In one embodiment, a method includes receiving measured linescan information describing a pattern structure of a feature, applying the received measured linescan information to an inverse linescan model that relates measured linescan information to feature geometry information, and identifying, based at least in part on the applying the received measured linescan model to the inverse linescan model, feature geometry information that describes a feature that would produce a linescan corresponding to the received measured linescan information. The method also includes determining, at least in part using the inverse linescan model, feature edge positions of the identified feature, analyzing the feature edge positions to determine errors in the manufacture of the pattern structure, and controlling a lithography tool based on the analysis of the feature edge positions.

A multiple electron beam inspection apparatus includes a correction circuit that corrects a partial secondary electron image of partial secondary electron images configuring a secondary electron image and obtained by irradiation with a corresponding primary electron beam of the multiple primary electron beams such that the partial secondary electron image becomes close to a uniform beam partial image when an irradiation region of a primary electron beam corresponding to the partial secondary electron image is irradiated with a uniform beam obtained by equalizing shapes and sizes of all primary electron beams, by using a function for individual correction of each primary electron beam, for each of the plural partial secondary electron images, and an inspection circuit that performs inspection using plural partial secondary electron images each corrected.

In one embodiment, a method includes generating a model trained to predict a low-probability stochastic defect, using the model to predict the low-probability stochastic defect, determining a process window based on the low-probability stochastic defect, and controlling, based on the process window, a lithography tool to manufacture a device.

In one embodiment, a method includes generating a model trained to predict a low-probability stochastic defect, calibrating, using unbiased measurement data, the model to a specific lithography process, patterning process, or both to generate a calibrated model, using the calibrated model to predict the low-probability stochastic defect; and modifying, based on the low-probability stochastic defect, a variable, parameter, setting, or some combination of a manufacturing process of a device.

A method of measuring a feature amount of a pattern formed on a substrate and provided with periodic irregularities, includes: (A) measuring a pitch of the pattern based on a result of a scanning of a charged particle beam on the substrate; and (B) measuring other feature amounts other than the pitch of the pattern based on the result of the scanning, and correcting the measurement result of the other feature amounts based on a ratio of the measurement result of the pitch obtained in (A) to a design value of the pitch.

A lensless Fourier transform holography high accuracy reconstruction method using a charged particle beam apparatus which holds a sample on a diffraction surface of a diffraction grating provided on the downstream side of a traveling direction of the charged particle beam and which is formed of a material having permeability. The charged particle beam passed through the diffraction surface is image-formed, and the formed image is detected. An opening region of the diffraction grating is smaller than an irradiation region of the charged particle beam on the diffraction grating. Image data is obtained in a state where the irradiation region of the charged particle beam diffracted with the diffraction grating is within the irradiation region of the charged particle beam transmitted through the diffraction grating. Plural holograms obtained based on the image data are Fourier transformed and an intensity distribution image is displayed and stored.

In an image collection system using a transmission electron microscope, a useless collection time to be spent collecting images in each of which particles overlap each other or no particle is contained, and a date volume are reduced. The image collection system includes: a control unit that moves an observation field of view in the transmission electron microscope and overlaps each other electron waves that propagate through spatially different portions within the observation field of view; a photographing unit that acquires the overlapped electron waves as an observation image; and a determination unit that determines whether a particle is present within the observation field of view.

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving measured linescan information describing a pattern structure of a feature, applying the received measured linescan information to an inverse linescan model that relates measured linescan information to feature geometry information, and identifying, based at least in part on the applying the received measured linescan model to the inverse linescan model, feature geometry information that describes a feature that would produce a linescan corresponding to the received measured linescan information. The method also includes determining, at least in part using the inverse linescan model, feature edge positions of the identified feature, analyzing the feature edge positions to determine errors in the manufacture of the pattern structure, and controlling a lithography tool based on the analysis of the feature edge positions.

Disclosed herein is a method of reducing a sample charging effect in a scanning electron microscope (SEM) image, the method comprising: obtaining a first SEM image from a first electron beam scan with a parameter being a first quantity; obtaining a second SEM image from a second electron beam scan with the parameter being a second quantity different from the first quantity; and generating a reduced sample charging effect image based on convolution equations comprising a representation of the first SEM image, a representation of the second SEM image, a first point spread function corresponding to the first SEM image and a second point spread function corresponding to the second SEM image.

A multiple electron beam inspection apparatus includes a correction circuit that corrects a partial secondary electron image of partial secondary electron images configuring a secondary electron image and obtained by irradiation with a corresponding primary electron beam of the multiple primary electron beams such that the partial secondary electron image becomes close to a uniform beam partial image when an irradiation region of a primary electron beam corresponding to the partial secondary electron image is irradiated with a uniform beam obtained by equalizing shapes and sizes of all primary electron beams, by using a function for individual correction of each primary electron beam, for each of the plural partial secondary electron images, and an inspection circuit that performs inspection using plural partial secondary electron images each corrected.