Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for measuring properties of a sample such as a semiconductor element by illuminating a polarizing beam splitter (PBS) with spatially separated non-polarized input optical beams such that the PBS polarizes the input optical beams to produce at least two polarized intermediate optical beams having different (e.g., orthogonal) polarization properties. The polarized intermediate optical beams are further directed to illuminate substantially the same area of a sample. Light returned from the illuminated sample area is directed again through the same PBS to form at least two polarized output beams, having different (e.g., orthogonal) polarization properties, where the differently polarized output optical beams are detectable by use of one or more optical detectors.

Abstract: A method for optical metrology of a sample, the method may include illuminating areas of the sample by sets of pulses of different wavelengths, during a movement of a variable speed of the sample; collecting light reflected from the sample, as a result of the illuminating, to provide sets of frames, each set of frames comprises partially overlapping frames associated with the different wavelengths; and processing the frames to provide optical metrology results indicative of one or more evaluated parameters of elements of the areas of the sample; wherein the processing is based on a mapping between the sets of frames and reference measurements obtained by an other optical metrology process that exhibits a higher spectral resolution than a spectral resolution obtained by the illuminating and the collecting.

Abstract: A method for optical metrology of a sample, the method may include illuminating areas of the sample by sets of pulses of different wavelengths, during a movement of a variable speed of the sample; collecting light reflected from the sample, as a result of the illuminating, to provide sets of frames, each set of frames comprises partially overlapping frames associated with the different wavelengths; and processing the frames to provide optical metrology results indicative of one or more evaluated parameters of elements of the areas of the sample; wherein the processing is based on a mapping between the sets of frames and reference measurements obtained by an other optical metrology process that exhibits a higher spectral resolution than a spectral resolution obtained by the illuminating and the collecting.