Automated Semiconductor Metrology for SEM, X-SEM & TEM

Quartz PCI-AM is an optional module for Quartz PCI. It adds AI-driven, automated measurement functionality to the Quartz PCI microscopy software platform.

It automates feature detection, measurement, and data output from SEM and TEM microscope images, replacing time-consuming manual measurement workflows with fast, AI-driven analysis.

PCI-AM is designed for semiconductor metrology, materials analysis, and any laboratory environment where high-volume, repeatable image measurement is required.

The current version is PCI-AM Version 9, released in 2025 alongside Quartz PCI Version 12.

PCI-AM automatically detects and measures features in microscopy images using AI-based edge detection. Once configured, it can locate structures, apply a defined set of measurements, flag out-of-tolerance results, and output data to CSV and reports with minimal or no manual intervention per image. Key functions include:

• Automated feature detection and measurement of lines, spaces, trenches, pillars, and 2D shapes in SEM and TEM images
• Template matching: Define a measurement template once; the software locates and measures all matching instances across any number of images automatically
• Batch processing: Apply a saved measurement recipe to entire folders of images in a single unattended run
• Recipe development: Save, reuse, and share measurement configurations across datasets and operators
• Automated reporting: Generate professional reports with images, measurements, and annotations directly from the measurement workflow

PCI-AM supports automated measurement of three primary feature categories, plus a broad set of supporting measurement tools:

Trenches (Spaces) and Pillars (Lines):

• CD (critical dimension) width at fixed positions or relative to the top or bottom of the feature
• Sidewall and center angles
• Line Edge Roughness (LER) and Line Width Roughness (LWR)
• Distances above and below the reference line
• Multiple measurement regions within a single feature
• Pitch
• Top and bottom radius of curvature
• Depth and Height
• Averages across all of the above

Macro Cell:

• Multiple distance measurements in complex features, in arbitrary directions, with a single click

Shapes (2D):

• Area and perimeter
• Aspect ratio
• Major and minor axes
• Collinearity
• X and Y dimensions
• Centroid position
• Ideal shape deviation
• Tilt

Additional measurement capabilities:

• • Multi-layer thickness measurement with automatic layer detection
• • Arbitrary horizontal and vertical measurements, including equally spaced measurements across a region
• • Shortest distance between two edges.

Custom measurement development is also available. Contact Quartz Imaging for specific requirements.

PCI-AM is designed primarily for cross-section and top-view SEM images and TEM images. It works with calibrated image files from most major electron microscope manufacturers, including Delong, FEI, Gatan (DM3, DM4), Hitachi, Hitachi CDSEM, JEOL, Phenom, Tescan, ThermoFisher, and Zeiss. Keyence light microscope files are also supported.

For best automated measurement results, images should be acquired in a lossless format such as TIFF, BMP, or PNG. JPEG compression blurs edges and degrades edge detection accuracy.

PCI-AM uses an AI-based Advanced Edge Detection model that automatically identifies feature boundaries in microscopy images.

For noisy images, built-in preprocessing filters can reduce noise before edge detection is applied. Users can also adjust sensitivity parameters and apply non-maximal suppression to improve results for specific image types.

In addition to the Advanced model, four legacy edge detection models are retained for images where earlier techniques perform better. The system also supports GPU acceleration: if a compatible graphics card is present, PCI-AM detects and utilizes it automatically to speed up image processing.

A measurement recipe is a saved configuration file that defines all parameters for a measurement session: Edge detection model, reference line positions, measurement types and locations, tolerance limits, display options, and template definitions. Recipes ensure that measurements are applied consistently across multiple images and operators.

Once a recipe is developed, it can be saved, reloaded, shared across workstations, and applied in batch processing. This eliminates per-session setup time and enforces measurement uniformity across large datasets or routine inspection workflows.

PCI-AM structures its automation into four progressive levels, allowing labs to adopt the degree of automation that fits their workflow:

• Level 1 Point and shoot: An analyst clicks inside a feature and PCI-AM automatically measures it.
• Level 2 Single-click for multiple features: Once features in one image are characterized, the same AI-driven measurements are applied to subsequent images with a single click, automatically compensating for misalignment between images.
• Level 3 Template Matching: Using a graphical template editor, analysts define measurement templates. PCI-AM then automatically identifies, aligns, and measures all matching features in individual or batched images.
• Level 4 Fully automated batch mode: Entire folders of images are processed through template matching, batch categorization, and automated reporting with no per-image manual intervention. Results are automatically sorted into Pass, Fail, or Reject output folders.

Template matching is PCI-AM's AI-powered feature recognition capability. An analyst draws a template for a feature type using the built-in Template Editor, defines measurement positions on that template, and PCI-AM then searches every image in a dataset to locate all instances of that template, aligns to each one, and performs the specified measurements automatically.

Multiple templates can be added to a single recipe, and template matching for all templates runs simultaneously. The system accommodates size variations of up to ±20% between the template image and the images being processed.

This capability is particularly valuable for high-volume semiconductor inspection, where the same device structure appears across hundreds or thousands of images.

A: Batch processing allows PCI-AM to apply a saved measurement recipe to an entire folder of images in a single automated run, without requiring an operator to interact with each image individually. The system uses a model image, either the active image or a previously saved file, as the reference for locating features in each image in the input folder.

Batch processing options include:

• Vertical and horizontal alignment of each image against the model
• Auto-resize to match image dimensions to the model while preserving aspect ratio
• Override of recipe settings for a specific batch run (e.g., enabling autorotation for a particular dataset without changing the saved recipe)
• Automatic output subfolder creation to keep results organized and prevent overwriting previous data

Results, including measured images and CSV data files, are written to the specified output folder. The system supports variable image sizes and formats within the same batch, making it suitable for mixed-mode labs using multiple instruments or magnifications.

Yes. Tolerance limits, minimum and maximum acceptable values, can be set for any measurement within a recipe. When a measurement falls outside the specified range, PCI-AM highlights it automatically in the measurement grid on screen and flags it in the CSV output file. Missing measurements can also be flagged or ignored based on user preference.

Color-coded visual feedback on the image provides an immediate indication of out-of-tolerance results without requiring the analyst to review raw data manually.

PCI-AM includes automatic image preparation tools that run at the start of each measurement session or batch run:

• Auto-rotation: Automatically orients features horizontally and vertically for consistent measurement alignment, even when source images arrive at slightly different angles
• Tilt correction: Compensates for stage tilt in the source image
• Auto histogram adjustment: Optimizes image contrast and brightness for edge detection before measurement begins

Manual horizontal and vertical reference lines can also be added and positioned by the analyst to anchor measurements to specific structural features in the image.

PCI-AM outputs measurement data in two primary formats:

• CSV files: All measurement values, labels, and tolerance flags are exported to CSV, which can be opened directly in Microsoft Excel or imported into any data analysis or statistical process control (SPC) system
• Measurement reports: Professional reports combining images with overlaid measurements, labels, tolerances, and annotations, exportable through the Quartz PCI report editor to PDF, Word, or PowerPoint formats

For batch processing runs, measurement data across all processed images is aggregated into a single CSV output file, providing a consolidated dataset ready for downstream analysis.

Based on Quartz Imaging's published analysis, labs using PCI-AM can reduce manual measurement time by up to 90% compared to operator-driven workflows. A skilled analyst spending approximately three minutes per feature manually can achieve the same measurement in seconds using PCI-AM, often in unattended batch mode with no analyst time at all.

For a mid-sized lab processing 330 features per day at a fully burdened labor rate of $45/hour, the estimated annual labor cost saving exceeds $167,000. For most labs, the investment in PCI-AM pays back within months of deployment.

Beyond direct labor savings, PCI-AM delivers several strategic advantages for analytical laboratories and semiconductor fabs:

• Measurement consistency: Algorithm-driven detection eliminates operator-to-operator variability, producing more repeatable and defensible results
• Throughput scalability: The same team can handle significantly higher image volumes without additional headcount as workloads grow
• Faster turnaround: Automated batch analysis reduces the time from image acquisition to reported results
• Staff utilization: Analysts freed from repetitive measurement work can focus on higher-value tasks such as data interpretation, anomaly investigation, and process optimization
• Data traceability: Measurements, labels, and tolerances are embedded directly in image files, creating a complete and auditable record from data capture to final report

For batch processing runs, measurement data across all processed images is aggregated into a single CSV output file, providing a consolidated dataset ready for downstream analysis.

Yes. PCI-AM is built on the framework of Quartz PCI and comes with all of PCI’s functionality, adding AI-driven automated measurement features.

See PCI FAQ for more details and features.

PCI-AM runs on the same Windows hardware as Quartz PCI (Windows 7, 8, 10, and 11, 32-bit and 64-bit). For high-volume batch processing workloads, PCI-AM can detect and utilize a compatible GPU (graphics processing unit) to accelerate image processing operations. Contact Quartz Imaging for GPU specification guidance if you are configuring a dedicated measurement workstation.

Quartz PCI-AM is sold by subscription. As a subscriber, you receive ongoing access to technical support and periodic updates to the latest version.

A PCI-AM subscription includes access to the current version of the software, ongoing technical support, and periodic software updates as they are released.

If the computer has internet access, activation occurs automatically the first time the software is launched. If automatic activation fails, you can activate manually by saving an Activation Request file and uploading it to Quartz Activation page, or by emailing the file to activate@quartzimaging.com

Yes. Manual activation is available. You save the Activation Request file to a USB drive, transfer it to an internet-connected computer, upload it to the Quartz Imaging activation portal, then return the License Key file to the offline computer and load it into PCI-AM.

Quartz Imaging provides technical support to all active subscribers. You can contact Quartz Imaging via the support email listed on the Contact page. PCI-AM Version 9 also includes a direct link in the Help menu to Quartz Imaging's technical support AI chatbot, which provides instant answers to common support questions.

Yes. The Help menu in PCI-AM Version 9 includes a link to Quartz Imaging's technical support AI chatbot. The chatbot is continuously updated with the latest product information.