In a method to obtain information to control a manufacturing process for a stacked semiconductor device including several semiconductor layers requiring electrically interconnection, sample data of a semiconductor device sample to be inspected are provided. An X-ray imaging scan of the sample obtaining respective X-ray imaging data is performed. Sample detail information of sample details of the sample are gathered from the X-ray imaging data which are vital for the manufacturing process. Multiple Regions of Interest (ROIs) are identified from the gathered sample detail information by processing data resulting from an ROI identification model, such ROI identification model being previously trained in a machine learning process. Metrology data are extracted from the identified ROIs by processing data resulting from a metrology model, such metrology model being previously trained in a machine learning process. With such method, a process time to obtain the required information to control the manufacturing process can be reduced.

An inspection system includes a controller including a memory maintaining program instructions and one or more processors configured to execute the program instructions. The program instructions cause the one or more processors to generate a geometric model of a structure of a sample, generate an optical response function model of the structure of the sample to illumination based at least in part on the geometric model, receive measured data from a detector, generate a parametric sub-structure model based on at least the optical response function model and the measured data, and extract one or more parameters of the structure based on the measured data.

An analytical method and an analytical apparatus for quantitatively calculating line edge roughness of plasmon super diffraction photolithography. The method includes: determining a theoretical point spread function of a light source based on field intensity distribution of the light source at an exit plane of a focusing element of the plasmon super diffraction photolithography; determining multiple transverse widths of spots in a spot-mapping pattern based on the spot-mapping pattern; determining actual point spread functions corresponding to the multiple transverse widths, based on the theoretical point spread function and the multiple transverse widths; and establishing an analytical equation of line edge roughness of the plasmon super diffraction photolithography based on the variation due to line edge roughness, an exposure dose of each line pattern, the near-field photoresist contrast, and the logarithmic slope of each line pattern. Applicability of surface plasma super diffraction photolithography technology is greatly improved.

Disclosed are a method of forming an optical proximity correction (OPC) model and/or a method of fabricating a semiconductor device using the same. The method of forming the OPC model may include obtaining a scanning electron microscope (SEM) image, which is an average image of a plurality of images taken using one or more scanning electron microscopes, and a graphic data system (GDS) image, which is obtained by imaging a designed layout, aligning the SEM image and the GDS image, performing an image filtering process on the SEM image, extracting a contour from the SEM image, and verifying the contour. The verifying of the contour may be performed using a genetic algorithm. Variables in the genetic algorithm may include first parameters related to the image alignment process, second parameters related to the image filtering process, and third parameters related to a critical dimension (CD) measurement process.

Systems and methods with photolithographic pattern defect detection are provided. A method includes generating a first pixel density map including a first set of peaks and a first set of troughs respectively along a first direction in an image corresponding to a periodic pattern, generating a second pixel density map, for a localized region determined in the first pixel density map dependent on a determined position of a peak and a determined position of a trough, where the second pixel density map includes a second set of peaks and/or a second set of troughs along a second direction of the image that is perpendicular to the first direction, detecting one or more defects in the image by comparing a height/depth and width of a peak or trough of the second set of peaks or troughs with a height/depth threshold parameter and a width threshold parameter, respectively.

Methods and systems for determining characteristic(s) of patterned feature(s) on a specimen are provided. One system includes a computer subsystem configured for comparing one or more images of a specimen generated by an imaging subsystem with one or more modes, respectively, to rendered images generated for the one or more modes and at least one instance of a design for the specimen corresponding to at least one of different values of at least one characteristic of one or more patterned features in the design. The computer subsystem is also configured for determining one or more quality merits for results of the comparing and optimizing the one or more quality merits using an optimization method. In addition, the computer subsystem is configured for determining characteristic(s) of the patterned feature(s) on the specimen from results of the optimizing.

A system, including: a charged-particle beam inspection apparatus configured to scan a sample that includes a target with a plurality of pattern layers; and a controller including circuitry, configured to: obtain detection data in response to a scan of the target; and determine one or more characteristics of the sample in dependence on the obtained detection data and a model, wherein, for each of the plurality of pattern layers of the target, the model has a term that is dependent on the properties of the pattern layer.

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a rotary anode X-ray tube capable of achieving a long product life, or capable of increasing thermal input to an anode target. SOLUTION: A rotary anode X-ray tube 1 includes a cathode 60, an anode target 50, a fixed shaft 10, a rotating body 20, and a liquid metal LM. The fixed shaft 10 has a first radial bearing surface S10a and a second radial bearing surface S10b. The rotating body 20 has a third radial bearing surface S21a, a fourth radial bearing surface S21b, and a heat transmission region 21a to which the anode target 50 is fixed and the heat of which is transmitted. In a direction along the central axis A, the center of the heat transmission region 21a is located between a first dynamic bearing B1 and a second dynamic bearing B2.

Systems and methods of measuring overlay for a sample under a scan performed by a charged-particle beam inspection apparatus include obtaining a first detector signal in response to a first scan of a first target of the sample and a second detector signal in response to a second scan of a second target of the sample; determining a first transformed signal and a second transformed signal by performing a Fourier transform on the first detector signal and the second detector signal; and determining, based on the first transformed signal and the second transformed signal, an overlay value of the sample.

A method for evaluating a pattern formed on a surface of a semiconductor wafer includes: setting a feature space including a plurality of features that are calculatable from sensing data of the pattern; and calculating, in the feature space, a deviation as a vector between a coordinate in the feature space calculated from an evaluation object and a coordinate of a reference point or in a reference space in the feature space set in advance as a comparison object.