and if the search is successful, an image of the imaging region itself is acquired and the high-magnification reference image is acquired. If the search is unsuccessful, the imaging scheme is switched to that in which the high-magnification reference image is acquired from a chip adjacent to the defective region.

Abstract: Provided is a panorama image synthesis technique using a scanning charged-particle microscope and capable of obtaining a panorama image synthesis that is robust against contamination and the imaging shift and distortion of an image in a wide-field imaging region (EP) for semiconductor fine patterns. The panorama image synthesis technique in the wide-field imaging region (EP) using the scanning charged-particle microscope is characterized in that the layout of each adjustment point, each local imaging region, and an imaging sequence comprising the imaging order of the each adjustment point are optimized and created as an imaging recipe.

Abstract: In order to acquire high resolution ultrasound images while maintaining an appropriate frame rate in ultrasound diagnostic devices, the disclosed method generates high resolution ultrasound images by performing image reconstruction on the basis of multiple ultrasound frame images captured along a time series and the magnitudes of positional shifts, or forms high resolution ultrasound images by performing image reconstruction on the basis of multiple ultrasound frame images acquired by controlling the ultrasound probe and varying scan orientation or scan focal length frame by frame.

Abstract: A charged particle beam device enabling prevention of degradation of reproducibility of measurement caused by an increase of the beam diameter attributed to an image shift and having a function of dealing with device-to-device variation. The charged particle beam device is used for measuring the dimensions of a pattern on a specimen using a line profile obtained by detecting secondary charged particles emitted from the specimen when the specimen is scanned with a primary charged particle beam converged on the specimen. A lookup table in which the position of image shift and the variation of the beam diameter are associated is prepared in advance by actual measurement or calculation and registered. When the dimensions are measured, image processing is carried out so as to correct the line profile for the variation of the beam diameter while the lookup table is referenced, and thereby the situation where the beam diameter is effectively equal is produced irrespective of the position of the image shift.

Abstract: In a process of acquiring an image of semiconductor patterns by using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), this invention provides an image generating method and device that allows a high-resolution SEM image to be produced while suppressing damages caused by SEM imaging to a sample as a result of irradiation of an electron beam. A plurality of areas having similarly shaped patterns (similar areas) are extracted from a low-resolution SEM image which has been imaged while suppressing the irradiation energy of electron beam. From the image data of the extracted areas a single high resolution image of the patterns is generated by image restoration processing. Further, the method of this invention also uses design data in determining the similar areas and the SEM imaging position and imaging range for performing the image restoration processing.

Abstract: A charged particle beam device enabling prevention of degradation of reproducibility of measurement caused by an increase of the beam diameter attributed to an image shift and having a function of dealing with device-to-device variation. The charged particle beam device is used for measuring the dimensions of a pattern on a specimen using a line profile obtained by detecting secondary charged particles emitted from the specimen when the specimen is scanned with a primary charged particle beam converged on the specimen. A lookup table in which the position of image shift and the variation of the beam diameter are associated is prepared in advance by actual measurement or calculation and registered. When the dimensions are measured, image processing is carried out so as to correct the line profile for the variation of the beam diameter while the lookup table is referenced, and thereby the situation where the beam diameter is effectively equal is produced irrespective of the position of the image shift.

Abstract: In a panoramic image construction technology of dividing a wide-range imaging area (EP) of semiconductor patterns into a plurality of imaging areas (SEP), and joining a group of images, which are obtained by imaging the SEPs using an SEM, through image processing, a fact that although a pattern serving as a key to joining is not contained in an overlap area between some of the SEPs, all the images can be joined in some cases is noted so that: although the number of patterns serving as keys to joining is small, SEPs whose images are all joined can be determined; or even if such SEPs cannot be determined, SEPs satisfying user's request items as many as possible can be determined. The cases are extracted by optimizing an SEP arrangement, whereby the number of cases in which SEPs whose images are all joined can be determined is increased.

Abstract: An imaging region of a high-magnification reference image capable of being acquired in a low-magnification field without moving a stage from a position at which a defective region has been imaged at a low magnification is searched for and if the search is successful, an image of the imaging region itself is acquired and the high-magnification reference image is acquired. If the search is unsuccessful, the imaging scheme is switched to that in which the high-magnification reference image is acquired from a chip adjacent to the defective region.

Abstract: Provided is a panorama image synthesis technique using a scanning charged-particle microscope and capable of obtaining a panorama image synthesis that is robust against contamination and the imaging shift and distortion of an image in a wide-field imaging region (EP) for semiconductor fine patterns. The panorama image synthesis technique in the wide-field imaging region (EP) using the scanning charged-particle microscope is characterized in that the layout of each adjustment point, each local imaging region, and an imaging sequence comprising the imaging order of the each adjustment point are optimized and created as an imaging recipe.

Abstract: A composite picture forming method and picture forming apparatus forms pattern attribute information contained in an overlapping domain for the overlapping domain between a plurality of pictures to select the pictures to be targeted for a composition in accordance with the pattern attribute information and combine the selected pictures, and the composition of the pictures is also performed in plural stages by using the pattern attribute information in the overlapping domain.