An apparatus for inspecting a semiconductor device according to an embodiment includes an X-ray irradiation unit configured to make monochromatic X-rays obliquely incident on the semiconductor device, which is an object at a predetermined angle of incidence, a detection unit configured to detect observed X-rays observed from the object using a plurality of two-dimensionally disposed photodetection elements, an analysis apparatus configured to generate X-ray diffraction images obtained by photoelectrically converting the observed X-rays, and a control unit configured to change an angle of incidence and a detection angle of the X-rays, in which the analysis apparatus acquires an X-ray diffraction image every time the angle of incidence is changed, extracts a peak X-ray diffraction image, X-ray intensity of which becomes maximum for each of pixels and compares the peak X-ray diffraction image among the pixels to thereby estimate a stress distribution of the object.

An electron microscope analysis system includes a detector that captures an electron microscope image formed on a detection plane by an electron beam that irradiates a specimen to be observed and transmits through the specimen. Electrons each having a de Broglie wave motion are integrated to be a linear rotor that is a collection of the electrons each having the de Broglie wave motion, so that each electron can be recognized, the principle of conservation of electric charge can be satisfied, and interaction with the specimen can be calculated. The electron is represented as a detection point on the detection plane, for comparison with actual measurement data when the number of electrons is small, to reduce damage of the specimen by the electron beam, and to obtain information of the specimen when an amount of irradiation is small.

Methods are provided for determining a depositional environment of a sample of a subterranean environment. An example method includes measuring intensities for a crystallographic plane (CP) 100 peak and a CP 101 peak for quartz in a diffractogram, calculating a ratio of the intensities of the CP 100 peak to the CP 101 peak, and identifying a depositional environment for the sample from the ratio.

A method and system are presented for use in X-ray based measurements on patterned structures. The method comprises: processing data indicative of measured signals corresponding to detected radiation response of a patterned structure to incident X-ray radiation, and subtracting from said data an effective measured signals substantially free of background noise, said effective measured signals being formed of radiation components of reflected diffraction orders such that model based interpretation of the effective measured signals enables determination of one or more parameters of the patterned structure, wherein said processing comprises: analyzing the measured signals and extracting therefrom a background signal corresponding to the background noise; and applying a filtering procedure to the measured signals to subtract therefrom signal corresponding to the background signal, resulting in the effective measured signal.

A method and system are presented for use in X-ray based measurements on patterned structures. The method comprises: processing data indicative of measured signals corresponding to detected radiation response of a patterned structure to incident X-ray radiation, and subtracting from said data an effective measured signals substantially free of background noise, said effective measured signals being formed of radiation components of reflected diffraction orders such that model based interpretation of the effective measured signals enables determination of one or more parameters of the patterned structure, wherein said processing comprises: analyzing the measured signals and extracting therefrom a background signal corresponding to the background noise; and applying a filtering procedure to the measured signals to subtract therefrom signal corresponding to the background signal, resulting in the effective measured signal.

Provided is a method of diagnosing the degradation of a lithium secondary battery in a non-destructive manner without disassembling the battery, which includes: obtaining, from X-ray diffraction (XRD) data obtained during first charging of the lithium secondary battery, a first graph showing the change of the c-axis d-spacing value of the layered positive electrode active material according to the number of moles of lithium ions deintercalated from the layered positive electrode active material during the charging; obtaining, from XRD data obtained during second charging of the lithium secondary battery, a second graph showing the change of the c-axis d-spacing value of the layered positive electrode active material according to the number of moles of lithium ions deintercalated from the layered positive electrode active material during the charging; and classifying a cause of degradation of the secondary battery by comparing the first graph and the second graph.

A quantitative analysis apparatus, a method, a program, and a manufacturing control system are provided. A WPPF section 320 for determining parameters of theoretical diffraction intensity by performing whole powder pattern fitting with respect to an X-ray diffraction profile to be analyzed, a scale factor acquiring section 325 for acquiring a scale factor of a test component among the determined parameters, a calibration curve storing section 350 for storing a calibration curve indicating a correlation between scale factors of the test component acquired with respect to a standard sample and content ratios of the test component in the standard sample, and a conversion section 370 for converting the scale factor of the test component acquired with respect to an objective sample into the content ratio of the test component in the objective sample using the stored calibration curve, are comprised.

A quantitative analysis apparatus, a method, a program, and a manufacturing control system are provided. A WPPF section 320 for determining parameters of theoretical diffraction intensity by performing whole powder pattern fitting with respect to an X-ray diffraction profile to be analyzed, a scale factor acquiring section 325 for acquiring a scale factor of a test component among the determined parameters, a calibration curve storing section 350 for storing a calibration curve indicating a correlation between scale factors of the test component acquired with respect to a standard sample and content ratios of the test component in the standard sample, and a conversion section 370 for converting the scale factor of the test component acquired with respect to an objective sample into the content ratio of the test component in the objective sample using the stored calibration curve, are comprised.

A measured pattern acquisition unit acquires a measured X-ray scattering pattern of a sample containing a target substance and another known mixed substance. A known pattern acquisition unit acquires a known X-ray scattering pattern of the other known mixed substance. A crystalline pattern acquisition unit at least partially acquires an X-ray diffraction pattern of a crystalline portion included in the target substance. A crystalline integrated intensity calculation unit calculates an integrated intensity for the acquired X-ray diffraction pattern of the crystalline portion. A target substance integrated intensity calculation unit calculates an integrated intensity for an X-ray scattering pattern of the target substance. A degree-of-crystallinity calculation unit calculates a degree of crystallinity of the target substance based on the integrated intensity for the X-ray diffraction pattern of the crystalline portion and the integrated intensity for the X-ray scattering pattern of the target substance.

Methods and systems for improving a measurement recipe describing a sequence of measurements employed to characterize semiconductor structures are described herein. A measurement recipe is repeatedly updated before a queue of measurements defined by the previous measurement recipe is fully executed. In some examples, an improved measurement recipe identifies a minimum set of measurement options that increases wafer throughput while meeting measurement uncertainty requirements. In some examples, measurement recipe optimization is controlled to trade off measurement robustness and measurement time. This enables flexibility in the case of outliers and process excursions. In some examples, measurement recipe optimization is controlled to minimize any combination of measurement uncertainty, measurement time, move time, and target dose. In some examples, a measurement recipe is updated while measurement data is being collected. In some examples, a measurement recipe is updated at a site while data is collected at another site.