Methods and systems for measuring the orientation of a wafer at or near an X-ray scatterometry measurement location are described herein. In one aspect, an X-ray scatterometry based metrology system includes a wafer orientation measurement system that measures wafer orientation based on a single measurement without intervening stage moves. In some embodiments, an orientation measurement spot is coincident with an X-ray measurement spot. In some embodiments, an X-ray scatterometry measurement and a wafer orientation measurement are performed simultaneously. In another aspect, signals detected by a wafer orientation measurement system are filtered temporally, spatially, or both, to improve tracking. In another aspect, a wafer orientation measurement system is calibrated to identify the orientation of the wafer with respect to an incident X-ray beam. In another aspect, a wafer under measurement is positioned based on the measured orientation in a closed loop or open loop manner.

A detection scheme for x-ray small angle scattering is described. An x-ray small angle scattering apparatus may include a first grating and a complementary second grating. The first grating includes a plurality of first grating cells. The complementary second grating includes a plurality of second grating cells. The second grating is positioned relative to the first grating. A configuration of the first grating, a configuration of the second grating and the relative positioning of the gratings are configured to pass one or more small angle scattered photons and to block one or more Compton scattered photons and one or more main x-ray photons.

A detection scheme for x-ray small angle scattering is described. An x-ray small angle scattering apparatus may include a first grating and a complementary second grating. The first grating includes a plurality of first grating cells. The complementary second grating includes a plurality of second grating cells. The second grating is positioned relative to the first grating. A configuration of the first grating, a configuration of the second grating and the relative positioning of the gratings are configured to pass one or more small angle scattered photons and to block one or more Compton scattered photons and one or more main x-ray photons.

Methods and systems for measuring semiconductor structures based on a trained scanning conditional measurement model are described herein. A scanning conditional model is trained based on Design Of Experiments (DOE) measurement data associated with known values of one or more parameters of interest and a set of perturbed values of the one or more parameters of interest. The trained conditional model minimizes the output of an error function characterizing the error between the known values of the perturbed values of the one or more parameters of interest for the given DOE measurement data. During inference, an error value associated with each candidate value of one or more parameters of interest is determined by the trained scanning conditional measurement model. The estimated value of the parameter of interest is the candidate value of the parameter of interest associated with the minimum error value.

Methods and systems for measuring semiconductor structures based on a trained scanning conditional measurement model are described herein. A scanning conditional model is trained based on Design Of Experiments (DOE) measurement data associated with known values of one or more parameters of interest and a set of perturbed values of the one or more parameters of interest. The trained conditional model minimizes the output of an error function characterizing the error between the known values of the perturbed values of the one or more parameters of interest for the given DOE measurement data. During inference, an error value associated with each candidate value of one or more parameters of interest is determined by the trained scanning conditional measurement model. The estimated value of the parameter of interest is the candidate value of the parameter of interest associated with the minimum error value.

An X-ray system includes, first and second X-ray channels (XCs), a spot sizer and a processor. The first XC is configured to: (i) direct a first X-ray beam for producing a spot on a surface of a sample, and (ii) produce a first signal responsively to a first X-ray radiation received from the surface. The spot sizer is positioned at a distance from the surface and is shaped and positioned to set the spot size by passing to the surface a portion of the first X-ray beam. The second XC is configured to: (i) direct a second X-ray beam to the surface, and (ii) produce a second signal responsively to a second X-ray radiation received from the surface, and the processor is configured to: (i) perform an analysis of the sample based on the first signal, and (ii) estimate the size of the spot based on the second signal.

An X-ray system includes, first and second X-ray channels (XCs), a spot sizer and a processor. The first XC is configured to: (i) direct a first X-ray beam for producing a spot on a surface of a sample, and (ii) produce a first signal responsively to a first X-ray radiation received from the surface. The spot sizer is positioned at a distance from the surface and is shaped and positioned to set the spot size by passing to the surface a portion of the first X-ray beam. The second XC is configured to: (i) direct a second X-ray beam to the surface, and (ii) produce a second signal responsively to a second X-ray radiation received from the surface, and the processor is configured to: (i) perform an analysis of the sample based on the first signal, and (ii) estimate the size of the spot based on the second signal.

The present disclosure introduces methods for characterizing iron core carbohydrate colloid drug products, such as iron sucrose drug products. Disclosed methods enable the characterization of the iron core size of the iron core nanoparticles in iron carbohydrates as they exist in the formulation in solution, such as e.g. iron sucrose drug products, and more particularly, the average particle diameter size and size distribution(s) of the iron core nanoparticles. The disclosed methods apply small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) in parallel beam transmission geometry, with a sample mounted inside a capillary and centered in the X-ray beam, to iron carbohydrates, such as iron sucrose, in solution without the need to modify the sample, such as to remove unbound carbohydrates, dilute, or dry the sample, to accurately characterize the average iron core particle diameter size of the iron core nanoparticles. An example application of the disclosed method is to perform SAXS measurements under identical instrument settings on two samples of the same type of iron core nanoparticle colloid drug product for the purpose of comparing their iron core structures. Such comparisons are typically performed during the iron core carbohydrate colloid drug development process, and can include comparisons of samples that have been manipulated.

The present disclosure introduces methods for characterizing iron core carbohydrate colloid drug products, such as iron sucrose drug products. Disclosed methods enable the characterization of the iron core size of the iron core nanoparticles in iron carbohydrates as they exist in the formulation in solution, such as e.g. iron sucrose drug products, and more particularly, the average particle diameter size and size distribution(s) of the iron core nanoparticles. The disclosed methods apply small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) in parallel beam transmission geometry, with a sample mounted inside a capillary and centered in the X-ray beam, to iron carbohydrates, such as iron sucrose, in solution without the need to modify the sample, such as to remove unbound carbohydrates, dilute, or dry the sample, to accurately characterize the average iron core particle diameter size of the iron core nanoparticles. An example application of the disclosed method is to perform SAXS measurements under identical instrument settings on two samples of the same type of iron core nanoparticle colloid drug product for the purpose of comparing their iron core structures. Such comparisons are typically performed during the iron core carbohydrate colloid drug development process, and can include comparisons of samples that have been manipulated.

An X-ray scattering apparatus having a sample holder for aligning and/or orienting a sample to be analyzed by X-ray scattering, a first X-ray beam delivery system having a first X-ray source and a first monochromator being arranged upstream of the sample holder for generating and directing a first X-ray beam along a beam path, a distal X-ray detector arranged downstream of the sample holder and being movable, in a motorized way, is disclosed. The first X-ray beam delivery system is configured to focus the first X-ray beam onto a focal spot near the distal X-ray detector when placed at its largest distance from the sample holder or produce a parallel beam so that the X-ray scattering apparatus has a second X-ray beam delivery system having a second X-ray source and being configured to generate and direct a divergent second X-ray beam towards the sample holder for X-ray imaging.