An inspection tool comprises an imaging system configured to image a portion of a semiconductor substrate. The inspection tool may further comprise an image analysis system configured to obtain an image of a structure on the semiconductor substrate from the imaging system, encode the image of the structure into a latent space thereby forming a first encoding. the image analysis system may subtract an artifact vector, representative of an artifact in the image, from the encoding thereby forming a second encoding; and decode the second encoding to obtain a decoded image.

The invention provides an observation system capable of observing a formation position of a target shape that cannot be directly irradiated with an electron beam. The observation system includes an electron microscope and a computer. The electron microscope is configured to irradiate, with an electron beam, a first surface position on a specimen, which is different from a formation position of a target shape on the specimen, detect predetermined electrons that are scattered in the specimen from the first surface position and that escape from the formation position of the target shape to an outside of the specimen, and output the predetermined electrons as a detection signal. The computer is configured to output one or more values related to the target shape based on the detection signal.

A white light illumination source can illuminate a region of a substrate to be plasma etched with an incident light beam. A camera takes successive images of the region being illuminated during a plasma etch process. Image processing techniques can be applied to the images so as to identify a location of at least one feature on the substrate and to measure a reflectivity signal at the location. The plasma etch process can be modified in response to the measured reflectivity signal at the location.

There is provided a system and method of measuring a lateral recess in a semiconductor specimen, comprising: obtaining a first image acquired by collecting SEs emitted from the surface of the specimen, and a second image acquired by collecting BSEs scattered from an interior region of the specimen between the surface and a target second layer, the specimen scanned using an electron beam with a landing energy selected to penetrate to a depth corresponding to the target second layer; generating a first GL waveform based on the first image, and a second GL waveform based on the second image; estimating a first width of the first layers based on the first GL waveform, and a second width with respect to at least the target second layer based on the second GL; and measuring a lateral recess based on the first width and the second width.

A semiconductor reaction chamber includes a chamber body, a dielectric window, a gas inlet member, a carrier, an upper radio frequency assembly, and a plurality of ultraviolet light generation devices. The dielectric window is arranged at a top of the chamber body. The gas inlet member is arranged at a center position of the dielectric window and configured to introduce a process gas into the chamber body. The carrier is arranged inside the chamber body and configured to carry a to-be-processed wafer. The upper radio frequency assembly is arranged above the chamber body and configured to ionize the process gas introduced into the chamber body to generate a plasma and first ultraviolet light. The plurality of ultraviolet light generation devices is arranged between the dielectric window and the carrier and around the gas inlet member and configured to generate second ultraviolet light radiating toward the carrier.

A semiconductor reaction chamber includes a chamber body, a dielectric window, a gas inlet member, a carrier, an upper radio frequency assembly, and a plurality of ultraviolet light generation devices. The dielectric window is arranged at a top of the chamber body. The gas inlet member is arranged at a center position of the dielectric window and configured to introduce a process gas into the chamber body. The carrier is arranged inside the chamber body and configured to carry a to-be-processed wafer. The upper radio frequency assembly is arranged above the chamber body and configured to ionize the process gas introduced into the chamber body to generate a plasma and first ultraviolet light. The plurality of ultraviolet light generation devices is arranged between the dielectric window and the carrier and around the gas inlet member and configured to generate second ultraviolet light radiating toward the carrier.

A technique that enables automatic focus adjustment even for a sample having regions with different heights is proposed. A charged particle beam device according to the disclosure includes: a sample holder configured to hold a sample; a sample stage configured to move the sample; a charged particle gun and a charged particle beam column configured to irradiate the sample with a charged particle beam; an objective lens configured to perform focus adjustment by changing an intensity of a focusing effect on the charged particle beam; a detector configured to detect electrons from the sample and output a signal forming an electron image; an optical imaging device configured to capture an optical image of the sample; and a control device configured to calculate height information of the sample based on the optical image obtained by imaging the sample by the optical imaging device, and automatically set a focus adjustment value of an observation site based on the height information (see FIG. 5).

Provided is a sample image observation device including an SEM and a control system configured to control the SEM. An observation region of a sample is divided into a plurality of sections, and restoration processing is performed on an image which is acquired by irradiating each section with a sparse electron beam, based on scanning characteristics in the section. A reduction in quality of a restored image due to a beam irradiation position deviation caused by a scanning response is prevented and restoration with high accuracy and high throughput under a condition for preventing sample damage is possible.

Provided is a sample image observation device including an SEM and a control system configured to control the SEM. An observation region of a sample is divided into a plurality of sections, and restoration processing is performed on an image which is acquired by irradiating each section with a sparse electron beam, based on scanning characteristics in the section. A reduction in quality of a restored image due to a beam irradiation position deviation caused by a scanning response is prevented and restoration with high accuracy and high throughput under a condition for preventing sample damage is possible.

A method can be used for sensing and processing image data for an object to be imaged. The object is scanned incompletely by virtue of regions (eB) of the object being sensed, where the sensed image regions (eB) alternate with non-sensed image regions (neB) of the object. Image data (rBD) of the non-sensed image regions (neB) are reconstructed on the basis of the sensed image data (eBD) of the sensed image regions (eB). A noise signal (N) of the sensed image data (eBD) of the sensed regions (eB) is ascertained and transferred to the reconstructed image data (rBD) of the non-sensed regions (neB), so that a user obtains a homogeneous visual impression in relation to the noise arising in the overall image data of the object visualized in a resultant overall image (rGB.sub.Inv).