Patent · US Expired

Ion milling end point detection method and apparatus

US5690784A · kind A · utility

0Cited by
11References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 20, 1994
Grant dateNov 25, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 20, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01J37/304
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An ion milling end point detection method for etching coated substrates is disclosed comprising the use of a light measurement of light passing through a monitor substrate (e.g., glass coated with the same material at about the same thickness as the coated substrate to be etched) during the milling process, comparing the light values with a reference value and determining the end point of the milling process based on said values. Coated and uncoated monitor substrates may also be employed together and the values compared to determine the end point. An apparatus for determining the end point of an ion milling process is also disclosed.

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