US 11,720,029 B2
Method and apparatus for image analysis
Scott Anderson Middlebrooks, Duizel (NL); Markus Gerardus Martinus Maria Van Kraaij, Eindhoven (NL); Adrianus Cornelis Matheus Koopman, Hilversum (NL); Stefan Hunsche, Santa Clara, CA (US); and Willem Marie Julia Marcel Coene, Geldrop (NL)
Assigned to ASML NETHERLANDS B.V., Veldkoven (NL)
Filed by ASML Netherlands B.V., Veldhoven (NL)
Filed on Oct. 8, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/497,207.
Application 16/561,096 is a division of application No. 15/533,309, granted, now 10,437,157, previously published as PCT/EP2015/076540, filed on Nov. 13, 2015.
Application 17/497,207 is a continuation of application No. 16/943,296, filed on Jul. 30, 2020, granted, now 11,143,970.
Application 16/943,296 is a continuation of application No. 16/561,096, filed on Sep. 5, 2019, granted, now 10,732,513.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/089,692, filed on Dec. 9, 2014.
Prior Publication US 2022/0026811 A1, Jan. 27, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G03F 7/20 (2006.01); G03F 7/00 (2006.01); G06T 7/12 (2017.01); G06T 7/149 (2017.01); G06T 7/60 (2017.01)
CPC G03F 7/705 (2013.01) [G03F 7/7065 (2013.01); G03F 7/70625 (2013.01); G03F 7/70633 (2013.01); G06T 7/12 (2017.01); G06T 7/149 (2017.01); G06T 7/60 (2013.01); G06T 2207/10061 (2013.01); G06T 2207/20161 (2013.01); G06T 2207/30148 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A non-transitory computer program product comprising machine-readable instructions therein, the instructions, upon execution by a computer processor system, configured to cause the computer processor system to at least:
process data of a noisy inspection image containing an object representing a structure created by a semiconductor process, with one or more numerical techniques; and
obtain, based on the processing of the inspection image, a high resolution mathematical representation or numerical function corresponding to the structure, wherein the mathematical representation or numerical function is configured for a classification of a defect, for an estimation of a defect, for a monitoring of a process, and/or for a controlling of a process.