Abstract: To quantify the degree of a defect, and provide information useful for yield management. Disclosed is a defect quantification method wherein: a defect image is classified; a measurement region and a measurement area are set to each of the defect image and a reference image on the basis of defect image classification results, said reference image corresponding to the defect image; and an evaluation value of a defect is calculated using each of the measurement values obtained from each of the measurement areas of the defect image and the reference image, and the defect is quantified.

Abstract: A pattern inspection apparatus includes a design pattern image generation circuit to generate a first design pattern image by developing an image of the first design pattern, and a second design pattern image by developing an image of the second design pattern for assisting the first design pattern, a comparison circuit to detect a defect candidate by comparing, for each pixel, the measured image with a main reference image which is a predetermined one of the first design pattern image and the second design pattern image, and a determination circuit to determine whether the defect candidate is a defect by using determination conditions obtained using, as a sub reference image, another predetermined one of the first design pattern image and the second design pattern image.

Abstract: A method of inspecting a semiconductor wafer is provided, the method includes scanning a plurality of inspection swaths on a wafer to obtain a plurality of image sets and producing a plurality of reference images from the plurality of image sets, respectively. The method of inspecting a semiconductor wafer further includes selecting a plurality of target images from the plurality of image sets, respectively. The method of inspecting a semiconductor wafer additionally includes comparing each reference image of the plurality of reference images with each target image of the plurality of target images to detect a defect image from each of the plurality of target images. A reference image being compared and a target image being compared are images scanned from the same inspection swath.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to improve evaluation accuracy of a photographed image when an event occurs.

Abstract: The present application discloses a method for compensating mura defects in a display image, the method includes obtaining a plurality of display data and a plurality of address data corresponding to a plurality of display pixels; and determining if a pixel is a sampling pixel based on a data table comprising a plurality of compensation data associated with a plurality of compensation points for compensating a plurality of sampling pixels, each compensation point corresponding to a group of at least one sampling pixel, the plurality of sampling pixels comprising a plurality of display pixels having mura defects and constituting a portion of the plurality of display pixels.

Abstract: With regard to an inspection region for inspecting abnormality of a holding state of the substrate in an image of the substrate holding unit, (1) an upper end surface of the substrate being normally held by the substrate holding unit is confirmed, (2) based on a position of the upper end surface of the substrate that has been confirmed, a position of the inspection region in a vertical direction is determined, and (3) for a candidate of the inspection region of which the position in the vertical direction has been determined, density thereof at a rotation start time of the substrate holding unit is obtained, a horizontal position of the inspection region is determined based on a difference image integrated value, which is an integrated value of a difference absolute value with density of the same region in an initial state of the substrate holding unit.

Abstract: Methods and systems for determining a position of a defect in an electron beam image of a wafer are provided. One method includes determining a second position of a defect with respect to patterns imaged in a test image based on a first position of the defect in a difference image. The method also includes determining a third position of the defect with respect to the patterns in an electron beam image for the defect and determining an association between the first and third positions. In addition, the method includes determining a position of another defect in an electron beam image based on a first position of the other defect in a difference image and the determined association.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, a method is disclosed for determining a difference between a sample position and an in-focus position, as well as a vision inspection system. In a first step image data depicting a sample is captured. Next, a feature set is extracted from the image data. Thereafter, the feature set is classified into a position difference value, corresponding to the difference between the sample position and the in-focus position, by using a machine learning algorithm that is trained to associate image data features to a position difference value.

Abstract: The disclosure discloses a method for measuring a critical dimension of a sub-pixel and a device.

Abstract: Disclosed are an inspection apparatus and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using the same. The inspection apparatus includes a stage configured to receive a substrate, an objective lens on the stage and configured to enlarge the substrate optically, an ocular lens on the objective lens and configured to form at its image plane an image of the substrate, and a plurality of sensors above the ocular lens and in the image plane of the ocular lens.

Abstract: An image analysis method for extracting features of an image and an apparatus for the same are disclosed. An image analysis method performed in an image analysis apparatus may comprise extracting a plurality of features for a plurality of sample images through a pre-learned model to extract features from the plurality of sample images; determining a plurality of target features representing final features to be extracted through the image analysis apparatus; encoding the plurality of features based on a probability distribution of the plurality of target features for the plurality of features; and analyzing a plurality of analysis target images based on the plurality of encoded features when the plurality of analysis target images are received.

Abstract: A trademark retrieval method, comprising: establishing a sample trademark library and establishing a correlation between sample trademarks and division data for figurative element codes of known pending or registered figurative trademarks; extracting and processing image feature information about the sample trademarks, and establishing a correlation between the sample trademarks and the extracted image feature information; extracting image feature information about a trademark to be retrieved; carrying out matching retrieval by taking the image feature information as a retrieval condition, and finding out a sample trademark reaching a pre-determined similarity degree, and a sample trademark with the highest similarity degree and a corresponding figurative element code; acquiring and confirming a figurative element code of the trademark to be retrieved; taking the figurative element code as a retrieval condition to carry out matching retrieval, and finding out a matching sample trademark; collecting a result r

Abstract: A method includes obtaining image information including a first vector by capturing an image of a first wafer, wherein the first wafer is known to be a good product; obtaining image information including a second vector by capturing an image of a second wafer, wherein the second wafer is known to be a defective product; calculating a projection vector based on a covariance matrix associated with the first vector and the second vector; obtaining image information including a third vector by capturing an image of a third wafer under a test; projecting each of the first vector, the second vector and the third vector onto the projection vector; and classifying the third wafer as either the good product or the defective product based on the projected first vector, the projected second vector and the projected third vector.

Abstract: An appropriate motion vector to assign to a pixel in a digital video frame is performed by a comparison of motion vectors of particular surrounding pixels. Direction of at least one of color transition or color brightness transition in the digital video frame is detected to detect direction of object boundaries in the digital video frame. The particular surrounding pixels are selected and grouped (filtered) according to the detected object boundary direction at each pixel. A comparison of the motion vectors of the surrounding pixels then provides information on which group of pixels to assign a current pixel being processed based in part on how close the motion vectors of the surrounding groups match a group pixels to which the pixel being processed belongs.

Abstract: A method and system for detecting defects of integrated circuits have been provided. The method comprises generating process sensitive patterns of an integrated circuit, scanning the process sensitive patterns using a high-resolution system to provide process condition parameters of the integrated circuit, determining care areas of the integrated circuit using the process condition parameters, and scanning the care areas using the high-resolution system to detect at least one defect of the integrated circuit. The system comprises a processor and a memory with instructions executable by the processor to generate process sensitive patterns of an integrated circuit, scan the process sensitive patterns using a high-resolution system to provide process condition parameters of the integrated circuit, determine care areas of the integrated circuit using the process condition parameters, and scan the care areas using the high-resolution system to detect at least one defect of the integrated circuit.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of eliminating OLED display panel Mura. First, a corresponding calculation formula is selected by comparing the gamma value of the OLED display panel and the local gamma value at the present display gray scale, and the compensation gray scale which should be utilized is calculated, and then the OLED display panel is made to show the present compensation gray scale captured with the present calculation to determine whether the preset condition of ending the calculation of the compensation gray scale is achieved, and if the preset condition of ending the calculation of the compensation gray scale is not achieved, the iterative computation does not stop until the preset condition of ending the calculation of the compensation gray scale is achieved, which can rapidly and effectively eliminate the OLED display panel Mura to ensure the brightness uniformity of the OLED display panel.

Abstract: An unmanned autonomous vehicle assessment and reporting system may conduct patch scan analyses of a roof. Damage points on the roof may be evaluated for severity and assigned a severity value. A remediation status may be objectively developed for one or more faces of the roof based on the number of damage points within a patch region of a defined size and the severity value of each of the damage points within the patch region. A visualization system may overlay markings, such as color-coded markings, to display a representation of a roof, patch regions, damage points, and/or severity values.

Abstract: A feature point is a point at which a correlation value is greater than a threshold value, wherein the correlation value is calculated between a template and partial image within an area that is one portion of each genuine tablet image. With regard to a cross-check image, which represents a tablet the authenticity of which is to be verified, a correlation value is calculated between a partial image within an area that is one portion of the cross-check image and the template image, and multiple feature points of the cross-check image at which the calculated correlation value is greater than a predetermined threshold value are extracted. The degree of similarity between the cross-check image and the genuine tablet image is calculated using a geometric characteristic of the extracted multiple feature points and a geometric characteristic of the stored multiple feature points of the genuine tablet image.

Abstract: An IR camera is used to image an IC to identify hot spots. The objective of the IR camera is removed and laser optics are inserted into the optical axis of the system. A laser is then used to ablate the encapsulation in a defined area around the optical axis. The IR camera operates in a lock-in mode to obtain phase information of the IR signal from the IC. The phase information is used to obtain a depth estimate of the defect. Predetermined etch rates are then used in conjunction with the depth estimate to generate a timed end-point for the laser ablation.

Abstract: A floor operations automation system can include an intelligent video module, profiles, decision rules, and a decision module. The intelligent video module can be configured to generate video analytics data from video captured by video cameras within a retail location. The profiles can contain data that represents a business practice or policy of the retail location and/or user-specified preferences for decision-related variables. The decision rules can express actions to be performed in response to predefined conditions within the retail location. The decision module can be configured to decide upon action to be performed, based upon the video analytics data, the profiles, and the decision rules. The decision can be made without direct input from a human agent of the retail location. The actions can affect a business system and/or a human agent associated with the retail location.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product are provided for identifying fabricated component defects using a local adaptive threshold. In use, images are received for target and reference components of a fabricated device. Additionally, a difference image is generated from the target and reference component images, and defect candidates for the target component are identified from the difference image. Further, for each of the identified defect candidates at a location in the difference image: a threshold is determined based on a local area surrounding the location of the defect candidate, and a signal at the location of the defect candidate is compared to the threshold to determine whether the defect candidate is a defect.

Abstract: There is provided an inspection system for inspecting a specimen, an inspection unit capable to operate in conjunction with an inspection machine unit, a die layout clipping unit, methods of inspecting a specimen, and a method of providing a die layout clip. The method of inspecting a specimen comprises: obtaining location information indicative of coordinates of a potential defect of interest revealed in the specimen and of one or more inspected layers corresponding to the potential defect of interest; sending to a die layout clipping unit a first data indicative of the location information and dimensions of an inspection area containing the potential defect of interest; receiving a die layout clip generated in accordance with the first data; specifying at least one inspection algorithm of the inspection area using information comprised in the die layout clip; and enabling inspection of the inspection area using the specified inspection algorithm.

Abstract: In some embodiments, methods include acquiring a micrograph image of a plated through hole and converting the micrograph image to a binary image. Methods include defining a pixel line at a copper-dielectric material interface of the binary image. In some embodiments, methods include comparing a length of an interface line compared to a length of a portion to determine a roughness of the pixel line. In some embodiments, methods include determining a roughness of the hole wall before copper plating. Methods may include determining a roughness of the interface using the pixel line.

Abstract: A method for managing defects for an augmented automatic defect classification (ADC) process is disclosed. The method includes receiving a defect record based on an inspection of a target specimen; extracting, from a design database, relevant design data associated with a patch surrounding a location of a defect from the defect record; performing, by a processor, lithographic simulation on the relevant design data associated with the patch to determine a context patch; comparing, by the processor, the context patch with an image of the defect from the defect record to determine whether there exists a match between the context patch and the image of the defect; and defining the defect as a systematic defect based on a determination that there exists a match between the context patch and the image of the defect.

Abstract: An inspection method includes: irradiating a first portion of a sample to be inspected with a lighting light; obtaining a first optical image in which the lighting light transmitted through the first portion is imaged or a second optical image in which the lighting light reflected by the first optical image is imaged; based on a first defect determination threshold, performing a first comparison between a first reference image referred to the first optical image and the first optical image or a second comparison between a second reference image referred to the second optical image and the second optical image; determining whether the first portion includes a first defect; storing a first coordinate of the first defect, the first defect determination threshold, the first optical image or the second optical image, and the first reference image or the second reference image in a case where the first portion is determined to have the first defect; calculating the number of first defects in the first portion as a

Abstract: In this image acquisition device, a stage driving unit moves a position of a field of view of an objective lens relative to a sample at a predetermined velocity, and a two-dimensional imaging element sequentially captures an optical image of the sample at a predetermined frame rate. Therefore, time required for acquiring partial images over the entire sample is shortened. Further, in this image acquisition device, the moving velocity of the position of the field of view is a velocity set based on a frame rate of the imaging element. Therefore, the movement of the position of the field of view and the imaging of the imaging element are synchronized with each other, and it is possible to capture only necessary partial images.

Abstract: A system and method for measuring medication includes providing a graphical user interface (GUI) including a representation of a medication or a medication container. An indication to measure at least one dimension of the medication or the medication container is provided in the GUI. At least one signal including at least one measured dimension of the medication or the medication container is received by one or more processors that process and store the at least one measured dimension. The at least one measured dimension is provided in the GUI in association with the indication to measure the at least one dimension of the medication or the medication container.

Abstract: An inspection system that may include a processor and a memory module; wherein the memory module is configured to store a first image of an area of an object and a second image of the area of the object; wherein the processor is configured to generate a synthetic image of the area of the object, and to compare the synthetic image to the second image to provide defect detection results.

Abstract: An image inspection apparatus for inspecting an output image on a recording medium by scanning the output image as a scanned image includes an inspection reference image generator to generate an inspection reference image using data of an output-target image; an image inspection unit to determine whether the scanned image includes a defect by comparing a difference between the inspection reference image and the scanned image with a given threshold; and a threshold determiner to determine the given threshold. The threshold determiner computes a difference between the inspection reference image and the scanned image. The threshold determiner determines the given threshold based on the difference between the scanned image and the inspection reference image.

Abstract: Methods and systems for determining a process window for a process performed on a specimen are provided. In general, the embodiments preferentially sample locations in an instance of at least a portion of a device formed on a specimen at a value of a parameter of a process performed on the specimen that is closest to an edge of a determined process window for the process. If defects are detected at the sampled locations, then the sampling may be performed again but for a different instance of the device formed at a value of the parameter that is closer to nominal than the previously used value. When no defects are detected at the sampled locations, then the sampling may be ended, and the determined process window may be modified based on the value of the parameter corresponding to the instance of the device in which no defects were detected.

Abstract: A touch panel correcting apparatus for correcting a first coordinate and a second coordinate associated with a touch position is provided. The correcting apparatus includes a memory and a controller. The memory stores a look-up table storing a plurality of corrected coordinates. The controller selects a corrected first coordinate from the look-up table according to the first coordinate, and substitutes the corrected first coordinate and the second substitute into a function to generate a corrected second coordinate corresponding to the second coordinate.

Abstract: Provided is a pattern inspecting and measuring device that decreases the influence of noise and the like and increases the reliability of an inspection or measurement result during inspection or measurement using the position of an edge extracted from image data obtained by imaging a pattern as the object of inspection or measurement. For this purpose, in the pattern inspecting and measuring device in which inspection or measurement of an inspection or measurement object pattern is performed using the position of the edge extracted, with the use of an edge extraction parameter, from the image data obtained by imaging the inspection or measurement object pattern, the edge extraction parameter is generated using a reference pattern having a shape as an inspection or measurement reference and the image data.

Abstract: An inspection method and apparatus comprising, a step of reflecting linearly-polarized light having a predetermined wavelength using an non-polarizing beam splitter after transmitting the linearly-polarized light through a half-wave plate, irradiating a sample with the linearly-polarized light having a polarization plane of a predetermined angle, causing the light reflected by the sample to be incident to an image capturing sensor through a lens, the non-polarizing beam splitter, and an analyzer, and acquiring an optical image of a pattern formed on the sample; acquiring a plurality of optical images by changing an angle of the analyzer or the half-wave plate, and obtaining an angle of the analyzer or the half-wave plate such that a value of (?/?A) becomes a minimum; and a step of inspecting whether a defect of the pattern exists, wherein the pattern is a repetitive pattern having a period at a resolution limit or less.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a pattern measuring device for generating appropriate reference pattern data while suppressing an increase in the manufacturing cost that would occur when manufacturing conditions are finely changed. A pattern measuring device has an arithmetic processing unit for measuring a pattern formed on a sample. The arithmetic processing unit, on the basis of signals obtained with a charged particle beam device, acquires or generates image data or contour line data on a plurality of circuit patterns created under different manufacturing conditions of a manufacturing apparatus, and generates reference data to be used for measurement of a circuit pattern from the image data or contour line data.

Abstract: A radiographic image capturing device includes: plural radiation dose detection pixels that respectively output signal values according to a dose of irradiated radiation; a determination unit that determines a presence or absence of defects, block-by-block, based on signal values of radiation dose detection pixels included in each of plural blocks, which are arranged such that the respective blocks include at least a portion of the plural radiation dose detection pixels; a block rearrangement unit that performs block rearrangement to change the arrangement of the plural blocks according to a determination result of the determination unit; and a detection unit that detects a dose of irradiated radiation based on signal values of each arranged block or of each rearranged block.

Abstract: A controlling method of a display apparatus, which includes pixels each including red, green, blue, and white sub-pixels, includes receiving image data in a unit of frame, analyzing the image data to extract pixel data with respect to a first pixel among the pixels and block data with respect to a first block of a backlight unit, which corresponds to the first pixel, normalizing the pixel data and the block data, comparing the normalized pixel data and the normalized block data, and generating white compensation data corresponding to the white sub-pixel on the basis of the compared result.

Abstract: Methods and systems for determining one or more characteristics for defects detected on a specimen are provided. One system includes one or more computer subsystems configured for identifying a first defect that was detected on a specimen by an inspection system with a first mode but was not detected with one or more other modes. The computer subsystem(s) are also configured for acquiring, from the storage medium, one or more images generated with the one or more other modes at a location on the specimen corresponding to the first defect. In addition, the computer subsystem(s) are configured for determining one or more characteristics of the acquired one or more images and determining one or more characteristics of the first defect based on the one or more characteristics of the acquired one or more images.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to easily extract, from samples to be observed, defect candidates that can be labeled as a defect or “nuisance” (a part for which a manufacturing tolerance or the like is erroneously detected) and to allow parameters pertaining to observation processing to be easily adjusted. This defect observation method comprises: an imaging step to image, on the basis of defect information from an inspection device, an object to be inspected and obtain a defect image and a reference image corresponding to the defect image; a parameter determining step to determine a first parameter to be used in the defect extraction by using a first feature set distribution acquired from the reference image and the defect image captured in the imaging step and a second feature net distribution acquired from the reference image; and an observing step to observe using the first parameter determined in the parameter determining step.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for inspecting a photolithographic reticle. An inspection tool is used to obtain a plurality of patch area images of each patch area of each die of a set of identical dies on a reticle. An integrated intensity value for each patch area image is determined. A gain is applied to the integrated intensity value for each patch area image based on a pattern sparseness metric of such patch area image and its relative value to other patch area images' pattern sparseness metric. A difference between the integrated intensity value of each patch of pairs of the dies, which each pair includes a test die and a reference die, is determined to form a difference intensity map of the reticle. The difference intensity map correlates with a feature characteristic variation that depends on feature edges of the reticle.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for generating a polygon mesh that may have concavities and/or holes. One example of such a method includes generating a polygon grid, adjusting the grid to fit input image dimensions, adjusting the polygons within the grid to fit detected pixels of interest, simplifying the resulting polygon collection to reduce the total number of polygons, and generating a polygon mesh based on the simplified collection of polygons.

Abstract: A panel inspecting apparatus and method may accurately inspect image quality of a curved portion of a panel with relatively small inspecting cost and time, and the panel inspecting apparatus may have a relatively simple structure. The panel inspecting apparatus includes a support on which a panel is disposed, a mirror corresponding to a curved area of the panel, a lens configured to receive an image from the panel and an image reflected by the mirror and focus the images, and an image sensor configured to capture the images transferred via the lens.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting VC defects and determining the exact shorting locations based on charging dynamics induced by scan direction variation are provided. Embodiments include providing a substrate having at least a partially formed device thereon, the partially formed device having at least a word-line, a share contact, and a bit-line; performing a first EBI on the at least partially formed device in a single direction; classifying defects by ADC based on the first EBI inspection; selecting DOI among the classified defects for further review; performing a second EBI on the DOI in a first, second, third, and fourth direction; comparing a result of the first direction against a result of the second direction and/or a result of the third direction against a result of the fourth direction; and determining a shorting location for each DOI based on the one or more comparisons.

Abstract: A method for defect classification includes storing, in a computer system, a definition of a region in a feature space. The definition is associated with a class of defects and comprises a kernel function comprising a parameter. The parameter determines a shape of the region. A confidence threshold for automatic classification of at least one defect associated with the class is received. A value of the parameter associated with the confidence threshold is selected. Inspection data for a plurality of defects detected in one or more samples under inspection is received. The plurality of defects for the class are automatically classified using the kernel function and the selected value of the parameter.

Abstract: A method, computer product and system for optimization of configurable parameters of inspection tools are provided. The method includes applying a heuristic that utilizes a prioritized sequence of selections of configurable parameters. For each configuration setting of the heuristic the method includes providing a set of local scan images of a list of DOIs, calculating an optimization target function and updating the configuration settings with the best value of each scanned parameter according to said prioritization heuristic. The method includes outputting the one or more updated configuration settings to a recipe file.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for mapping dependencies between system components and for analyzing and acting on possible root causes for anomalies experienced by the system components. Aspects of the present disclosure may present for display information associated with the dependency maps and ranked lists of possible root causes of anomalies. Ranking comprises determination of which operating parameters of related system components, when anomalous, will have the greatest effect on the operation of monitored system components. When possible root causes are ranked, notifications may be issued to alert administrators or other systems of the anomaly and the likely root causes.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for inspecting an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) reticle is disclosed. An inspection tool for detecting electromagnetic waveforms is used to obtain a phase defect map for the EUV reticle before a pattern is formed on the EUV reticle, and the phase defect map identifies a position of each phase defect on the EUV reticle. After the pattern is formed on the EUV reticle, a charged particle tool is used to obtain an image of each reticle portion that is proximate to each position of each phase defect as identified in the phase defect map. The phase defect map and one or images of each reticle portion that is proximate to each position of each phase defect are displayed or stored so as to facilitate analysis of whether to repair or discard the EUV reticle.

Abstract: Methods of and Devices for quality control that can be used with automated optical inspection (AOI), solder paste inspection (SPI), and automated x-ray inspection (AXI) are disclosed. Plurality of threshold settings are entered in a testing process. Multiple testing results are obtained from the testing process. A graphic presentation is generated showing the numerical relationship among the data points, such that a quality control person is able to fine-tune the testing process to have a predetermined ratio of Defect Escaped % to False Call ppm.

Abstract: Methods and systems for detecting defects on a wafer are provided. One method includes determining difference values for pixels in first output for a wafer generated using a first optics mode of an inspection system and determining other values for pixels in second output for the wafer generated using a second optics mode of the inspection system. The first and second optics modes are different from each other. The method also includes generating a two-dimensional scatter plot of the difference values and the other values for the pixels in the first and second output corresponding to substantially the same locations on the wafer. The method further includes detecting defects on the wafer based on the two-dimensional scatter plot.

Abstract: A method for classification includes receiving inspection data associated with a plurality of defects found in one or more samples and receiving one or more benchmark classification comprising a class for each of the plurality of defects. A readiness criterion for one or more of the classes is evaluated based on the one or more benchmark classification results, wherein the readiness criterion comprises for each class, a suitability of the inspection data for training an automatic defect classifier for the class. A portion of the inspection data is selected corresponding to one or more defects associated with one or more classes that satisfy the readiness criterion. One or more automatic classifiers are trained for the one or more classes that satisfy the readiness criterion using the selected portion of the inspection data.

Abstract: Methods and devices are disclosed for automated detection of a status of wafer fabrication process based on images. The methods advantageously use segment masks to enhance the signal-to-noise ratio of the images. Metrics are then calculated for the segment mask variations in order to determine one or more combinations of segment masks and metrics that are predictive of a process non-compliance. A model can be generated as a result of the process. In another embodiment, a method uses a model to monitor a process for compliance.