Acoustic measurement of fabrication equipment clearance
US12320782B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 19, 2023 |
| Grant date | Jun 3, 2025 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 19, 2043 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2291/044
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Methods and systems disclosed herein use acoustic energy to determine a gap between a wafer and an integrated circuit (IC) processing system and/or determine a thickness of a material layer of the wafer during IC processing implemented by the IC processing system. An exemplary method includes emitting acoustic energy through a substrate and a material layer disposed thereover. The substrate is positioned within an IC processing system. The method further includes receiving reflected acoustic energy from a surface of the substrate and a surface of the material layer disposed thereover and converting the reflected acoustic energy into electrical signals. The electrical signals indicate a thickness of the material layer.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.