A void evaluation apparatus in a solder includes an evaluation function calculation unit for calculating a solder evaluation function by using a pixel value pi contained in the voids that is set to 1 and the pixel value pi not contained in the voids is 0 for each pixel constituting an image in the solder, and by using a weight function w(ri), which is maximum at a solder center (ri=0), and is 0 at a maximum radius (ri=r0) for a distance ri from the solder center. The apparatus further has a void evaluation unit for evaluating that the influence of voids is larger as the evaluation function is relatively larger for the each solder. $\frac{\underset{i=1}{\overset{N}{.Math.}}w\left(r_i\right)p_i}{\underset{i=1}{\overset{N}{.Math.}}w\left(r_i\right)}100$ i: pixel number (1N) pi: pixel value (0 or 1) w(ri): weighting function

A method for measurement of the thickness of thin layers or determination of an element concentration of a measurement object. A primary beam is directed from an X-ray radiation source onto the measurement object. A secondary radiation emitted by the measurement object is detected by a detector and is relayed to an evaluation device. The primary beam is moved within a grid surface which is divided into grid partial surfaces as well as subdivided into at least one line and at least one column. For each grid partial surface a primary beam is directed onto the grid surface. A measuring spot of the primary beam fills at least the grid point. A lateral dimension of the measurement surface is detected and compared to the size of the measuring spot of the primary beam appearing on the measurement object, for size determination of the measurement surface of the measurement object.

Masks that selectively attenuate radiation for inspections of printed circuit boards (PCB) are disclosed. A PCB may be inspected for defects by exposing the PCB with radiation and analyzing the radiation transmitted through the PCB. By employing a radiation mask having first and second segments between the PCB and a radiation source, the radiation may be selectively attenuated to attenuate a first portion of the radiation with a first attenuation level to prevent performance degradation to sensitive semiconductor devices as part of a first sectional area of the PCB, and yet provide substantially non-attenuation or attenuation at a second attenuation level for a second portion of the radiation incident upon a second sectional area of the PCB which is free from sensitive semiconductor devices. In this manner, the selective attenuation enables inspection of the first and second sectional areas of the PCB without damage to the sensitive semiconductor devices.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide an overlay error measuring device for correcting a pattern displacement other than an overlay error to thereby achieve high-precision overlay error measurement. To accomplish the abovementioned purpose, the present invention proposes an overlay error measuring device which measures a dimension between a plurality of patterns belonging to different layers using a signal obtained by a charged particle beam device, and when measuring the dimension, corrects an amount corresponding to a pattern shift due to an optical proximity effect and measures the dimension between the plurality of patterns.

In order to enable the computation of a process window including an arbitrary exposure condition, the present invention comprises: a contour data extraction means for extracting contour data from captured images of a plurality of circuit patterns formed by altering exposure conditions for identical design layouts; a shape variation measurement means for measuring, on the basis of the plurality of sets of extracted contour data, the amount of shape deformation at each edge or local region of the circuit patterns; a variation model computation means for computing, on the basis of the measured amount of shape deformation, a variation model for the contour data of a circuit pattern or a shape corresponding to a prescribed exposure condition; and a process window computation means using the variation model to estimate the amount of shape variation of a circuit pattern or a shape corresponding to an arbitrary exposure condition with respect to a circuit pattern or a shape corresponding to an exposure condition specified by a reference exposure condition and compute a process window on the basis of the estimated amount of shape variation.

An x-ray inspection system includes an x-ray source, a sample support for supporting a sample to be inspected, where the sample support includes a support surface extending in a horizontal plane, an x-ray detector, and a sample support positioning assembly for positioning the sample support relative to the x-ray source or x-ray detector. The sample positioning assembly includes a vertical positioning mechanism for moving the sample support in a vertical direction, orthogonal to the horizontal plane, and a first horizontal positioning mechanism for moving both the sample support and the vertical positioning mechanism in a first horizontal direction. This arrangement allows for accurate movement of the sample to different imaging positions in the horizontal plane and a low power vertical positioning mechanism to be used.

A radiation image acquisition system of an aspect of the present invention includes a radiation source emitting radiation toward an object, a holding unit holding the object, a wavelength conversion member generating scintillation light in response to incidence of the radiation emitted from the radiation source and transmitted through the object, a first imaging means condensing and imaging scintillation light emitted from an incidence surface of the radiation of the wavelength conversion member, a second imaging means condensing and imaging scintillation light emitted from a surface opposite to the incidence surface of the wavelength conversion member, a holding unit position adjusting means adjusting the position of the holding unit between the radiation source and the wavelength conversion member, and an imaging position adjusting means adjusting the position of the first imaging means.

A method for authenticating components by use of x-rays can include first verifying the component is authentic at a first location, scanning said component using a first x-ray scanner to obtain a first image, scrutinizing the first image for a unique feature and associating said unique feature with a feature type and a position. A record of the component in a database can be updated to contain the first image, the feature type and the feature position. The component can then be transported from the first location to a second location. At the second location the component can be rescanned using a second x-ray scanner, to create a second image, which can be scrutinized for features in common with the first feature to form a determination of authenticity.

A system includes a component inspection system having a radiation source configured to generate radiation and a radiation detector configured to detect the radiation after the radiation passes through components to be inspected. The system also includes a fixture configured to receive multiple reels that are each configured to receive a tape in or on which the components are located. The fixture includes a base configured to be secured to a support, a shaft, one or more motors mounted to the shaft and configured to rotate the reels, and one or more joints coupling the shaft and base. The one or more joints are configured to allow (i) rotation of the shaft about a longitudinal axis of the shaft to change an orientation of the shaft with respect to the base and (ii) rotation of the shaft to change a direction at which the shaft extends away from the base.

An x-ray inspection system including a cabinet containing an x-ray source, a sample support for supporting a sample to be inspected, and an x-ray detector; an air mover configured to force air into the cabinet through an air inlet above the sample support, where the air mover and cabinet are configured to force air through the cabinet from the air inlet past the sample support to an air outlet in the cabinet below the sample support, and an assembly for positioning the sample support relative to the x-ray source and x-ray detector. The sample support includes an upper surface extending in a horizontal plane and the sample positioning assembly includes a vertical positioning mechanism for moving the sample support in a vertical direction, orthogonal to the horizontal plane, and a first horizontal positioning mechanism for moving the sample support and vertical positioning mechanism in a first horizontal direction.