There is provided a system and a method comprising obtaining data representative of potential defects in at least one image of a semiconductor specimen, for each potential defect of at least a first subset of potential defects of the semiconductor specimen, obtaining pixel values representative of the potential defect in multiple images of the specimen which differ from each other by at least one parameter, classifying the potential defects into a plurality of first clusters, for each first cluster, building, based on pixel values representative of potential defects, at least one first matching filter for the first cluster, for at least a given potential defect not belonging to the first subset, determining whether it corresponds to a defect based on the first matching filters associated with the plurality of first clusters.

A method for condition monitoring of an installation with operating devices, in which overview data is detected by a first vehicle with an overview sensor arrangement for optical detection of the facility, and the operating devices are identified in the overview data by an evaluation device and the positions of the operating devices are determined taking into account the position of the first vehicle. Detail shots of the operating devices are produced by a detail camera on-board a second or the first vehicle, which is oriented in relation to the respective positions of the operating devices. There is a corresponding arrangement for carrying out the method. A mode of embodiment relates to the condition monitoring of high-voltage masts with high-voltage free lines that are clamped between the masts. Insulators hang on the transverse members as operating devices.

A detection device serves for detecting a structure on an area portion of a lithography mask. The detection device has a first spatially resolving detector and also a further spatially resolving detector arranged separately therefrom. The first spatially resolving detector is embodied as a high-intensity (HI) detector and is arranged in an HI beam path of the detection light which emanates from the mask area portion. The further spatially resolving detector is embodied as a low-intensity (LI) detector and is arranged in an LI beam path of the detection light. The HI beam path on the one hand and the LI beam path on the other hand are embodied such that the HI detector is illuminated with a detection light intensity that is at least twice the magnitude of the detection light intensity with which the LI detector is illuminated. The two spatially resolving detectors are embodied for simultaneously detecting the detection light. The result is a detection device whose dynamic range is increased without limitations of a spatial resolution. Alternatively or additionally, the detection device, by way of the two spatially resolving detectors, can also be embodied for the polarization-resolved measurement of the detection light.

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. An instruction can be determined for the review tool based on the first classification results, the instruction being associated with detecting potential defects. Using the instruction, a second set of locations of second potential defects of the plurality of potential defects to be imaged with the review tool can be identified.

Provided is an inspection management device and the like capable of reducing, by an inspection robot, the number of pieces of measurement data indicating measurement failure. The inspection management device includes: a data analysis unit that determines success or failure in measurement at a measurement position of a structure based on measurement data output from an inspection robot that inspects the structure in accordance with an inspection plan, the measurement data being output each time when the inspection robot performs measurement, and estimates a cause of measurement failure in accordance with a determination result; and an inspection planning unit that corrects the inspection plan based on the estimated cause and outputs the corrected inspection plan.

A prediction device for predicting the growth direction of a crack that occurs in a subject includes: an obtainer that obtains video of the subject; a derivation unit that derives displacement of each of a plurality of regions in the obtained video; a selector that selects, from among the plurality of regions, two or more regions each having displacement similar to displacement of a reference region included in the plurality of regions; and an identification unit that identifies, as the growth direction, the longitudinal direction of a collective region made up of the two or more selected regions.

Disclosed are apparatus and methods for inspecting a sample. Locations corresponding to candidate defect events on a sample are provided from an inspector operable to acquire optical images from which such candidate defect events are detected at their corresponding locations across the sample. High-resolution images are acquired from a high-resolution inspector of the candidate defect events at their corresponding locations on the sample. Each of a set of modelled optical images, which have been modeled from a set of the acquired high-resolution images, is correlated with corresponding ones of a set of the acquired optical images, to identify surface noise events, as shown in the set of high-resolution images, as sources for the corresponding candidate events in the set of acquired optical images. Otherwise, a subsurface event is identified as a likely source for a corresponding candidate defect event.

Samples at a semiconductor wafer that have been reviewed by a review tool may be identified. Furthermore, a candidate sample at the semiconductor wafer that has not been reviewed by the review tool may be identified. A location of the candidate sample at the semiconductor wafer may and a number of the samples that have been reviewed that are at locations proximate to the location of the candidate sample may be determined. The candidate sample may be selected for review by the review tool based on the number of the plurality of samples that are at locations proximate to the location of the candidate sample.

A specimen inspection machine includes a case, a carrying device, an inspection device, a sensing device and a control device. The carrying device is disposed in the case. The inspection device is disposed on the carrying device. The inspection device has accommodating grooves. Each accommodating groove is used for accommodating an inspection sample. The inspection sample at least includes a specimen. The sensing device is disposed in the case on a side of the case opposite the carrying device. The sensing device senses the inspection device to generate first and second sensing signals. The control device is disposed in the case. The control device determines whether the inspection device is disposed in the correct position according to the first sensing signals, and determines whether inspection samples are placed in the accommodating grooves according to the second sensing signals to inspect the accommodating grooves placed with the inspection samples.

The embodiments disclose a method for in-situ inspection and processing of an object including providing a pulsed laser source during the in-situ inspection of a surface of the object for modifying at least one of an optical, mechanical, or chemical property of a first region of the surface, directing the laser source through an optics path to shape, position and focus a pulsed laser beam at the first region, directing a probe illumination light beam to the optics path to produce a combined and collinear optical light path of the probe illumination light beam and the pulsed laser beam to focus and deliver the combined and collinear optical light path at a same region on the surface, superimposing a first focus spot of the probe illumination light beam over a second focus spot of the pulsed laser beam on an illuminated region of the surface.