Patent · US Active

Ion beam mill etch depth monitoring with nanometer-scale resolution

US10896803B2 · kind B2 · utility

0Cited by

16References

16Claims

0Family size

Assignee

The Regents of the University of California · US

Inventors

Shane A. Cybart · Corona, US
Robert C. Dynes · Village of La Jolla, US

Key dates

Filing date	Aug 18, 2017
Grant date	Jan 19, 2021
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Nov 12, 2038

Classification

Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
CPC primaryH10N60/0941
WIPO fieldMeasurement
WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method for measuring conductance of a material real-time during etching/milling includes providing a fixture having a socket for receiving the material. The socket is attached to a printed circuit board (PCB) mounted on one side of a plate that has at least one opening for providing ion beam access to the material sample. Conductive probes extend from the other side of the PCB to contact and span a target area of the material. A measurement circuit in electrical communication with the probes measures the voltage produced when a current is applied across the material sample to measure changes in electrical properties of the sample over time.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.