Fig. 1. Target gratings in the scribe lines of IC chips ^[4]

Fig. 2. Overview of the principle of optical scatterometry ^[6]

Fig. 3. Schematic of different scatterometric setups. (a) (b) Angular scatterometers; (c) (d) spectroscopic scatterometers ^[6]

Fig. 4. Grating structure. (a) Diffraction of light incident on the rectangular grating structure;(b) hierarchical approximation of arbitrary planar grating structures ^[6]

Fig. 5. Parameter extraction process based on nonlinear regression and library search methods ^[45]

Fig. 6. Commonly used IBO marks ^[53-55]. (a) Frame-in-Frame; (b) Box-in-Box; (c) Bar-in-Bar; (d) advanced imaging metrology; (e) Blossom mark

Fig. 7. Typical overlay marks in eDBO technology (a) Top view; (b) cross-section view along the x-direction

Fig. 8. Angular scatterometer for measuring the intensity difference between the positive and negative first-order diffraction light ^[56]

Fig. 9. Schematic of the monochromatic phase-shifting interferometer ^[67]

Fig. 10. Schematic of laser scattering confocal microscope ^[70]

Fig. 11. Schematic of the Surfscan SP1 inspection system from KLA Corporation ^[74]

Fig. 12. Schematic of the common-path interferometric microscope ^[84]

Fig. 13. Schematic of the through-focus scanning microscope ^[87]

Fig. 14. Defect inspection based on mechanical work and force ^[88]

Fig. 15. Schematic of typical defect inspection based on bright field microscopy ^[90]

Fig. 16. Simulation method for sensitivity of defection inspection based on bright field microscopy ^[94]

Fig. 17. Schematic of mask defect inspection system with concurrent transmission and reflection image acquisition using 199 nm continuous wave laser ^[99]

Fig. 18. Schematic of the scanning lensless imaging microscope ^[110]

Fig. 19. IC device technology node development trend ^[112]

Fig. 20. Dielectric function of silicon as a function of (a) film thickness and (b) nanowire size ^[113]

Fig. 21. CD-SAXS. (a)Schematic of transmission SAXS; (b) schematic of grazing-incidence SAXS ^[113]