Abstract: The invention relates to a device serving for the combined measurement of the width and thickness of a flat object, in particular a plate, a belt, or a web. The device comprises a measurement apparatus which has at least one contactless sensor, which is for width measurement on the object and which is movable crosswise to the longitudinal direction or conveying direction of the object. According to the invention, on the opposite side of the object, there is a second sensor opposite the first sensor which, together with the first sensor, serves for thickness measurement on the object, wherein the two sensors can travel above and below the object, that is, on opposite sides of the object.

Abstract: An optical characteristic measuring apparatus includes an optical system, a detector, and an analysis unit. The optical system collects detection light incident from a sample. The detector spectrally disperses the detection light in plural times to generate plural pieces of detection data, the plural pieces of detection data indicating their respective spectra of detection light incident from the sample to the optical system with an optical distance between the sample and the optical system being different from each other. The analysis unit analyzes the spectrum indicated by the detection data to measure a predetermined optical characteristic of the sample. The analysis unit specifies a piece of the detection data to be used for measuring the optical characteristic based on intensity of the detection light in the plural pieces of detection data, and measures the optical characteristic based on the specified piece of the detection data.

Abstract: A method for polishing a polishing pad includes detecting a presence of a defect formed on a groove of a polishing pad; removing the defect from the groove of the polishing pad; after removing the defect, measuring a remaining depth of the groove; and based on the measured remaining depth of the groove, applying a polishing condition on the groove.

Abstract: A printer incorporating a spectrometry device includes a spectroscope that includes a light receiving optical system including a light receiver which receives reflected light from a range of measurement in a medium, a distance sensor that detects the distance between the medium and the spectroscope, and a reflecting mirror driver and an optical path adjuster that adjust the optical path of the reflected light which is incident on the light receiving optical system from the range of measurement according to the distance detected by the distance sensor.

Abstract: A method for polishing a polishing pad includes detecting, by a first sensor, a presence of a defect formed on a groove of a polishing pad; removing, by a polishing disc, the defect from the groove of the polishing pad; after removing the defect, measuring, by a second sensor, a remaining depth of the groove; and based on the measured remaining depth of the groove, applying, through the polishing disc, a polishing condition on the groove.

Abstract: The present invention provides a scan-type exposure apparatus comprising an aperture stop provided with at least one of a mask stage and a substrate stage and configured to reduce an influence of flare light, wherein an opening of the aperture stop includes a first opening portion corresponding to one shot region on a substrate, and a serrated second opening portion including a plurality of first openings that protrude in a second direction parallel to the scanning direction from a side of the first opening portion along a first direction perpendicular to the scanning direction, and a length of each of the plurality of first openings in the first direction decreases outward in the second direction from the side of the first opening portion along the first direction.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for measuring a characteristics of a through-silicon via (TSV) structure. A beam profile reflectivity (BPR) tool is used to move to a first xy position having a TSV structure. The BPR tool is then used to obtain an optimum focus of at the first xy position by adjusting the z position to a first optimum z position for obtaining measurements at the first xy position. Via the BPR tool, reflectivity measurements for a plurality of angles of incidence are obtained at the first xy position. One or more film thicknesses for the TSV structure are determined based on the reflectivity measurements. A z position can also be recorded and used to determine a height of such TSV structure, as well as one or more adjacent xy positions.

Abstract: A deposition rate measuring apparatus, including a crystal sensor facing a specific deposition source among a plurality of deposition sources in a deposition apparatus; a deposition-preventing bracket in a front portion of the crystal sensor, the deposition-preventing bracket having an opening that assists inflow of a specific deposition material, the deposition-preventing bracket extending from the opening, and the deposition-preventing bracket surrounding the crystal sensor to prevent interference due to at least one deposition material from at least one adjacent deposition source adjacent to the specific deposition source; and one or more cover portions spaced apart from the opening inward of the deposition-preventing bracket by a predetermined length.

Abstract: A tool computes fitness values for a first generation of a first sub-population of a plurality of sub-populations. A population of candidate solutions for an optimization problem was previously divided into the plurality of sub-populations. The population of candidate solutions was created for an iterative computing process in accordance with an evolutionary algorithm to identify a most fit candidate solution for the optimization problem. The tool determines a speculative ranking of the first generation of the first sub-population prior to the fitness values being computed for all candidate solutions in the first generation of the first sub-population. The tool generates a next generation of the first sub-population based, at least in part, on the speculative ranking prior to completion of computation of the fitness values for the first generation of the first sub-population.

Abstract: A detector for optical detection of location within a volume, comprises a beam source for shining a structured light pattern on the volume and a digital detector having detection pixels of a given size. The light pattern, when shone into the volume and reflected back to the detection pixels, has a brightness distribution with a peak and a surrounding brightness structure. Now often the peak may be smaller than the pixel size although the overall distribution of the brightness extends over multiple pixels. The system includes an electronic processor for assessing a distribution of brightness among the neighboring pixels to infer a location of the peak within a region smaller than the size of the central pixel on which it falls, thus giving sub-pixel resolution.

Abstract: According to an embodiment of the invention, a load estimation apparatus which estimates a load added to a laser light irradiation apparatus is provided. In the load estimation apparatus, a focal length adjustment unit adjusts the focal length in accordance with a distance from a light source to a light irradiation position in a recording medium, the apparatus comprising: an obtaining unit which obtains control data in which the light irradiation position is instructed with a coordinate; an operation amount detection unit which analyzes the coordinate of the control data to detect an operation amount of the focal distance adjustment unit; a load value calculation unit which accumulates load value information of the focal length adjustment unit in response to results of comparing the threshold and the operation amount when the operation amount is detected.

Abstract: A coating system comprises: a coating apparatus connected to a syringe filled with a coating agent and having a nozzle for discharging the coating agent of the connected syringe; a robot which moves an object to be coated, held by a robot hand, to a coating position; and a control unit, wherein the coating apparatus comprises a plurality of syringes respectively filled with different coating agents, the nozzles connected to the respective syringes, and a rotary table for rotationally moving together the syringes and the connected nozzles, and the control unit controls to select the syringe filled with the coating agent to be applied to the object, move the nozzle connected to the selected syringe to a position facing the coating position by the rotation of the rotary table, move the object held by the robot hand to the coating position, and discharge the coating agent from the nozzle.

Abstract: Selected properties of a microplate comprising a plurality of sample wells are obtained by repetitively performing focusing functions to determine sequentially a well surface z-position and then a plate bottom z-position for a corresponding current x-y position based on an intensity indicative of a best focus of the well surface and the plate bottom respectively. The well surface z-position and the plate bottom z-position corresponding to each of the plurality of x-y positions are determined by repeating the steps of positioning the objective lens, performing the focusing function to determine the well surface z-position, and performing the focusing function for the plate bottom z-position. The well surface z-positions and the plate bottom z-positions at the plurality of x-y positions are used to generate data to determine the selected properties of the microplate.

Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring deposition rate, an apparatus including the same, for depositing an organic layer, a method of monitoring deposition rate, and a method of manufacturing an organic light emitting display apparatus using the same, are provided. The deposition rate monitoring apparatus for measuring deposition rate of a deposition material discharged from a deposition source, includes: a light source for irradiating light having a wavelength within a photoexcitation bandwidth of the deposition material; a first optical system for irradiating the light emitted from the light source toward the discharged deposition material; a second optical system for collecting the light emitted from the deposition material; and a first light sensor for detecting the amount of the light which is emitted from the deposition material and collected in the second optical system.

Abstract: An optical sensing apparatus and a method for detecting characteristics of a sample.

Abstract: A method of controlling polishing includes storing a sequence of default values, polishing a substrate, monitoring the substrate during polishing with an in-situ monitoring system, generating a sequence of measured values from measurements from the in-situ monitoring system, combining the sequence of measured values with the sequence of default values to generate a sequence of modified values, fitting a function to the sequence of modified values, and determining at least one of a polishing endpoint or an adjustment for a polishing rate based on the function.

Abstract: During polishing of a substrate at a first platen and prior to a first time, a first sequence of values is obtained for a first zone of the first substrate and a second sequence of values is obtained for a different second zone of the substrate with an in-situ monitoring system. A first function is fit to a portion of the first sequence of values obtained prior to the first time, and a second function is fit to a portion of the second sequence of values obtained prior to the second time. At least one polishing parameter is adjusted based on the first fitted function and the second fitted function so as to reduce an expected difference between the zones. A second substrate is polished on the first platen using an adjusted polishing parameter calculated based on the first fitted function and the second fitted function.

Abstract: To measure a film thickness of a coating film (25a) of a flux (25) serving as a bonding paste formed on a transfer stage (24) of a paste transfer unit (7), the film thickness of the coating film (25a) in a transfer area (26) is measured through a light-transmitting member (51) by a light interference method and by an optical type film thickness measuring sensor (53) which is arranged below the transfer stage (24). Thus, it is possible to automatically and accurately measure the film thickness of the flux (25) in the transfer area (26) without requiring any complicated measurement work.

Abstract: An inspection process for detecting defects of thin type, on transparent containers for a series of inspection points distributed over an inspection region superposed according to a determined height of the container taken according to central axis thereof, and according to the circumference of the container comprising: sending a light beam so as to recover on a light sensor the reflected beams by the internal and external faces of the wall of the container, measuring at each inspection point the thickness of the wall as a function of separation at the level of the light sensor between the reflected beams by the internal and external faces, processing the thickness measurements by analyzing their distribution over the inspection region to extract therefrom geometric characteristics, and comparing these geometric characteristics to reference values to determine if the container has a material distribution defect.

Abstract: A sheet supply apparatus includes: a tray on which a stack of sheets can be placed, an air blowing section that blows air towards the stack of sheets to float at least a topmost sheet, a sucking and conveying section, above the tray, that sucks said floating sheet(s) and conveys said sheet(s) in a prescribed direction, and a first light source that emits a first stripshaped slit light having a vertically extending component such that the slit light crosses at least a first edge of a first floating sheet and a second edge of a second floating sheet. An image capture section captures an image of the first slit light, a calculating section calculates a vertical clearance between the first and second sheets, and an air amount adjusting section adjusts an amount of air to be blown by the air blowing section based on the calculated vertical clearance.

Abstract: A system that measures a thickness of an object includes a conveyor to convey the object and an engagement member movable in response to the thickness of the object. The system further includes a lever connected to the engagement member, the lever movable with the movement of the engagement member, and a measurement device to measure the thickness of the object based on a measured position of the lever.

Abstract: A device according to the invention (1) for monitoring the safety of at least one robot (2), having a non-contact detection apparatus (3A, 3B) for monitoring a working space (A) of at least one robot (2) in a monitoring mode (FIG. 1), is characterized by a switching means (1) for switching the detection apparatus into a measuring mode (FIG. 2) to measure at least one robot (2).

Abstract: A translatable media height sensor assembly for measuring a media stack in an imaging forming device. The assembly includes a support and drive and insertion assemblies mounted thereon. Insertion assembly includes a translatable plunger having mounted thereon a sensor and a translatable probe. At a home position, the sensor is actuated by a flag on the support placing sensor output in a first state. During measurement, drive assembly translates insertion assembly toward a media stack and the sensor output changes to a second state and a counter is started. The probe initially encounters the media stack and stops while plunger continues to translate. As the plunger reaches the media stack, the probe engages the sensor causing the sensor output to again change state and stops the counter. The insertion assembly retracts back to the home position where the flag actuates the sensor causing the sensor output to change state.

Abstract: Dual mounting head scanners measure the thickness of flexible moving porous webs and employ an air clamp on the operative surface of the lower head to maintain the web in physical contact with a measurement surface. As the web is held firmly by the clamp, the vacuum level that is established is indicative of the porosity of the membrane. As compressed air is supplied to a vacuum generator at a given operational pressure, the rate of airflow through the web can be inferred from the vacuum pressure measurements. The rate of airflow through the membrane and therefore the porosity of the membrane are related to the vacuum level. It is not necessary to measure the airflow through the membrane. From the vacuum pressure measurements, the membrane's permeability can also be determined by correlation to empirical data. Thickness measurements are effected by optical triangulation and inductive proximity measurements.

Abstract: One embodiment relates to a device that senses alignment and height of a work piece. The device may include both an alignment sensor and a height sensor. The alignment sensor generates a first illumination beam that illuminates an alignment mark on the work piece so as to create a first reflected beam, and determines the alignment of the work piece using the first reflected beam. The height sensor generates a second illumination beam that is directed to a surface of the work piece at an oblique angle so as to form a second illumination spot and images the second illumination spot to determine the height of the work piece. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method including measuring a first distance to a surface of an integrated circuit substrate or a portion of an integrated circuit package by measuring an angle to it from two known points; introducing a material onto the surface; measuring a second distance to a surface of the film from the two known points; and determining a thickness of the introduced material by subtracting the second distance from the first distance.

Abstract: Described herein is a method and apparatus for measuring the thickness of a deposited semiconductor material. A colorimeter has an optical source that illuminates a portion of a deposited semiconductor material with optical radiation, a sensor that collects and measures color information related to reflected radiation from the deposited semiconductor material, and a processor that receives the color information related to the reflected radiation from the sensor and calculates a thickness of the semiconductor material. The processor may control a semiconductor material deposition apparatus.

Abstract: A method for evaluating a thin-film-formed wafer, being configured to calculate a film thickness distribution of a thin film of the thin-film-formed wafer having the thin film on a surface of a substrate, wherein light having a single wavelength ? is applied to a partial region of a surface of the thin-film-formed wafer, reflected light from the region is detected, reflected light intensity for each pixel obtained by dividing the region into many pieces is measured, a reflected light intensity distribution in the region is obtained, and the film thickness distribution of the thin film in the region is calculated from the reflected light intensity distribution. The method enables a film thickness distribution of the micro thin film (an SOI layer) that affects a device to be measured on the entire wafer surface at a low cost with a sufficient spatial resolution in a simplified manner.

Abstract: An measuring apparatus includes: a storage unit configured to store a relationship, regarding an irradiation condition predetermined based on a correlation between a characteristic of each of beams of reflected light obtained from a plurality of patterns different from one another in a thickness of a residual layer in a recessed portion and the thickness of the residual layer of each of the plurality of patterns, between the characteristic of the reflected light from each pattern and the thickness of the residual layer of the pattern; and a processing unit configured to, based on a characteristic of reflected light from a pattern formed on a substrate irradiated with light under the irradiation condition and the relationship stored in the storage unit, obtain a thickness of a residual layer in a recessed portion of the pattern formed on the substrate.

Abstract: A method and system are presented for use in characterizing properties of an article having a structure comprising a multiplicity of sites comprising different periodic patterns, where method includes providing a theoretical model of prediction indicative of optical properties of different stacks defined by geometrical and material parameters of corresponding sites, said sites being common in at least one of geometrical parameter and material parameter; performing optical measurements on at least two different stacks of the article and generating optical measured data indicative of the geometrical parameters and material composition parameters for each of the measured stacks; processing the optical measured data, said processing comprising simultaneously fitting said optical measured data for the multiple measured stacks with said theoretical model and extracting said at least one common parameter, thereby enabling to characterize the properties of the multi-layer structure within the single article.

Abstract: A method for optically measuring height profiles of surfaces, in which an image of the height profile is recorded using an optical recording system, is characterized in that the image is a differential interference contrast image and height gradients within the height profile are represented by intensity gradients, which are quantitatively or qualitatively evaluatable. The surfaces can have structures having a defined profile, in which intensity gradients in the differential interference contrast image, which assume, within a specified tolerance and within a specified range, a value which deviates from a predetermined value or assume a selected value from within a specified tolerance and within a specified range, indicate a defect.

Abstract: A thickness measuring device for measuring an object includes a thickness measuring component and a sensing determining means. The thickness measuring component includes a plurality of measuring members provided respectively in correspondence with a plurality of the objects and a holding member. The measuring member is a probe and the holding member includes a plurality of channels. Each measuring member is held by each channel so that each measuring member is operated by the holding member to respectively measure one object by moving itself along an extending direction and/or by irradiating a light to the object. The sensing determining means retrieves an image of the measuring member and/or an image of the light reflected from the object to further obtain and display a thickness value of the object. The thickness measuring device of the present invention is more effective and inexpensive.

Abstract: A local purging tool for purging a portion of a surface of a wafer with purging gas is disclosed. The purging tool includes a purging chamber configured to contain purging gas within a cavity of the purging chamber, a permeable portion of a surface of the purging chamber configured to diffuse purging gas from the cavity of the chamber to a portion of a surface of a wafer, and an aperture configured to transmit illumination received from an illumination source to a measurement location of the portion of the surface of the wafer and further configured to transmit illumination reflected from the measurement location to a detector.

Abstract: Methods for measuring a thickness of an object including acquiring at least one of a wavelength domain spectrum for an amplitude ratio (?) and a phase difference (?) of reflected light from a film material, converting the wavelength domain spectrum into a 1/wavelength domain spectrum, acquiring a resulting spectrum by performing fast fourier transform (FFT) on the 1/wavelength domain spectrum, and measuring a thickness of the film material from the resulting spectrum may be provided.

Abstract: A film-thickness measuring apparatus and a film-thickness measuring method capable of improving an accuracy of the film-thickness measurement are disclosed. The film-thickness measuring apparatus includes a substrate stage configured to support a substrate horizontally, a rinsing water supply structure configured to supply rinsing water onto an entire surface of the substrate on the substrate stage, a film-thickness measuring head configured to transmit light to a measurement area of the surface of the substrate on the substrate stage, produce a spectrum of reflected light from the measurement area, and determine a film thickness of the substrate from the spectrum, and a fluid supply structure configured to form a flow of a gas on a path of the light and supply the flow of the gas onto the measurement area.

Abstract: An electronic component thickness measurement method includes extracting, from a plurality of second reference lines in first image data and a plurality of second reference lines in second image data, only a second reference line at which a difference in intensity peak between respective second reference lines at a same position in the first image data and the second image data is smallest, and forming third image data including a first reference line and the extracted second reference line, and calculating a thickness of the electronic component from a distance between the first reference line and the second reference line in the third image data.

Abstract: A method of controlling polishing includes polishing a substrate having a second layer overlying a first layer, detecting exposure of the first layer with an in-situ monitoring system, receiving an identification of a selected spectral feature and a characteristic of the selected spectral feature to monitor during polishing, measuring a sequence of spectra of light from the substrate while the substrate is being polished, determining a first value for the characteristic of the feature at the time that the first in-situ monitoring technique detects exposure of the first layer, adding an offset to the first value to generate a second value, and monitoring the characteristic of the feature and halting polishing when the characteristic of the feature is determined to reach the second value.

Abstract: An optical film thickness measuring device, enabling direct measurement of a film thickness of a product in real time accurately without a monitor substrate, includes: a projector, a light receiver, inner beam splitters disposed in a base substrate holder to reflect a measurement beam to a base substrate, an inner optical reflector that totally reflects a measurement beam from the closest inner beam splitter, external beam splitters the measurement beam from the inner beam splitters toward the light receiver, and an outer optical reflector that reflects the measurement beam from the optical reflector toward the light receiver. The measurement beam reflected by the inner beam splitters and the inner optical reflector is passed through the base substrate and then reflected by the external beam splitters and the outer optical reflector to be guided to the light receiver, so that the measurement beam is received by the light receiver.

Abstract: A wind turbine comprising an elongated blade body, a system for detecting an ice layer on the blade body, the system comprising a light source for emitting a light beam; a light splitting optical element optically connected to the light source so as to receive the light beam emitted from the light source, the optical element adapted to split the light beam received from the light source into a reference light beam and a detecting light beam, a boundary area which is arranged at the blade body so as to be exposed to the outer surroundings of the blade body and which is optically connected to the light splitting optical element such as to receive the detecting light beam and to reflect an internal reflected part of the detecting light beam at the boundary area and to transmit a transmitting part of the detecting light beam to the outer surroundings of the blade body through the boundary area and to allow an external reflected part of the transmitting part of the detecting light beam, which has been reflected fr

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a photolithography system having an ambulatory projection and/or detection gratings that provide for high quality height measurements without the use of an air gauge. In some embodiments, the photolithography system has a level sensor having a projection source that generates a measurement beam that is provided to a semiconductor substrate via a projection grating. A detector is positioned to receive a measurement beam reflected from the semiconductor substrate via a detection grating. An ambulatory element selectively varies an orientation of the projection grating and/or the detection grating to improve the measurement of the level sensor. By selectively varying an orientation of the projection and/or detection gratings, erroneous measurements of the level sensor can be eliminated.

Abstract: Approaches for substantially removing bulk aluminum nitride (AlN) from one or more layers epitaxially grown on the bulk AlN are discussed. The bulk AlN is exposed to an etchant during an etching process. During the etching process, the thickness of the bulk AlN can be measured and used to control etching.

Abstract: A measuring apparatus includes a supporting column, a securing assembly, and a pair of measuring elements. The securing assembly is movably located on the supporting column at a predetermined height. The pair of measuring elements is secured on the securing assembly opposite to each other. The measuring elements receive a workpiece and transmit lasers to the workpiece respectively.

Abstract: Methods and systems for enhancing metrology sensitivity to particular parameters of interest are presented. Field enhancement elements (FEEs) are constructed as part of a specimen to enhance the measurement sensitivity of structures of interest present on the specimen. The design of the FEEs takes into account measurement goals and manufacturing design rules to make target fabrication compatible with the overall device fabrication process. Measurement of opaque materials, high-aspect ratio structures, structures with low-sensitivity, or mutually correlated parameters is enhanced by the addition of FEEs. Exemplary measurements include critical dimension, film thickness, film composition, and optical scatterometry overlay. In some examples, a target element includes different FEEs to improve the measurement of different structures of interest. In other examples, different target elements include different FEEs.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for processing a wafer by inserting the wafer into a holding hole of a carrier to hold the wafer, and interposing the carrier holding the wafer between an upper turn table and a lower turn table to process both surfaces of the wafer simultaneously, including: before processing the wafer, detecting a height position of the upper turn table by a laser displacement sensor while interposing the carrier holding the wafer between the upper turn table and the lower turn table; and determining that the wafer is not normally held to redo the holding of the wafer if a difference between the detected height position and a reference position exceeds a threshold. The method can automatically detect accurately a failure in holding the wafer before processing to prevent the wafer from breaking and eliminate the necessity of operator's inspection using touch to improve operation efficiency.

Abstract: Various metrology systems and methods are provided. One metrology system includes a light source configured to produce a diffraction-limited light beam, an apodizer configured to shape the light beam in the entrance pupil of illumination optics, and optical elements configured to direct the diffraction-limited light beam from the apodizer to an illumination spot on a grating target on a wafer and to collect scattered light from the grating target. The metrology system further includes a field stop and a detector configured to detect the scattered light that passes through the field stop. In addition, the metrology system includes a computer system configured to determine a characteristic of the grating target using output of the detector.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for spectrographic monitoring of a substrate during chemical mechanical polishing are described. In one aspect, a computer-implemented method includes storing a library having a plurality of reference spectra, each reference spectrum of the plurality of reference spectra having a stored associated index value, measuring a sequence of spectra in-situ during polishing to obtain measured spectra, for each measured spectrum of the sequence of spectra, finding a best matching reference spectrum to generate a sequence of best matching reference spectra, determining the associated index value for each best matching spectrum from the sequence of best matching reference spectra to generate a sequence of index values, fitting a linear function to the sequence of index values, and halting the polishing either when the linear function matches or exceeds a target index or when the associated index value from the determining step matches or exceeds the target index.

Abstract: Apparatus for monitoring a thickness of a silicon wafer with a highly-doped layer at least at a backside of the silicon wafer is provided. The apparatus has a source configured to emit coherent light of multiple wavelengths. Moreover, the apparatus comprises a measuring head configured to be contactlessly positioned adjacent the silicon wafer and configured to illuminate at least a portion of the silicon wafer with the coherent light and to receive at least a portion of radiation reflected by the silicon wafer. Additionally, the apparatus comprises a spectrometer, a beam splitter and an evaluation device. The evaluation device is configured to determine a thickness of the silicon wafer by analyzing the radiation reflected by the silicon wafer by an optical coherence tomography process. The coherent light is emitted multiple wavelengths in a bandwidth b around a central wavelength wc.

Abstract: A method for decomposing design shapes in a design level into a plurality of target design levels is provided. Design shapes including first-type edges and second-type edges having different directions is provided for a design level. Inner vertices are identified and paired up. Vertices are classified into first-type vertices and second-type vertices. First mask level shapes are generated so as to touch the first-type vertices, and second mask level shapes are generated so as to tough the second-type vertices. Cut mask level shapes are generated to touch each first-type edges that are not over a second-type edge and to touch each second-type edges that are not over a first-type edge. Suitable edges are sized outward to ensure overlap among the various shapes. The design shapes are thus decomposed into first mask level shapes, the second mask level shapes, and the cut mask level shapes.

Abstract: A method for measuring film thickness distribution, including calculating profile P1 indicating wavelength dependence of a reflectance of a first wafer being an object measured with respect to a light at wavelengths not less than a wavelength region of visible light; calculating profile P21 indicating wavelength dependence of a reflectance of a second wafer to light at wavelengths not less than wavelength region of visible light; obtaining a wavelength ?1 observed when profile P31 of a difference between calculated profiles P1 and P21 becomes zero; and selecting waveband including the obtained wavelength ?1 as a waveband of light for use in film thickness distribution measurement by reflection spectroscopy. The film thickness distribution of the first thin film is measured by reflection spectroscopy in a manner that a surface of the first wafer is irradiated with a light to selectively measure only reflected light at a selected waveband.

Abstract: A method is provided for measurement of the thickness of any deposit of material on the inner wall of a pipeline at least partly filled with a medium including hydrocarbons, the medium being for instance oil or natural gas, wherein the method includes: projecting infrared light onto the inner wall of the pipeline along a line corresponding to the intersection between the inner wall of the pipeline and a cross-sectional plane of the pipeline; registering an image of the infrared light projected on the inner wall of the pipeline; and determining the thickness of any deposit of material on the inner wall of the pipeline based on the registered image.