Nova Ltd.
METROLOGY METHOD AND SYSTEM

Abstract:

A control system for use in measuring one or more parameters of a patterned structure. The control system is configured as a computer system and comprises: an input utility configured to receive input data comprising raw measured TEM image data, TEM.sub.meas, data indicative of a TEM measurement mode; and a data processor configured to process the raw measured TEM image data, TEM.sub.meas, and generate output data indicative of one or more parameters of a patterned structure. The data processor comprises an optimization module configured and operable to utilize the data indicative of the TEM measurement mode and perform a fitting procedure between the raw measured TEM image data, TEM.sub.meas, and predetermined simulated TEM image data, TEM.sub.simul, and determine one or more parameters of the structure from the simulated image data corresponding to a best fit condition. The predetermined simulated TEM image data, TEM.sub.simul, is based on a parametrized three-dimensional model of features of the patterned structure, and comprises one or more simulated TEM images and a simulated weight map comprising weights assigned to different regions in the simulated TEM image corresponding to different features of the patterned structure.