Process control for submicron linewidth measurement
US5361137A · kind A · utility
32Cited by
3References
8Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 31, 1992 |
| Grant date | Nov 1, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 31, 2012 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01B11/02
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and apparatus for measuring submicron linewidths, using diffraction gratings. A set of "fixed-linewidth variable-pitchwidth" test gratings has a number of gratings, each grating having the same linewidth but having different pitchwidths. These gratings are illuminated to form diffraction patterns. A set of peak intensities of the first or second order diffraction image from each grating is recorded. Either of these intensity values forms a curve around an extrema, which represents the intensity from a grating whose pitchwidth is equal to one-half the linewidth.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.