US 2024/0404784 A1 · SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY-BASED TOMOGRAPHY OF SPECIMENS

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a system for non-destructive tomography of specimens. The system includes a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and a processor(s). The SEM is configured to obtain a sinogram of a tested specimen, parameterized by a vector {right arrow over (s)}, by projecting e-beams on the tested specimen, at each of a plurality of projection directions and offsets, and. for each e-beam, measuring a respective intensity of electrons returned from the tested specimen, The processor(s) is configured to obtain a tomographic map, pertaining to the tested specimen, by determining values indicative of components of a vector {right arrow over (t)} defined by an equation W{right arrow over (t)}={right arrow over (s)}. W is a matrix with components wij specifying a contribution of a j-th voxel in a nominal specimen to an i-th element of a nominal sinogram of the nominal specimen. The matrix W accounts for e-beam expansion and attenuation with depth within the nominal specimen.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system for non-destructive tomography of specimens, the system comprising:

a scanning electron microscope (SEM) configured to obtain a sinogram of a tested specimen, parameterized by a vector {right arrow over (s)}, by sequentially projecting e-beams on the tested specimen at each of a plurality of projection directions and a plurality of offsets, respectively, and, for each e-beam, measuring a respective intensity of electrons returned from the tested specimen;
and
one or more processors configured to obtain a tomographic map, pertaining to the tested specimen, by determining values indicative of components of a vector {right arrow over (t)}′ defined by an equation W{right arrow over (t)}={right arrow over (s)}, wherein W is a matrix with components wij specifying a contribution of a j-th voxel in a nominal specimen to a value of an i-th element of a nominal sinogram of the nominal specimen, respectively;
wherein the tested specimen is of a same, or a similar, design intent as the nominal specimen;
and
wherein the matrix W accounts for e-beam expansion and attenuation with depth within the nominal specimen.

3 more elements

A computer-based method for non-destructive scanning electron microscopy-based tomography of specimens, the method comprising operations of:

sequentially projecting e-beams so as to impinge a tested specimen at each of a plurality of projection directions and a plurality of offsets, respectively, and, for each e-beam, measuring a respective intensity of electrons returned from the tested specimen, thereby obtaining a sinogram parameterized by a vector {right arrow over (s)};
and
obtaining a tomographic map pertaining to the tested specimen by determining values indicative of components of a vector {right arrow over (t)}, which is defined by an equation W{right arrow over (t)}={right arrow over (s)}, wherein W is a matrix with components wij specifying a contribution of a j-th voxel in a nominal specimen to a value of an i-th element of a nominal sinogram of the nominal specimen, respectively;
wherein the tested specimen is of a same, or a similar, design intent as the nominal specimen;
and
wherein the matrix W accounts for e-beam expansion and attenuation with depth within the nominal specimen.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Scanning electron microscopy-based tomography of specimens

Life of this patent

Scanning electron microscopy-based tomography of specimens

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20