Patent ID: 11935228
Assignee: CARL ZEISS SMT GMBH
Field: Measurement (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 0:
1. A method to acquire a three-dimensional (3D) image of a sample structure by acquiring a set of two-dimensional (2D) images of differently oriented sample planes with the following steps:
acquiring a first raw 2D subset of 2D images of the sample structure by recording a limited number of 2D image acquisitions at a respectively assigned limited number of raw sample planes (RSP),
calculating a raw 3D image of the sample structure from the first raw 2D subset the raw 3D image being represented by a 3D volumetric image data set,
extracting a measurement parameter from the 3D volumetric image data set,
assigning the extracted measurement parameter to the number of 2D image acquisitions recorded during the acquisition step,
acquiring a further interleaving 2D subset of 2D images of the sample structure by recording a further number of interleaving 2D image acquisitions at a respectively assigned further number of interleaved sample planes (ISP) which do not coincide with the previous acquisition sample planes,
repeating the calculating, the extracting, and the assigning steps for the further interleaving 2D set,
comparing actual extracted measurement parameter, Vi+1, with last extracted measurement parameter to check whether a convergence criterion is met,
in case the convergence criterion is not met, repeating the acquiring, the calculating, the extracting, and the comparing steps for an additional interleaving 2D subset including an additional number of interleaving 2D image acquisitions at a respectively assigned additional number of interleaved sample planes (ISP) which do not coincide with the previous acquisition sample planes, until the convergence criterion is met or until a given maximum number of 2D image acquisitions is recorded, and
outputting the measurement parameter and a total number of recorded 2D image acquisitions;
wherein the set of 2D images includes the first raw 2D subset of 2D images and the further interleaving 2D subset of 2D images.