Abstract: Line-edge roughness or line width roughness is evaluated while preventing influence of noise caused by a device or an environment. Therefore, an averaged signal profile 405 in which a moving average of S pixels (S is an integer greater than 1) is taken in a Y direction is obtained from a signal profile showing a secondary electron signal amount distribution in an X direction with respect to a predetermined Y coordinate obtained from a top-down image, an edge position 406 of a line pattern is extracted based on the averaged signal profile, and a noise floor height is calculated based on a first power spectral density 407 of LER data or LWR data based on the extracted edge position and a second power spectral density 409 of a rectangular window function corresponding to the moving average of the S pixels.

Abstract: Provided is a water-absorbing agent that causes no or little fluctuation of feed rate when fed with use of a feeder. A water-absorbing agent containing a water-absorbing resin as a main component, the water-absorbing agent satisfying the following (a) and (b): (a) K-index is 70 or more; and (b) Moisture absorption blocking ratio, after 30 minutes of standing at a temperature of 25° C. and a relative humidity of 80% RH, is 70 weight % or less, the K-index being defined by the following equation: K-index=100?(?438+3.6×angle of repose+3.5×angle of difference+7.9×compressibility rate+290×bulk density (EDANA method)).

Abstract: Line-edge roughness or line width roughness is evaluated while preventing influence of noise caused by a device or an environment. Therefore, an averaged signal profile 405 in which a moving average of S pixels (S is an integer greater than 1) is taken in a Y direction is obtained from a signal profile showing a secondary electron signal amount distribution in an X direction with respect to a predetermined Y coordinate obtained from a top-down image, an edge position 406 of a line pattern is extracted based on the averaged signal profile, and a noise floor height is calculated based on a first power spectral density 407 of LER data or LWR data based on the extracted edge position and a second power spectral density 409 of a rectangular window function corresponding to the moving average of the S pixels.

Abstract: To provide a water-absorbing resin composition having both a high centrifuge retention capacity (CRC) and a sufficient urine resistance and a method for producing such a water-absorbing resin composition, an aspect of the present invention is a water-absorbing resin composition having the following properties: (1) A centrifuge retention capacity (CRC) being not less than 35 g/g; (2) A post-degradation-test one-hour eluted soluble component being not more than 19% by mass; (3) An absorbency against pressure 0.7 psi (AAP0.7) being not less than 10 g/g; and (4) A content of a water-absorbing resin in dust being not more than 300 ppm with respect to a total mass of the water-absorbing resin composition.

Abstract: Provided is a water-absorbing agent that causes no or little fluctuation of feed rate when fed with use of a feeder. A water-absorbing agent containing a water-absorbing resin as a main component, the water-absorbing agent satisfying the following (a) and (b): (a) K-index is 70 or more; and (b) Moisture absorption blocking ratio, after 30 minutes of standing at a temperature of 25° C. and a relative humidity of 80% RH, is 70 weight % or less, the K-index being defined by the following equation: K-index=100?(?438+3.6×angle of repose+3.5×angle of difference+7.9×compressibility rate+290×bulk density (EDANA method)).

Abstract: A pattern measurement method and device realize high-precision measurement of a pattern in a depth direction. The method includes forming an inclined plane in a sample region having a deep hole, a deep groove, or a three-dimensional structure, setting the field of view of a scanning electron microscope to include a boundary between the inclined plane and the sample surface, acquiring an image based on a detection signal, specifying a first position which is the boundary between the inclined plane and a non-inclined plane and a second position which is the position of a desired deep hole or deep groove positioned in the inclined plane, and calculating the height-direction dimension of a pattern constituting the circuit element having the deep hole, deep groove, or three-dimensional structure based on a dimension in the sample surface direction between the first position and the second position and the angle of the inclined plane.

Abstract: A pattern measuring method and a pattern measuring apparatus that efficiently prevent a measurement error inherent to a device that performs beam scanning in a specific direction such as a scanning electron microscope are provided. The invention is directed to a pattern measuring method and a pattern measuring apparatus in which a first curve with respect to an edge of one side and a second curve with respect to an edge of the other side are obtained by calculating a first power spectral density with respect to the edge of one side of a pattern and a second power spectral density with respect to the edge of the other side of the pattern based upon a signal that is obtained when a charged particle beam is scanned in a direction intersecting the edge of the pattern; a difference value between the first curve and the second curve is calculated; and one of the first curve and the second curve is corrected by using the difference value.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a particulate water absorbing agent having both a high water absorption multiplying factor and a high water absorption rate and a method for manufacturing the same. The present invention is a particulate water absorbing agent for which CRC is 30 to 50 g/g, wherein the weight average particulate diameter (D50) is 200-600 ?m, and the DRC index given by the following formula is a specific value (for example, 43, 30, or 20) or less: DRC index=(49?DRC5min [g/g])/(D50 [?m]/1000).

Abstract: To provide a water-absorbing resin composition having both a high centrifuge retention capacity (CRC) and a sufficient urine resistance and a method for producing such a water-absorbing resin composition, an aspect of the present invention is a water-absorbing resin composition having the following properties: (1) A centrifuge retention capacity (CRC) being not less than 35 g/g; (2) A post-degradation-test one-hour eluted soluble component being not more than 19% by mass; (3) An absorbency against pressure 0.7 psi (AAP0.7) being not less than 10 g/g; and (4) A content of a water-absorbing resin in dust being not more than 300 ppm with respect to a total mass of the water-absorbing resin composition.

Abstract: Provided is a measurement device including: an irradiation optical system which emits a primary charged quantum beam to a sample for scanning; a detector which detects secondary charged particles generated from the sample; and a signal processing unit which processes an output signal from the secondary charged particle detector which has detected the secondary charged particles, in which the signal processing unit includes a measurement unit which measures widths of a first pattern group calibrated with a well-known first dimension and a second pattern group calibrated with a well-known second dimension, and an operation unit which defines a relationship between the well-known dimensions of the first and second pattern groups and length measurement values of the first and second pattern groups as a function.

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: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a pattern measurement method and a pattern measurement device, whereby high-precision measurement of a pattern in a depth direction thereof is realized.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a particulate water absorbing agent having both a high water absorption multiplying factor and a high water absorption rate and a method for manufacturing the same. The present invention is a particulate water absorbing agent for which CRC is 30 to 50 g/g, wherein the weight average particulate diameter (D50) is 200-600 ?m, and the DRC index given by the following formula is a specific value (for example, 43, 30, or 20) or less: DRC index=(49?DRC5min [g/g])/(D50 [?m]/1000).

Abstract: A pattern measuring method and a pattern measuring apparatus that efficiently prevent a measurement error inherent to a device that performs beam scanning in a specific direction such as a scanning electron microscope are provided. The invention is directed to a pattern measuring method and a pattern measuring apparatus in which a first curve with respect to an edge of one side and a second curve with respect to an edge of the other side are obtained by calculating a first power spectral density with respect to the edge of one side of a pattern and a second power spectral density with respect to the edge of the other side of the pattern based upon a signal that is obtained when a charged particle beam is scanned in a direction intersecting the edge of the pattern; a difference value between the first curve and the second curve is calculated; and one of the first curve and the second curve is corrected by using the difference value.

Abstract: The presently disclosed subject matter provides a pattern measurement method and device for achieving highly accurate measurement in the depth direction of a pattern. The method involves a focused ion beam irradiated to form an inclined surface in a sample area; a field of view of a SEM set to include the boundary between the inclined surface and a sample surface; and an image of the field of view obtained on the basis of a detection signal. Such an acquired image is used to specify a first position, the boundary between inclined surface and non-inclined surface, and a second position, the position of a desired deep hole or deep groove positioned within the inclined surface. The pattern dimension in a height direction is determined on the basis of the distance in the sample surface direction between the first position and second position and the angle of the inclined surface.

Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to provide a height measurement device capable of highly accurate measurement in the depth direction of a structure on a sample. To achieve this objective, proposed are a charged particle beam device and a height measurement device that is provided with a calculation device for determining the size of a structure on a sample on the basis of a detection signal obtained by irradiating the sample with a charged particle beam, wherein the calculation device calculates the distance from a first charged particle beam irradiation mark formed at a first height on the sample and a second charged particle beam irradiation mark formed at a second height on the sample and on the basis of this distance and the charged particle beam irradiation angle when the first charged particle beam irradiation mark and second charged particle beam irradiation mark were formed, calculates the distance between the first height and the second height.

Abstract: For scanning electron beams and measuring overlay misalignment between an upper layer pattern and a lower layer pattern with high precision, electron beams are scanned over a region including a first pattern and a second pattern of a sample, the sample having the lower layer pattern (the first pattern) and the upper layer pattern (the second pattern) formed in a step after a step of forming the first pattern. The electron beams are scanned such that scan directions and scan sequences of the electron beams become axial symmetrical or point-symmetrical in a plurality of pattern position measurement regions defined within the scan region for the electron beams, thereby reducing measurement errors resulting from the asymmetry of electric charge.

Abstract: There is provided a control device for controlling a charged particle beam apparatus, wherein the beam apparatus comprises a workpiece stage having at least two turning axes which are not parallel to each other and an irradiation unit, and the control device comprises an angle calculation unit that based on a direction of a first processing in which a processed surface having a normal line not parallel to any of the turning axes is generated in the workpiece by the irradiation unit and a direction of a second processing to be processed by the irradiation unit from a direction different from the direction of the first processing with respect to the processed surface to be generated by the first processing, calculates turning angles about the turning axes that changes the direction of the stage from the direction of the first processing to the direction of the second processing.

Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to provide a height measurement device capable of highly accurate measurement in the depth direction of a structure on a sample. To achieve this objective, proposed are a charged particle beam device and a height measurement device that is provided with a calculation device for determining the size of a structure on a sample on the basis of a detection signal obtained by irradiating the sample with a charged particle beam, wherein the calculation device calculates the distance from a first charged particle beam irradiation mark formed at a first height on the sample and a second charged particle beam irradiation mark formed at a second height on the sample and on the basis of this distance and the charged particle beam irradiation angle when the first charged particle beam irradiation mark and second charged particle beam irradiation mark were formed, calculates the distance between the first height and the second height.

Abstract: In the present invention, at the time of measuring, using a CD-SEM, a length of a resist that shrinks when irradiated with an electron beam, in order to highly accurately estimate a shape and dimensions of the resist before shrink, a shrink database with respect to various patterns is previously prepared, said shrink database containing cross-sectional shape data obtained prior to electron beam irradiation, a cross-sectional shape data group and a CD-SEM image data group, which are obtained under various electron beam irradiation conditions, and models based on such data and data groups, and a CD-SEM image of a resist pattern to be measured is obtained (S102), then, the CD-SEM image and data in the shrink database are compared with each other (S103), and the shape and dimensions of the pattern before the shrink are estimated and outputted (S104).