Resolution Enhancement

Sparse coding has shown to be an effective technique in solving various reconstruction tasks such as denoising, inpainting, and resolution enhancement of natural images. In this paper, we explore the use of this technique specifically to deal with low-resolution and degraded textual images. Firstly, we propose a sparse coding based resolution enhancement approach to recover a textual image with higher resolution than the input low-resolution one. It is based on the use of multiple coupled dictionaries which are learned from a clustered training low-resolution/high-resolution patch-pair database. A reconstruction scheme is then suggested in order to adaptively select the appropriate dictionaries that are useful for better recovering each local patch. This approach can be applied for the magnification of both printed and handwritten characters. Secondly, we propose to integrate the magnification in a restoration framework specifically to denoise and reconstruct at the same time degraded characters. The performances of these propositions are evaluated on various types of degraded printed and handwritten textual images where loss of details and background noise exist. Promising results are achieved when compared with results of other existing approaches.

Sparse coding has shown to be an effective technique in solving various reconstruction tasks such as denoising, inpainting, and resolution enhancement of natural images. In this paper, we explore the use of this technique specifically to deal with low-resolution and degraded textual images. Firstly, we propose a sparse coding based resolution enhancement approach to recover a textual image with higher resolution than the input low-resolution one. It is based on the use of multiple coupled dictionaries which are learned from a clustered training low-resolution/high-resolution patch-pair database. A reconstruction scheme is then suggested in order to adaptively select the appropriate dictionaries that are useful for better recovering each local patch. This approach can be applied for the magnification of both printed and handwritten characters. Secondly, we propose to integrate the magnification in a restoration framework specifically to denoise and reconstruct at the same time degraded characters. The performances of these propositions are evaluated on various types of degraded printed and handwritten textual images where loss of details and background noise exist. Promising results are achieved when compared with results of other existing approaches.

Sparse coding has shown to be an effective technique in solving various reconstruction tasks such as denoising, in painting, and resolution enhancement of natural images. In this paper, we explore the use of this technique specifically to deal with low-resolution and degraded textual images. Firstly, we propose a sparse coding based resolution enhancement approach to recover a textual image with higher resolution than the input low-resolution one. It is based on the use of multiple coupled dictionaries which are learned from a clustered training low-resolution/high-resolution patch-pair database. A reconstruction scheme is then suggested in order to adaptively select the appropriate dictionaries that are useful for better recovering each local patch. This approach can be applied for the magnification of both printed and handwritten characters. Secondly, we propose to integrate the magnification in a restoration framework specifically to denoise and reconstruct at the same time degra...

As semiconductor lithography is pushed to smaller dimensions, the process yields tend to suffer due to subwavelength imaging effects. In response, resolution enhancement technologies have been employed together with optimization techniques, specifically source mask optimization (SMO), which finely tunes the process by simultaneously optimizing the source shape and mask features. However, SMO has a limitation in that it fails to compensate for undesired phase effects. For mask features on the order of the wavelength, the topography of the mask can induce aberrations which bring asymmetry to the focus-exposure matrix (FEM) and ultimately decrease the process window. This paper examines the dependency of FEM asymmetry on factors such as the illumination coherency and lens induced spherical aberration. It is shown that lens induced primary spherical aberration strongly impacts the symmetry of the FEM. In this work, phase correction is achieved by incorporating the pupil plane in an optimization. It is shown that primary spherical aberration can correct for effects including the degraded depth of focus and the tilt in the FEM for a dual trench mask. A pupil function with an optimized coefficient of primary spherical aberration balances the spherical aberration induced by the mask topography.

We demonstrate the first, to our knowledge, integration of stimulated emission depletion (STED) with selective plane illumination microscopy (SPIM). Using this method, we were able to obtain up to 60% improvements in axial resolution with lateral resolution enhancements in control samples and zebrafish embryos. The integrated STED-SPIM method combines the advantages of SPIM with the resolution enhancement of STED, and thus provides a method for fast, high-resolution imaging with >100 mm deep penetration into biological tissue.

The problem of enhancing the resolution of wavefield or beam profile measurements obtained using low resolution sensors is addressed by solving the problem of interpolating signals from partial fractional Fourier transform information in several domains. The iterative interpolation algorithm employed is based on the method of projections onto convex sets (POCS).

The Synchroextracting Transform (SET) is a novel and powerful time-frequency analysis technique designed to overcome the resolution limitation imposed by the Heisenberg uncertainty principle in traditional methods. Unlike conventional approaches that retain the entire time-frequency spectrum, SET employs a synchroextracting operator to identify and preserve only the most energyconcentrated time-frequency coefficients associated with the signal's instantaneous frequency. This process effectively filters out smeared and diffused energy, resulting in a highly sparse and sharpened time-frequency representation. This paper elaborates on the fundamental principle of SET and validates its performance using synthetic non-stationary signals. The results demonstrate that SET achieves superior energy concentration and provides exceptional resolution in distinguishing signal components that are otherwise blurred in Short-Time Fourier Transform (STFT) and S-Transform analyses. The method shows significant potential for high-precision signal characterization in various engineering and geophysical applications.

We compare the resolution of the hologram reconstruction synthesis methods based on integral imaging using rectangular and hexagonal lens arrays. By using a hexagonal lens array instead of conventional rectangular lens array, the three-dimensional objects are sampled with hexagonal grids. Due to more efficient sampling of the hexagonal grid, the resolution of the reconstructed object is higher compared with the case of using rectangular lens array. We analyze the resolution enhancement of the hologram reconstruction quantitatively and verify it experimentally.

This paper proposes image super-resolution techniques with multi-channel convolutional neural networks. In the proposed method, output pixels are classified into K × K groups depending on their coordinates. Those groups are generated from separate channels of a convolutional neural network (CNN). Finally, they are synthesized into a K × K magnified image. This architecture can enlarge images directly without bicubic interpolation. Experimental results of 2×2, 3×3, and 4×4 magnifications have shown that the average PSNR for the proposed method is about 0.2 dB higher than that for the conventional SRCNN.

The current optical photolithography technology is approaching the physical barrier to the minimum achievable feature size. To produce smaller devices, new resolution enhancement technologies must be developed. Double exposure lithography has shown promise as potential pathway that is attractive because it is much cheaper than double patterning lithography and it can be deployed on existing imaging tools. However, this technology is not possible without the development of new materials with nonlinear response to exposure dose. The performance of existing materials such as reversible contrast enhancement layers (rCELs) and theoretical materials such as intermediate state two-photon (ISTP) and optical threshold layer (OTL) materials in double exposure applications was investigated through computer simulation. All three materials yielded process windows in double exposure mode. OTL materials showed the largest process window (DOF 0.137 µm, EL 5.06 %). ISTP materials had the next largest process window (DOF 0.124 µm, EL 3.22 %) followed by the rCEL (0.105 µm, 0.58 %). This study is an analysis of the feasibility of using the materials in double exposure mode.

Recent work on Stochastic Local Search (SLS) for the SAT and CSP domains has shown the importance of a dynamic (non-markovian) strategy for weighting clauses in order to escape from local minima. In this paper, we improve the performance of two best ...

This paper describes a methodology for obtaining a high resolution dense point cloud using Kinect (J. Smisek and Pajdla, 2011) and HD cameras. Kinect produces a VGA resolution photograph and a noisy point cloud. But high resolution images of the same scene can easily be obtained using additional HD cameras. We combine the information to generate a high resolution dense point cloud. First, we do a joint calibration of Kinect and the HD cameras using traditional epipolar geometry (R. . Then we use the sparse point cloud obtained from Kinect and the high resolution information from the HD cameras to produce a dense point cloud in a registered frame using graph cut optimization. Experimental results show that this approach can significantly enhance the resolution of the Kinect point cloud.

In industrial manufacturing of microelectronic components, non-destructive failure analysis methods are required for either quality control or for providing a rapid fault isolation and defect localization prior to detailed investigations requiring target preparation. Scanning acoustic microscopy (SAM) is a powerful tool enabling the inspection of internal structures in optically opaque materials non-destructively. In addition, depth specific information can be used for two-and three-dimensional internal imaging without the need of time consuming tomographic scan procedures. The resolution achievable by acoustic microscopy is depending on parameters of both the test equipment and the sample under investigation. However, if applying acoustic microscopy for pure intensity imaging most of its potential remains unused. The aim of the current work was the development of a comprehensive analysis toolbox for extending the application of SAM by employing its full potential. Thus, typical case examples representing different application fields were considered ranging from high density interconnect flip-chip devices over wafer-bonded components to solder tape connectors of a photovoltaic (PV) solar panel. The progress achieved during this work can be split into three categories: Signal Analysis and Parametric Imaging (SA-PI), Signal Analysis and Defect Evaluation (SA-DE) and Image Processing and Resolution Enhancement (IP-RE). Data acquisition was performed using a commercially available scanning acoustic microscope equipped with several ultrasonic transducers covering the frequency range from 15 MHz to 175 MHz. The acoustic data recorded were subjected to sophisticated algorithms operating in time-, frequency-and spatial domain for performing signal-and image analysis. In all three of the presented applications acoustic microscopy combined with signal-and image processing algorithms proved to be a unique tool for non-destructive inspection.

Abstraet. Dating of samples of cave dripstones collected from the Jaskinia Czama (the Polish Tatra Mountains) and fossil bones was carried out by means of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). By this method the age of the sample is found as the ratio of the total dose (TD) to the annual dose rate (D,). TD is established on the basis of EPR speetra, while D a is the sum of the intemal dose rate, calculated on the basis of the coneentration and activity of radioactive nuclides in the sample, and the extemal dose rate measured at the site of the sample collection by a calibrated "/-radiation probe. Two models of uranium accumulation were used: the model of linear accumulation and the model on the basis of the assumption of a disturbed radiation equilibrium in the uranium series. The results were compared with the age determined by the uranium-thorium method. Moreover, by the computer resolution enhancement method the dynamics of paramagnetic centers in calcite annealed in nitrogen atmosphere was studied in the range of 283-873 K, and the results were compared with earlier results for calcite annealed in the air. On the basis of the study of paramagnetic center dynamics in dripstone calcite it was established that the radicals responsible for the EPR signals were CO z in different symmetries of the crystalline field, CO~-in the axial symmetry, CO~" in the axial and isotropic symmetry and HCO32-. The results implied that samples to be subjected to EPR dating should be kept at room temperamre.

Bit-patterned media (BPM), 155-157 Block copolymers (BCPs) diblock copolymer (AB), 11-13 free energy, thin films bulk energy (F bulk ), 21-22 self-assembly process, 17 SEM, 17, 18f surface energy (F surface ), 17-21 homopolymer (HA), 11-13 order-disorder transition definition, 3-4 disordered state, 5 self-consistent field theory, 10-11 strong segregation limit, 9-10 weak segregation limit, 6-7 phase transition SAXS profile, 14 TEM images, 14, 16f solvent-vapor annealing, 53-59 solvothermal annealing process, 59 thermal annealing, 48-53 Bulk energy (F bulk ) conformational entropy, 21-22 lamella orientation, 22, 22f spherical/cylindrical morphologies, 21-22, 22f

A new experiment, the forward directed quantitative G-HCCH-TOCSY for the measurement of the conformation of the five-membered ribosyl unit in RNA oligonucleotides, is presented. The experiment relies on quantification of cross peak intensities caused by evolution of CH,CH-dipole–dipole cross correlated relaxation in non-evolution periods and the resolution enhancement obtainable in forward directed HCC-TOCSY transfer. Cross correlated relaxation rates are interpreted

Many bioelectric signals have a complex internal structure that can be a rich source of information on the tissue or cell processes. The structure of such signals can be analysed in detail by applying digital methods of signal processing. Therefore, of substantial use in diagnosis of the coronary arterial disease is the method of digital enhancement of increasing signal resolution ECG (NURSE-ECG), permitting detection of temporary changes in the electric potentials in the cardiac muscle in the process of depolarisation. Thanks to the application of NURSE-ECG it has become possible to detect relatively small changes in the electric activity of particular fragments of the cardiac muscle undetectable by the standard ECG method, caused by ischemia, the effect of a drug or infarct. The aim of this study was to identify and analyse changes in the electric activity of the cardiac muscle as a result of the Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) operation. In this study the method of NURSE-ECG has been applied in order to identify and analyse changes in the electric activity of the cardiac muscle as a result of the CABG operation. In the study performed in cooperation of the

Changes in the cardiac muscle electric activity as a result of Coronary Artery Bypass Graft operation Many bioelectric signals have a complex internal structure that can be a rich source of information on the tissue or cell processes. The structure of such signals can be analysed in detail by applying digital methods of signal processing. Therefore, of substantial use in diagnosis of the coronary arterial disease is the method of digital enhancement of increasing signal resolution ECG (NURSE-ECG), permitting detection of temporary changes in the electric potentials in the cardiac muscle in the process of depolarisation. Thanks to the application of NURSE-ECG it has become possible to detect relatively small changes in the electric activity of particular fragments of the cardiac muscle undetectable by the standard ECG method, caused by ischemia, the effect of a drug or infarct. The aim of this study was to identify and analyse changes in the electric activity of the cardiac muscle as...

The late Professor Stephen Benton, co-inventor of the world's first holographic video system, sometimes quipped that we were "only 3 Nobel Prizes away" from a practical product. This presentation describes the baby steps, technical breakthroughs, and most recent (perhaps even prize-worthy) developments in this exciting new medium. Topics covered include: Why is it so difficult? (Or, how to handle a terabyte per second.) What technologies enabled the invention of holographic video, and how far have they progressed in the 20 years since? What technological advances will be part of holographic video 20 years hence? How might visual entertainment and communication adapt to a (holographic) volume paradigm? (Or, how we will learn to "box" a shot -rather than "frame" it?) Light-modulation technologies, computational architectures, holographic algorithms, photonic processing, and spatial scene representations -all of these cutting-edge technologies play important roles. Included will be a glimpse of the new full-parallax, full-color holographic display prototype, developed by Zebra Imaging during the past 5 years with support from DARPA.

The windstorm VIVIAN that severely aected Switzerland in February 1990 has been investigated using the Canadian Regional Climate Model (CRCM). This winter storm was characterised by a deep cyclone in the North Atlantic and by strong geopotential and baroclinic north-south gradients in the troposphere over Western Europe resulting in high windspeeds in Switzerland. Our principal emphasis is to demonstrate the ability of the CRCM to simulate the wind®eld intensity and patterns. In order to simulate winds at very high resolution we operate an optimal multiple self-nesting with the CRCM in order to increase the horizontal and vertical resolution. The simulation starts with downscaling NCEP-NCAR reanalyses at 60 km with 20 vertical levels, followed by an intermediate 5-km simulation with 30 vertical levels nested in the former. The 5-km output is in a ®nal phase used for initial and lateral conditions for a 1-km resolution simulation with 46 vertical levels. The multiple self-nesting in the horizontal is necessary to reach sucient resolution to better capture the orographic forcing that modulates the atmospheric circulation at ®ne scales, whereas the vertical resolution enhancement helps to better simulate the boundary layer that modulates the windspeed along the surface and better represents the atmospheric circulation with a complex vertical structure (low-level jets, gravity waves and frontal features). It has also been found that the simulated temporal variability of the wind®eld and of most variables at the ®ner scales increases with the increasing nesting frequency. This indicates that as we progress towards ®ner scales in the horizontal, the vertical and the nesting frequency enhancement helps to simulate windspeed variability. However, the variability within the larger domain is limited by the archival frequency of reanalysis data that cannot resolve disturbances with time scale shorter than 12 h. Results show that while the model simulates well the synoptic-scale ¯ow at 60-km resolution, cascade self-nesting is necessary to capture ®ne-scale features of the topography that modulate the ¯ow that generate localised wind enhancement over Switzerland.

By use of 9.7 GHz and 94 GHz ESR spectra and electron spin echo (ESE)-detected spectra the six radical centres produced by c-irradiation of cellobiose were identified. The radicals are localized on different carbon atoms. Use of high-frequency ESR spectra with computer resolution enhancement methods enabled unique radical identification and determination of g-factors and proton hyperfine splitting, A, with high accuracy. For radiation doses below 20 kGy three radicals dominate: on C 1 with isotropic doublet A = 1.8 mT; on C 2 , C 3 and C 4 with triplet A = 2.9 mT; and localized on CH 2 with anisotropic triplet. For doses above 100 kGy the radical on C 1 dominates, because of cleavage of the glycosidic bonds. Electron spin-lattice relaxation shows that radiation damage of the cellulose structure around the radical centres is significant and radical molecules do not participate in phonon dynamics of the host lattice. The relaxation is because of tunnelling motions of the ring or OH-groups, with tunnelling splitting 2.4 cm -1 . Electron spin echo dephasing results identify cellobiose ring torsions with activation energy 117 cm -1 .

Resolution improvement from several images is typically restricted to simple planar rotations and translations. In this paper, a super-resolution algorithm that allows 3D ego-motion of the camera system is proposed. By exploiting the trifocal tensor constraint of a stereo camera system, the intermediate step of scene structure recovery is effectively skipped. 3D motion is estimated recursively through an extended Kalman filter and used by a novel image warping procedure to perform resolution enhancement. Real image experiment with comparison to well known Irani-Peleg approach confirms the validity of the algorithm.

In Compressive Sensing, the incoherence of a measurement matrix during subsampling is a crucial requirement for the accurate reconstruction of a signal. However, such incoherence is only probable and not assured when subsampling is done with the widely used random measurement matrix. The study proposes an enhanced subsampling technique that integrates linear interpolation with the conventional random measurement matrix to provide assured incoherence during subsampling in Compressive Sensing. The experiments show that the proposed technique is less costly computationally and does a faster subsampling of an audio digital signal than when the traditional random measurement matrix is used solely. Additionally, the results demonstrated that the proposed technique outperformed state-of-the-art techniques with respect to the accuracy and speed of the signal reconstruction along with the L1 optimization. This was proven through the use of performance evaluation metrics such as computational complexity, execution time and Mean Square
Error.

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) remains the most promising technique for acquiring atomic-resolution information in complex carbohydrates. Significant obstacles to the acquisition of such data are the poor chemical-shift dispersion and artifacts resultant from their degenerate chemical structures. The recent development of ultra-high-field NMR (at 900 MHz and beyond) gives new potential to overcome these problems, as we demonstrate on a hexasaccharide of the highly repetitive glycosaminoglycan hyaluronan. At 900 MHz, the expected increase in spectral dispersion due to higher resonance frequencies and reduction in strong coupling-associated distortions are observed. In addition, the fortuitous molecular tumbling rate of oligosaccharides results in longer T 2-values that further significantly enhances resolution, an effect not available to proteins. Combined, the resolution enhancement can be as much as twofold relative to 600 MHz, allowing all 1 H-resonances in the hexasaccharide to be unambiguously assigned using standard natural-abundance experiments. The use of ultra-high-field spectrometers is clearly advantageous and promises a new and exciting era in carbohydrate structural biology.

Microfield exposure tools (METs) playa crucial role in the development of extreme ultra\'iolet (EUV) resists and masks, One of these tools is the SEMATECH Berkeley 0.3 numerical aperture (NA) MET, Using conventional illumination this tool is limited to approximately 22-nm half pitch resolution. However, resolution enhancement techniques have been used to push the patterning capabilities of this tool to half pitches of 18 nm and below, This resolution was achieved in a new imageable hard mask which also supports contact printing down to 22 nm with conventional illumination. Along with resolution, line-edge roughness is another crucial hurdle facing EUV resists, Much of the resist LER, however, can be attributed to the mask. We have shown that intenssionally aggressive mask cleaning on an older generation mask causes correlated LER in photoresist to increase from 3.4 nm to 4,0 nm, We have also shown that new generation EUV masks (l00 pm of substrate roughness) can achieve correlated LER values of 1.1 nm, a 3x improvement over the correlated LER of older generation EUV masks (230 pm of substrate roughness), Finally, a 0.5-NA MET has been proposed that will address the needs of EUV development at the 16-nm node and beyond, The tool will support an ultimate resolution of 8 nm half-pitch and generalized printing using conventional illumination down to 12 nm half pitch.

Microfield exposure tools (METs) have and continue to play a dominant role in the development of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) resists and masks. One of these tools is the SEMATECH Berkeley 0.3 numerical aperture (NA) MET. Here we investigate the possibilities and limitations of using the 0.3-NA MET for sub-22-nm half-pitch development. We consider mask resolution limitations and present a method unique to the centrally obscured MET allowing these mask limitations to be overcome. We also explore projection optics resolution limits and describe various illumination schemes allowing resolution enhancement. At 0.3-NA, the 0.5 k1 factor resolution limit is 22.5 nm meaning that conventional illumination is of limited utility for sub-22-nm development. In general resolution enhancing illumination encompasses increased coherence. We study the effect of this increased coherence on line-edge roughness, which along with resolution is another crucial factor in sub-22-nm resist development.

The Covariance NMR Toolbox is a new software suite that provides a streamlined implementation of covariance-based analysis of multi-dimensional NMR data. The Covariance NMR Toolbox uses the MATLAB or, alternatively, the freely available GNU OCTAVE computer language, providing a user-friendly environment in which to apply and explore covariance techniques. Covariance methods implemented in the toolbox described here include direct and indirect covariance processing, 4D covariance, generalized indirect covariance (GIC), and Z-matrix transform. In order to provide compatibility with a wide variety of spectrometer and spectral analysis platforms, the Covariance NMR Toolbox uses the NMRPipe format for both input and output files. Additionally, datasets small enough to fit in memory are stored as arrays that can be displayed and further manipulated in a versatile manner within MATLAB or OCTAVE.

Microfield exposure tools (METs) playa crucial role in the development of extreme ultra\'iolet (EUV) resists and masks, One of these tools is the SEMATECH Berkeley 0.3 numerical aperture (NA) MET, Using conventional illumination this tool is limited to approximately 22-nm half pitch resolution. However, resolution enhancement techniques have been used to push the patterning capabilities of this tool to half pitches of 18 nm and below, This resolution was achieved in a new imageable hard mask which also supports contact printing down to 22 nm with conventional illumination. Along with resolution, line-edge roughness is another crucial hurdle facing EUV resists, Much of the resist LER, however, can be attributed to the mask. We have shown that intenssionally aggressive mask cleaning on an older generation mask causes correlated LER in photoresist to increase from 3.4 nm to 4,0 nm, We have also shown that new generation EUV masks (l00 pm of substrate roughness) can achieve correlated LER values of 1.1 nm, a 3x improvement over the correlated LER of older generation EUV masks (230 pm of substrate roughness), Finally, a 0.5-NA MET has been proposed that will address the needs of EUV development at the 16-nm node and beyond, The tool will support an ultimate resolution of 8 nm half-pitch and generalized printing using conventional illumination down to 12 nm half pitch.

We demonstrate the first, to our knowledge, integration of stimulated emission depletion (STED) with selective plane illumination microscopy (SPIM). Using this method, we were able to obtain up to 60% improvements in axial resolution with lateral resolution enhancements in control samples and zebrafish embryos. The integrated STED-SPIM method combines the advantages of SPIM with the resolution enhancement of STED, and thus provides a method for fast, high-resolution imaging with >100 mm deep penetration into biological tissue.

Microfield exposure tools (METs) have and continue to play a dominant role in the development of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) resists and masks. One of these tools is the SEMATECH Berkeley 0.3 numerical aperture (NA) MET. Here we investigate the possibilities and limitations of using the 0.3-NA MET for sub-22-nm half-pitch development. We consider mask resolution limitations and present a method unique to the centrally obscured MET allowing these mask limitations to be overcome. We also explore projection optics resolution limits and describe various illumination schemes allowing resolution enhancement. At 0.3-NA, the 0.5 k1 factor resolution limit is 22.5 nm meaning that conventional illumination is of limited utility for sub-22-nm development. In general resolution enhancing illumination encompasses increased coherence. We study the effect of this increased coherence on line-edge roughness, which along with resolution is another crucial factor in sub-22-nm resist development.

High performance analog-to-digital converters (ADC's) employ a parallel configuration of analog folding circuits to symmetrically fold the input signal prior to quantization by high speed comparators (analog preprocessing). This paper identifies a new preprocessing approach that can be easily incorporated into the established techniques to provide an enhanced resolution capability with fewer number of comparators loaded in parallel. The approach is based on preprocessing the analog signal with a symmetrical number system (SNS). The SNS preprocessing is used to decompose the analog amplitude analyzer operation into a number of sub-operations (moduli) which are of smaller computational complexity. Each suboperation symmetrically folds the analog signal with folding period equal to the moduli. Thus, each sub-operation only requires a precision in accordance with that modulus. A much higher resolution is achieved after the N different SNS moduli are used and the results of these low precision sub-operations are recombined. By incorporating the SNS folding concept, the dynamic range of a specific configuration of folding periods and comparator arrangements can be analyzed exactly.

As advanced process technologies in the wafer fabs push the patterning processes toward lower ki factor for sub-wavelength resolution printing, reticles are required to use optical proximity correction (OPC) and phase-shifted mask (PSM) for resolution enhancement. For OPC/PSM mask technology, defect printability is one of the major concerns. Current reticle inspection tools available on the market sometimes are not capable of consistently differentiating between an OPC feature and a true random defect. Due to the process complexity and high cost associated with the making of OPCIPSM reticles, it is important for both mask shops and lithography engineers to understand the impact of different defect types and sizes to the printability. Aerial Image Measurement System (AIMS) has been used in the mask shops for a number of years for reticle applications such as aerial image simulation and transmission measurement of repaired defects. The Virtual Stepper System (VSS) provides an alternative method to do defect printability simulation and analysis using reticle images captured by an optical inspection or review system. In this paper, pre-programmed defects and repairs from a Defect Sensitivity Monitor (DSM) reticle with 200 nm minimum features (at lx) will be studied for printability. The simulated resist lines by AIMS and VSS are both compared to SEM images of resist wafers qualitatively and quantitatively using CD verification. Process window comparison between un-repaired and repaired defects for both good and bad repair cases will be shown. The effect of mask repairs to resist pattern images for the binary mask case will be discussed. AIMS simulation was done at the International Sematech, Virtual stepper simulation at Zygo and resist wafers were processed at AMD-Submicron Development Center using a DUV lithographic process for 0.18 urn Logic process technology.

The problem of recovering a high-resolution frame from a sequence of low-resolution and compressed images is considered. The presence of the compression system complicates the recovery problem, as the operation reduces the amount of frequency aliasing in the low-resolution frames and introduces a non-linear noise process. Increasing the resolution of the decoded frames can still be addressed in a recovery framework though, but the method must also include knowledge of the underlying compression system. Furthermore, improving the spatial resolution of the decoded sequence is no longer the only goal of the recovery algorithm. Instead, the technique is also required to attenuate compression artifacts.

In this paper, we propose an iterative algorithm for enhancing the resolution of monochrome and color image sequences. Various approaches toward motion estimation are investigated and compared. Improving the spatial resolution of an image sequence critically depends upon the accuracy of the motion estimator. The problem is complicated by the fact that the motion field is prone to significant errors since the original high-resolution images are not available. Improved motion estimates may be obtained by using a more robust and accurate motion estimator, such as a pel-recursive scheme instead of block matching. In processing color image sequences, there is the added advantage of having more flexibility in how the final motion estimates are obtained, and further improvement in the accuracy of the motion field is therefore possible. This is because there are three different intensity fields (channels) conveying the same motion information. In this paper, the choice of which motion estimator to use versus how the final estimates are obtained is weighed to see which issue is more critical in improving the estimated high-resolution sequences. Toward this end, an iterative algorithm is proposed, and two sets of experiments are presented. First, several different experiments using the same motion estimator but three different data fusion approaches to merge the individual motion fields were performed. Second, estimated high-resolution images using the block matching estimator were compared to those obtained by employing a pel recursive scheme. Experiments were performed on a real color image sequence, and performance was measured by the peak signal to noise ratio (PSNR).

Improving the spatial resolution of an image sequence critically depends upon the accuracy of the motion estimator. The problem is complicated by the fact that the motion field is prone to significant errors since original high resolution images are not available. In earlier work, bilinearly interpolated images were used as initial conditions for the proposed algorithm. In this paper, the use of other initial conditions, such as previously estimated images, is experimentally investigated. Furthermore, various forms of the iterative video ...

Recent work on Stochastic Local Search (SLS) for the SAT and CSP domains has shown the importance of a dynamic (non-markovian) strategy for weighting clauses in order to escape from local minima. In this paper, we improve the performance of two best ...

In this letter, a complex wavelet-domain image resolution enhancement algorithm based on the estimation of wavelet coefficients is proposed. The method uses forward and inverse dual-tree complex wavelet transform (DT-CWT) to construct the high-resolution (HR) image from the given low-resolution (LR) image. The HR image is reconstructed from the LR image together with a set of wavelet coefficients using the inverse dual-tree complex wavelet transform (IDT-CWT). The set of wavelet coefficients is estimated from the DT-CWT decomposition of the rough estimation of the HR image. Results are presented and discussed on very high-resolution QuickBird data, through comparisons between state-of-the-art resolution enhancement methods.

As commercialization of extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) progresses, direct industry activities are being focused on near term concerns. The question of long term extendibility of EUVL, however, remains crucial given the magnitude of the investments yet required to make EUVL a reality. Extendibility questions are best addressed using advanced research tools such as the SEMATECH Berkeley microfield exposure tool (MET) and actinic inspection tool (AIT). Utilizing Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's Advanced Light Source facility as the light source, these tools benefit from the unique properties of synchrotron light enabling research at nodes generations ahead of what is possible with commercial tools. The MET for example uses extremely bright undulator radiation to enable a lossless fully programmable coherence illuminator. Using such a system, resolution enhancing illuminations achieving k1 factors of 0.25 can readily be attained. Given the MET numerical aperture of 0.3, this translates to an ultimate resolution capability of 12 nm. Using such methods, the SEMATECH Berkeley MET has demonstrated resolution in resist to 16-nm half pitch and below in an imageable spin-on hard mask. At a half pitch of 16 nm, this material achieves a line-edge roughness of 2 nm with a correlation length of 6 nm. These new results demonstrate that the observed stall in ultimate resolution progress in chemically amplified resists is a materials issue rather than a tool limitation. With a resolution limit of 20-22 nm, the CAR champion from 2008 remains as the highest performing CAR tested to date. To enable continued advanced learning in EUV resists, SEMATECH has initiated a plan to implement a 0.5 NA microfield tool at the Advanced Light Source synchrotron facility. This tool will be capable of printing down to 8-nm half pitch.

Microfield exposure tools (METs) have and continue to play a dominant role in the development of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) resists and masks. One of these tools is the SEMATECH Berkeley 0.3 numerical aperture (NA) MET. Here we investigate the possibilities and limitations of using the 0.3-NA MET for sub-22-nm half-pitch development. We consider mask resolution limitations and present a method unique to the centrally obscured MET allowing these mask limitations to be overcome. We also explore projection optics resolution limits and describe various illumination schemes allowing resolution enhancement. At 0.3-NA, the 0.5 k1 factor resolution limit is 22.5 nm meaning that conventional illumination is of limited utility for sub-22-nm development. In general resolution enhancing illumination encompasses increased coherence. We study the effect of this increased coherence on line-edge roughness, which along with resolution is another crucial factor in sub-22-nm resist development.

A low cost sensor system is envisaged that has 2 distinct routes for resolution enhancement in position detection. The main area for application of the sensor design would be in the food processing and packaging industry where position resolution of the end effector is in the millimeter to submillimeter range. The sensor concept consists of a grid of laser light detectors attached to the stationary base and a grid of lasers attached to the mobile end effector. The photo detectors on the base provide one level for position detection enhancement, i.e. the density of the sensor array. The second degree of freedom in improvement comes from the strategic positioning of a set of lasers attached to the end effector.

MRI has recently been identified as a promising application for compressed-sensing-like regularization because of its potential to speed up the acquisition while maintaining the image quality. Thereby non-uniform k-space trajectories, such as random or spiral trajectories, are becoming more and more important, because they are well suited to be used within the compressed-sensing (CS) acquisition framework. In this paper, we propose a new reconstruction technique for non-uniformly sub-Nyquist sampled k-space data. Several parts make up this technique, such as the non-uniform Fourier transform (NUFT), the discrete shearlet transform and a augmented Lagrangian based optimization algorithm. Because MRI images are real-valued, we introduce a new imaginary value suppressing prior, which attenuates imaginary components of MRI images during reconstruction, resulting in a better overall image quality. Further, a preconditioning based on the Voronoi cell size of each NUFT data point speeds up the conjugate gradient optimization used as part of the optimization algorithm. The resulting algorithm converges in a relatively small number of iterations and guarantees solutions that fully comply to the imposed constraints. The results show that the algorithm is applicable not only to sub-Nyquist sampled k-space reconstruction, but also to MR image fusion and/or resolution enhancement.

SENSitivity Encoding (SENSE) greatly enhances the quality of diffusion-weighted echo-planar imaging (EPI) by reducing blurring and off-resonance artifacts. Such improvement would also be desirable for diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), but measures derived from the diffusion tensor can be extremely sensitive to any kind of image distortion. Whether DTI is feasible in combination with SENSE has not yet been explored, and is the focus of this study. Using a SENSE-reduction factor of 2, DTI scans in eight healthy volunteers were carried out with regular-and high-resolution acquisition matrices. To further improve the stability of the SENSE reconstruction, a new coil-sensitivity estimation technique based on variational calculus and the principles of matrix regularization was applied. With SENSE, maps of the trace of the diffusion tensor and of fractional anisotropy (FA) had improved spatial resolution and less geometric distortion. Overall, the geometric distortions were substantially removed and a significant resolution enhancement was achieved with almost the same scan time as regular EPI. DTI was even possible without the use of quadrature body coil (QBC) reference scans. Geometry-factor-related noise enhancement was only discernible in maps generated with higher-resolution matrices. Error boundaries for residual fluctuations in SENSE reconstructions are discussed. Our results suggest that SENSE can be combined with DTI and may present an important adjunct for future neuroimaging applications of this technique. Magn Reson Med 48:128-136, 2002.