Abstract: A system and method for measuring a quality parameter of a harvested crop are provided. Specifically, the system is adapted to be carried by a harvesting device such that a sensor is enclosed in a controlled environment and such that the sensor is capable of precisely and reliably measuring the quality parameter while the harvesting device is in operation. The system includes a verification device and an actuator device contained within the controlled environment. The actuator device periodically conveys the sensor device to at least one of a verification position relative to the verification device and a measurement position. Thus, the sensor device may be periodically and reliably referenced and/or validated while in use in harsh agricultural environments such that the sensor device is capable of accurately measuring the quality parameter as the crop is harvested.

Abstract: A structure, decomposable into at least one elementary structure or base element, is illuminated and then provides an optical response, at least one geometrical parameter of the base element is determined, and a value is attributed to it, a regression algorithm is implemented which determines modified values of the parameter(s), in order to make the difference between the theoretical response of the base element and the acquired result at most equal to a threshold, and to obtain an image of the structure, and as long as the separation between the acquired and theoretical responses is not satisfactory, new subdivisions of the base element(s) are performed.

Abstract: The present invention has an object of realizing a defect inspection estimated at high accuracy by preparing a reference image that reflects the change of the blur with time from a sampled image and design data. The present invention comprises a point spread function estimating section 23 for estimating a point spread function from an observation image and design information, a convolution image generating section 31 for generating a convolution image by convoluting the point spread function relative to the design information and a reference image generating section 33 for generating a reference image from the convolution image obtained by the convolution image generating section. binary image relative to “chromium on quartz glass”.

Abstract: A method for determining quality of sinograms produced by a medical imaging device. The method may include placing a uniform phantom object in the field of view of the medical imaging device; acquiring one or more phantom sinograms of the uniform phantom object; establish a set of parameters for the acquired one or more phantom sinograms; and determine, based on pre-set ranges of the parameters, the quality of sinograms produced by the medical imaging device. The parameters may be one or more parameters of a group of parameters consisting of block uniformity, block efficiency, randoms rate, scanner efficiency, and scatter ratio.

Abstract: A wafer measurement/inspection instrument receives information on at least one of a processing result and an operating state of at least one of a coater/developer that performs film forming/resist processing to a wafer and an exposure apparatus that performs liquid immersion exposure to the wafer, and optimizes inspection conditions of the wafer based on the received information (steps 501 and 517). With this operation, quality inspection of the wafer can be efficiently performed, and as a consequence, it becomes possible to efficiently perform processing to the wafer.

Abstract: Evaluating irregularities in surfaces of objects such as semiconductor wafers using a thickness profile of a surface section and analyzing the profile to obtain information of an irregularity start position, magnitude, and span along with surface slope and height information.

Abstract: A method and system of comparing a part to a computer model of the part obtains coordinate data for a plurality of points on a part, compares the coordinate data to a computer model of the part to obtain comparison data, reports the comparison data corresponding to a selected surface of the part, and excludes comparison data for all surfaces other than the selected surface.

Abstract: A system for integrating dispersed point-clouds of an object is provided. The system includes a fixture for fixing an object, a measurement machine to scan all surfaces of the object and a computer. The fixture, which has three reference balls, is 360-degree rotatable. The computer includes a point-cloud reading module, a sphere fitting module, a computing module, a matching module and an aligning module. The system utilizes three reference objects to integrate dispersed point-clouds of multiple scans of the object, restore original space location relations of the point-clouds, so as to obtain a complete space point-cloud of the object with simple operation and higher precision. A related method is also provided.

Abstract: The present application discloses a method of model-based measurement of semiconductor device features using a scatterometer system. The method includes at least the following steps. A cost function is defined depending upon a plurality of variable parameters of the scatterometer system and upon a plurality of variable parameters for computer-implemented modeling to determine measurement results. Constraints are established for the plurality of variable parameters of the scatterometer system and for the plurality of variable parameters for the computer-implemented modeling. A computer-implemented optimization procedure is performed to determine an optimized global set of parameters, including both the variable parameters of the scatterometer system and the variable parameters for the computer-implemented modeling, which result in a minimal value of the cost function. Finally, the optimized global set of parameters is applied to configure the scatterometer system and the computer-implemented modeling.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring RF power is described. In one embodiment the system samples RF power that is generated by an RF generator to obtain RF signals that include information indicative of electrical characteristics at a plurality of particular frequencies that fall within a frequency range. The RF signals are digitized to obtain a stream of digital RF signals that include information indicative of electrical characteristics at the plurality of particular frequencies, and the information indicative of electrical characteristics is successively transformed, for each of the plurality of particular frequencies, from a time domain into a frequency domain.

Abstract: A method for assessing data worth for analyzing yield rate includes: getting measured data with data points that corresponds to control variables of semiconductor manufacturing; transforming the data points into a distance matrix with matrix distances corresponding to differences of the data points under the control variables; expressing sample differences recorded in the distance matrix by two-dimension vectors and calculating similarity degrees of the two-dimension vectors and the distance matrix so as to take loss information as a conversion error value; calculating discriminant ability of the transformed two-dimension data and expressing the discriminant ability by an error rate of discriminant; and taking the conversion error value and the error rate of discriminant as penalty terms and calculating a quality score corresponding to the measured data.

Abstract: When the mobile inspection terminal determines that the inspection standard information received from a server is the “specification”, it displays the received inspection standard information and out-of-standard specification information on a liquid crystal display. When it is confirmed in this state that selected inspection standard information is input, whether or not an part to be inspected is acceptable is determined based on the inspection standard information, and the server is notified of a result of determination. Further, when it is determined that the inspection standard information is the “measured value”, a measured value input screen is displayed on the liquid crystal display. When it is confirmed in this state that a measured value is input, whether or not the part to be inspected is acceptable or not is determined based on the input information, and the server is notified of a result of determination.

Abstract: A method that involves matching the trend of process outcome with the trend of process variables to identify the variables that have an impact on the process outcome is disclosed. The method for process trend matching comprises processing of raw data of process outcome and of process variables using an outlier filtering method, smoothing these data using common smoothing algorithm like Kernel, dividing smoothed raw data equally into time intervals, computing the gradients of the points at both ends of the time intervals, and translating the gradients into a scale based on the magnitude of the gradients. The following steps comprise comparing the process outcome and each process variable independently for same time frame, and assigning a score for both outcome and variable. The sum of the scores is then computed which is used to determine the quality of fit. A real-time monitoring system is then set up to monitor these variables for any drifts.

Abstract: Methods for matching semiconductor plasma processing chambers using a calibrated spectrometer are disclosed. In one embodiment, plasma attributes are measured for a process in a reference chamber and a process in a sample chamber. Measuring the plasma attributes during process perturbations allows for the correlation of process parameters to the plasma optical emission spectra. The process parameters can then be adjusted to yield a processed substrate which matches that of the reference chamber. Methods for monitoring the stability of a plasma processing chamber using a calibrated spectrometer are also disclosed.

Abstract: A defect detecting method of a display device includes a defect counting process that measuring a feature amount for each partial region of a display device (P32), and counting regions which is determined as a defective portion based on the measured feature amount of the region (P36), a process that stopping a manufacturing line of the display device when a number of defects counted at the defect counting process is greater than a first threshold value (P38, P42), a defect density calculating process that calculating a defect density in a predetermined area when the number of defects counted at the defect counting process is smaller than the first threshold value (P38), and a process that stopping the manufacturing line of the display device when the defect density calculated at the defect density calculating process is higher than a second threshold value (P40, P42).

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a lens evaluation method capable of easily evaluating whether there is a difference which greatly changes locally in a lens, and evaluating the degree of the difference. According to the lens evaluation method of the present invention, first, power a distribution of a plurality of measurement point in an arbitrary direction. Next, a calculation power distribution (a design power distribution) is created. Further, a difference distribution between an actually measured power distribution, which indicates an actual power distribution, and a calculation power distribution is obtained. Further, the difference distribution is differentiated to obtain a difference index, and an evaluation is performed based on the difference index to evaluate whether there is a difference which greatly changes locally in a lens, and evaluate the degree of the difference.

Abstract: A method of testing a wafer after a current top layer is formed over the wafer. Stress data is collected for the wafer after forming the current top layer. The stress data is derived from changes in wafer curvature. The stress data includes: stress-xx in an x direction and stress-yy in a y direction for each area of a set of finite areas on the wafer, the stress-xx and stress-yy both being derived from wafer-curvature-change-xx in the x direction for each area of the set of finite areas and from wafer-curvature-change-yy in the y direction for each area of the set of finite areas; and the stress-xy being derived from wafer-curvature-change-xy, wherein wafer-curvature-change-xy is a change in wafer twist in the x-y plane for each area of the set of finite areas. A stress gradient vector (and/or its norm) is calculated and used to evaluate the investigating single or multiple accumulated layer.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the present invention provide a system that generates a simulated vibration pattern in a computer subsystem. During operation, a vibration pattern is monitored at a location in the computer subsystem, wherein the vibration pattern is monitored while the computer subsystem is incorporated into the computer system and the computer system is operating. Then, the vibrations of the computer subsystem are mimicked by generating the simulated vibration pattern at the same location in the computer subsystem based on the monitored vibration pattern.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to an apparatus for fastener inspection and sorting mainly including an auxiliary device disposed beside the turntable and attached to an inspecting machine. The device has a support base located adjacent to the turntable and a driving assembly mounted on the base. In this manner, the inspecting machine captures defect signals of each object in different orientations by means of the device driving the machine to automatically revolve round the object or by the magnetic attraction assisting in spinning the object when the machine is immobile, thereby transmitting integral signals to the determining machine for an accurate determinations and hence increasing the quality of the inspection and sorting.

Abstract: The invention relates to recording of position-specific optical measurements of substances such as foodstuff, building materials, combustion products etc. The invention provides online, in-situ recording of wavelength absorption spectra in substances, performed without removing a sample from the substance. In inhomogeneous products, the position correlated to each spectrum allows for extraction of both average values for larger regions as well as specific values characteristic for smaller individual portions. In a preferred embodiment, a probe with two elongate arms has light guiding and light collecting means for recording infrared absorption spectra of portions between them, as well as means for determining an insertion distance into the product.

Abstract: A method for monitoring fabrication parameters comprises steps of: obtaining a normal parameter variance curve and a comparing parameter variance curve; defining a plurality of normal parameter points on the normal parameter variance curve; defining a plurality of comparing parameter points on the comparing parameter variance curve; finding out the corresponding comparing parameter points nearest to the normal parameter points; calculating the distances between the normal parameter points and the corresponding comparing parameter points thereof; summing up the distances so as to receive a total distance; and determining whether or not the total distance exceeds a limit. Via this arrangement, when fabrication parameter of tool is abnormal, it can be efficiently and immediately determined.

Abstract: A component-embedded board fabrication method includes detecting, before the board is covered with a first insulating layer, the actual position of a first electronic component formed on a surface of the board, calculating a displacement between the design position of the first electronic component on the surface of the board and holding the displacement as first displacement data, and correcting, based on the first displacement data, design data to be used for processing the board after the board is covered with the first insulating layer.

Abstract: A method and system of classifying predicted performance of HID lamps or light sources. A characteristic of each lamp or light source is measured after a relatively short time of operation of the lamp or light source. The measurement is placed into one of a plurality of classifications based on its relative value to other similar measurements. Each class is correlated to long term predicted performance of the lamp or light source.

Abstract: A system and method for diagnosis of video device performance in the transfer of audio visual data over a video network physically interfaces with the network to receive audio visual data associated with the video device of interest and uses diagnostic tools to access the audio visual data for determination of performance statistics with analysis of the accessed audio visual data, including video device jitter, latency, throughput, and packet loss.

Abstract: A quality information collection analysis system includes at least one assembly installation having at least one assembly machine which assembles a component, and outputs an assembly time of an assembly as a production time, at least one inspection machine which inspects the assembly to which the component is assembled by the assembly machine, and outputs an inspection result of the assembly as inspection information, and a quality collection analysis device which manages quality information of the assembly, having a storing section which stores information of the component, the production time and the inspection information and a quality information collection analysis section which analyzes a defect factor of the assembly by using the information of the component, the production time and the inspection result.

Abstract: Photovoltaic thin film quality control is obtained where the thin film is supported by a support and a section of the film is illuminated by a polychromatic or monochromatic illumination source. The source forms on the thin film an illuminated line. The light collected from discrete sampled points located on the illuminated line is transferred to a photo-sensitive sensor through an optical switch. The spectral signal of the light reflected, transmitted or scattered by the sampled points is collected by the sensor, processed and photovoltaic thin film parameters applicable to the quality control are derived e.g. thin film thickness, index of refraction, extinction coefficient, absorption coefficient, energy gap, conductivity, crystallinity, surface roughness, crystal phase, material composition and photoluminescence spectrum and intensity. Manufacturing equipment parameters influencing the material properties may be changed to provide a uniform thin film layer with pre-defined properties.

Abstract: A method and the device are provided for determining state of health of the battery, in addition to the power supply system using the device, to reduce operational and processing load by expanding the data sampled at the time when the battery is caused to discharge square wave pulses into the square wave is provided. The method includes determining state of health of a battery by causing the battery to discharge square wave pulses with a prescribed cycle at a prescribed current value. Response voltages are sampled at a time of a pulse-discharge. The sampled response voltages are sampled into orthogonal square wave components. An amplitude of the square wave component is divided by the current value of the pulse-discharge to obtain a pseudo-impedance. A state of health of the battery based on the pseudo-impedance is determined.

Abstract: Methods and systems of alternative overlay calculation and of calculating overlay stability based on alternative overlay settings in a fabrication unit, and a computer readable medium are disclosed being capable of calculating alternative overlay error values based on alignment model parameters, alternative alignment model parameters, and overlay error values for a plurality of measurement positions.

Abstract: A system that utilizes wireless devices as guard tour checkpoint data collection and checkpoint data communication devices is disclosed. The wireless devices have the capability of reading various types of checkpoints and communicating the collected checkpoint data with a computer via a cellular telephone communication system and either a land-based telephone network or the Internet or a cellular data communication device. Alternatively, a Wi-Fi network or the Wi-Fi network and the Internet can be used to communicate collected checkpoint data with the computer. The computer stores and processes the data according to guard tour expected performance parameters, such as rules, schedules, and exceptions, and then generates the necessary commands to produce exception notifications and reports at various types of peripheral equipment.

Abstract: A method for estimating surface moisture content of wood chips for use in a pulp and paper production process comprises measuring chip surface moisture using an infrared surface moisture sensor, and adjusting a calibration of the surface moisture measured with a model using values of a set of optical parameters representing light reflection characteristics of the wood chips, to estimate their surface moisture content.

Abstract: Methods and systems of semiconductor testing where reference dice and non-reference dice in a wafer and/or lot are tested differently. In one embodiment of the invention, geography, lithography exposure, other characteristics, performance and/or behavior are taken into account when selecting reference dice, thereby improving the likelihood that the response of reference dice to testing is well representative of the wafer and/or lot. In one embodiment, based on data from the testing of reference dice, the test flow for non-reference dice and/or other testing may or may not be adjusted.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor thin film includes the steps of: forming an amorphous semiconductor thin film on a substrate; partially forming a crystalline semiconductor thin film for each element region by irradiating laser light to the amorphous semiconductor thin film to selectively perform a heating treatment on the amorphous semiconductor thin film, and crystallizing an amorphous semiconductor thin film corresponding to an irradiation region; and inspecting crystallinity of the crystalline semiconductor thin film. The inspection step includes the steps of obtaining an optical step based on an optical phase difference between a crystallized region and an uncrystallized region by irradiating light to the crystalline semiconductor thin film and the amorphous semiconductor thin film, and evaluating one or both of sorting of the crystalline semiconductor thin film and control of crystallinity of the crystalline semiconductor thin film, based on the obtained optical step.

Abstract: A method for monitoring machine conditions is based on machine learning through the use of a statistical model. A correlation coefficient is calculated using weights assigned to each sample that indicate the likelihood that that sample is an outlier. The resulting correlation coefficient is more robust against outliers. The calculation of the weight is based on the Mahalanobis distance from the sample to the sample mean. Additionally, hierarchical clustering is applied to intuitively reveal group information among sensors. By specifying a similarity threshold, the user can easily obtain desired clustering results.

Abstract: In allocating processing units, first and second requests for jobs are obtained. First and second numbers of processing units requested are determined. First and second numbers of available processing units are determined. When the first number of available processing units is non-zero, the first number of available number of processing units or the first number of processing units requested is assigned to a first processing cluster. A first processing unit in the first processing cluster is designated as a master node. When the second number of available processing units is non-zero, the second number of available number of processing units or the second number of processing units requested is assigned to a second processing cluster. The first processing unit in the second processing cluster is designated as a slave node. The first and second jobs are assigned to the first and second processing clusters, respectively.

Abstract: Provided is a method of designing an optical metrology system for measuring structures on a workpiece wherein the optical metrology system is configured to meet a plurality of design goals. The design of the optical metrology system is optimized by using collected design goal data in comparison to the set plurality of design goals. In one embodiment, the optical metrology system is used for stand alone metrology systems. In another embodiment, the optical metrology system is integrated with a fabrication cluster in semiconductor manufacturing. At least one parameter determined from a diffraction signal measured using the optical metrology system is transmitted to the fabrication cluster. The at least one parameter is used to modify at least one process variable or equipment setting of the fabrication cluster.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a pallet monitoring system for monitoring pallets sequentially conveyed to stations provided along a conveyor path, the system includes: a monitor, connected to the stations. The monitor includes: a defect information collector configured to collect defect information on a defect occurring in the stations; an information storage module configured to store therein the defect information and identification information of the pallets; and a pallet identifier configured to identify the pallets causing a defective product based on the defect information and the identification information stored in the information storage module.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for assessing a probability of failure of operation of a semiconductor wafer. The method includes inputting risk factor data into a memory and inputting a plurality of wafers into a semiconductor fabrication manufacturing process. A subset of wafers is select to obtain a sample population and at least one region of each wafer of the sample population is inspected. Circuit design data associated with each wafer of the sample population is obtained and one or more defects that present an increased risk to the operation of a particular wafer are identified. The identification is a function of the risk factor data, the inspecting step and the circuit design data. A probability of semiconductor wafer failure is calculated.

Abstract: A method for the analysis, control, automation, and information management of life-cycle processes of technical products includes an engineering process, an analysis process, a test process, and accesses an information system. The engineering process, the analysis process and the test process, which includes a plurality of test modules, have connections for information exchange exclusively to the control process and information system. For every test of the test modules, the scope and form of the input and output values are determined by data stored in the information system. The data that are input into the engineering process and determined, and the specified values, are processed by the process control, which determines all of the tests to be carried out. The results are passed on to the process control. The analysis process determines if data and specified values input in the engineering process have been reached by a numerical or numerical/statistical calculation.

Abstract: In allocating processing units of a computer system to generate simulated diffraction signals used in optical metrology, a request for a job to generate simulated diffraction signals using multiple processing units is obtained. A number of processing units requested for the job to generate simulated diffraction signals is then determined. A number of available processing units is determined. When the number of processing units requested is greater than the number of available processing units, a number of processing units is assigned to generate the simulated diffraction signals that is less than the number of processing units requested.

Abstract: A method of reducing an inspection time required for inspecting a wafer with an automated inspection system. A target time is determined, to which the inspection time is to be reduced. A maximum number of analyses that the automated inspection system can perform during the target time is determined, and analysis of the wafer is limited to the maximum number of analyses, thereby enabling the automated inspection system to reduce the inspection time required to inspect the wafer to the target time. In this manner, the length of time required to inspect the wafer with the automated inspection system does not exceed the target time, because the number of inspections that can be performed within the target time has been determined. Thus, the inspection time for each wafer is kept to a desired level.

Abstract: Techniques for estimating a quality of one or more wafers are presented. One or more first wafers comprising one or more first dies are tested. A probability of wafer failure is determined in accordance with one or more first test measurements of the one or more first dies. A pass status and/or a fail status of one or more second wafers is inferred by testing a select one or more second dies of the one or more second wafers and evaluating one or more second test measurements of the select one or more second dies in accordance with the determined probability of wafer failure.

Abstract: The comparative analysis of a sample, derived from a product, with respect to a database comprises the step of determining the class membership of the different characteristics (variables) describing the samples: whether they are characteristics common to the sample under test and the database, they are characteristics particular to the sample under test, or they are characteristics particular to the database. The assignment of the variables to these classes enables parameters to be defined for global comparison of the sample under test and the database, based on: ratios summarizing the values taken by the variables of the different classes, or the distribution of the variables of the different classes. A machine implementation of the analysis is described.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for determining quality parameter and the electronic apparatus using the same. The electronic apparatus includes a central processing unit (CPU) and a memory module. The method includes the following steps: performing a CPU overclocking process to obtain a highest operable CPU frequency; tuning a quality parameter and performing a memory test to obtain a test result; and determining an optimal value based on the test result to be a default value of the quality parameter.

Abstract: After completion of an arbitrary device process, an apparatus for micro-sample extraction extracts a part of a wafer as a micro-sample of a size equal to or larger than a repetition pattern with a probe and places the extracted micro-sample to a micro-sample storage, and the micro-sample storage is stored into an apparatus for micro-sample storage. The wafer is subjected to a post process and an observation desired position is determined in response to a failure analysis requirement. After that, the micro-sample is unloaded from the micro-sample storage by an apparatus for additional processing of the micro-sample and is placed onto an observation sample holder. By performing an additional process in the observation desired position, a failure analysis sample is prepared, and analysis information obtained by an apparatus for failure analysis is output.

Abstract: System and method for monitoring food storage bins. The system may include at least one food storage bin defining a volume usable to store food. Each food storage bin may also include at least one sensor usable to measure temperature within the volume. The system may include a transmitter/receiver operable to wirelessly transmit power to the at least one sensor and wirelessly receiver signals which include information regarding the temperature within the volume and/or the content of the food storage bin. The system may also include a controller coupled to the transmitter/receiver, operable to receive and/or determine information regarding the temperature, location, and/or content of the food storage bins via signals received from the transmitter/receiver. The controller may be operable to store the received information in a memory, e.g., comprised in or coupled to the controller.

Abstract: An information processing method, an information processing apparatus and a program can prevent errors from arising when associating point group data obtained by actually measuring an item such as a metal part and design data defining the item. The characteristic value representing the profile of a face of the design data defining the item and the characteristic value computationally determined from the point group data obtained by actually measuring the item are compared and associated with each other.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for determining the track of origin of a cigarette manufactured in a cigarette making machine having a plurality of tracks. The cigarette making machine (60) is arranged such that the circumferential position of the tipping paper seam and the circumferential position of the tobacco wrapping paper seam are different for different tracks. The apparatus comprises a detector (20, 22; 36; 50) arranged to detect radiation from the cigarette (18) and to produce a signal representative of the detected radiation, and a processor (30; 54) arranged to process the signal produced by the detecting means to identify a shadow cast by a tipping paper seam and a shadow cast by a wrapping paper seam.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for capturing interactions in a system is disclosed. The method includes receiving a selection of a first component of the system and receiving a selection of a second component of the system. The method further includes receiving a selection of an interaction between the first component and the second component, and displaying a list of functions performed by the selected interaction.

Abstract: A method and system for semiconductor wafer inspection is disclosed. Each of a plurality of dies on a wafer may be probed with a probe tool to produce probe data. The probe data may be used to generate one or more non-repeating care areas. An inspection tool may use the non-repeating care areas to perform an inspection of the semiconductor wafer.

Abstract: Various computer-implemented methods, carrier media, and systems for generating a metrology sampling plan are provided. One computer-implemented method for generating a metrology sampling plan includes identifying one or more individual defects that have one or more attributes that are abnormal from one or more attributes of a population of defects in which the individual defects are included. The population of defects is located in a predetermined pattern on a wafer. The method also includes generating the metrology sampling plan based on results of the identifying step such that one or more areas on the wafer in which the one or more identified individual defects are located are sampled during metrology.