Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) can be used to interrogate a surface such as a surface of a layered semiconductor structure on a semiconductor wafer. In some instances, SHG is used to evaluate an interfacial region such as between metal and oxide. Various parameters such as input polarization, output polarization, and azimuthal angle of incident beam, may affect the SHG signal. Accordingly, such parameters are varied for different types of patterns on the wafer. SHG metrology on various test structures may also assist in characterizing a sample.

A method for removing foreign matter from an agricultural product stream of a manufacturing process. The method includes conveying a product stream past an inspection station; scanning a region of the agricultural product stream as it passes the inspection station using at least one light source of a single or different wavelengths; generating hyperspectral images from the scanned region; determining a spectral fingerprint for the agricultural product stream from the hyperspectral images; comparing the spectral fingerprint obtained in step (c) to a spectral fingerprint database containing a plurality of fingerprints using a computer processor to determine whether foreign matter is present and, if present, generating a signal in response thereto; and removing a portion of the conveyed product stream in response to the signal. A system for detecting foreign matter within an agricultural product stream is also provided.

Inspection data that corresponds to potential defects of an object may be received. A first set of locations of first potential defects can be identified. The first set of locations of the first potential defects can be imaged with a review tool to obtain a first set of review images. The first potential defects can be classified based on the first set of review images to obtain first classification results of the first potential defects. A determination can be made as to whether an examination stopping criteria has been satisfied. In response to determining that the examination stopping criteria has not been satisfied, a second set of locations of second potential defects can be identified to be imaged with the review tool to obtain a second set of review images. The second set of locations can be different than the first set of locations.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel technology capable of evaluating a subsurface damaged layer without destroying a semiconductor substrate. As means for solving this object, the present invention includes a measurement step of causing laser light having penetration characteristics to be incident from a surface of a semiconductor substrate having a subsurface damaged layer under the surface and measuring an intensity of scattered light scattered under the surface, and an evaluation step of evaluating the subsurface damaged layer on the basis of the intensity of the scattered light obtained in the measurement step.

Provided is a method for monitoring a manufacturing process of an agricultural product. The method utilizes hyperspectral imaging and comprises scanning at least one region along a sample of agricultural product using at least one light source of a single or different wavelengths; generating hyperspectral images from the at least one region; determining a spectral fingerprint for the sample of agricultural product from the hyperspectral images; and comparing the spectral fingerprint so obtained to a spectral fingerprint database containing a plurality of fingerprints obtained at various points of the manufacturing process, using a computer processor, to determine which point in the manufacturing process the sample has progressed to.

A method for removing foreign matter from an agricultural product stream of a manufacturing process. The method includes conveying a product stream past an inspection station; scanning a region of the agricultural product stream as it passes the inspection station using at least one light source of a single or different wavelengths; generating hyperspectral images from the scanned region; determining a spectral fingerprint for the agricultural product stream from the hyperspectral images; comparing the spectral fingerprint obtained in step (c) to a spectral fingerprint database containing a plurality of fingerprints using a computer processor to determine whether foreign matter is present and, if present, generating a signal in response thereto; and removing a portion of the conveyed product stream in response to the signal. A system for detecting foreign matter within an agricultural product stream is also provided.

Concepts presented herein relate to approaches for performing substrate inspection. In one aspect, the concepts relate to detecting anomalies or candidate defects on the substrate based on contrast in images obtained of the substrate.

Examination system, method and computer-readable medium, the method comprising: processing by a processor using a first recipe at least one image comprised in images and metadata generated by an inspection tool and stored, to detect a first location set of first potential defects and attributes thereof; selecting and imaging part of the first location set with a review tool to obtain an image set; obtaining classification results of said first potential defects and determining a further recipe based thereon; processing the image using the further recipe for detecting a further location set of further defects; selecting part of the further location set; imaging the part with the review tool to obtain a further image set, and obtaining further classification results; and repeating determining the further recipe, processing the image, selecting and imaging part of the further location set, and obtaining further classification results, until a stopping criteria is met.

An overlay metrology system includes an overlay metrology tool configurable to generate overlay signals with a plurality of recipes and further directs an illumination beam to an overlay target and collects radiation emanating from the overlay target in response to the at least a portion of the illumination beam to generate the overlay signal with the particular recipe. The overlay metrology system further acquires two or more overlay signals for a first overlay target using two or more unique recipes, subsequently acquires two or more overlay signals for a second overlay target using the two or more unique recipes, determines candidate overlays for the first and second overlay targets based on the two or more overlay signals for each target, and determines output overlays for the first and second overlay targets based on the two or more candidate overlays for each target.

Provided is a method for blending of agricultural product utilizing hyperspectral imaging. At least one region along a sample of agricultural product is scanned using at least one light source of different wavelengths. Hyperspectral images are generated from the at least one region. A spectral fingerprint for the sample of agricultural product is formed from the hyperspectral images. A plurality of samples of agricultural product is blended based on the spectral fingerprints of the samples according to parameters determined by executing a blending algorithm.