Optical techniques of measuring endpoint during the processing of material layers in an optically hostile environment
US5695660A · kind A · utility
80Cited by
22References
46Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 14, 1996 |
| Grant date | Dec 9, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 14, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L21/67253
- WIPO fieldMachine tools
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
In a process of selectively removing material from an exposed layer carried by a substrate, a technique for determining endpoint by monitoring the intensity of a radiation beam that is passed through the substrate and any intervening layers to be reflected off the layer being processed. This monitoring technique is used during photoresist developing, wet etching, and mechanical planarization and polishing during the manufacture of integrated circuits on semiconductor wafers, flat panel displays on glass substrates, and similar articles. Planarization and polishing processes are alternatively monitored by monitoring temperature.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.