In situ technique for monitoring and controlling a process of chemical-mechanical-polishing via a radiative communication link
US6010538A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 11, 1996 |
| Grant date | Jan 4, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 11, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG05B19/4065
- WIPO fieldMachine tools
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
In an apparatus for removing material from an article, such as an exposed surface of an intermediate integrated circuit structure, by planarizing, polishing, etching or the like, a sensor is mechanically coupled to a moving carrier of the article for directing through the article to its first side an electromagnetic radiation beam having a wavelength band to which the structure is substantially transparent. The beam is detected after interacting with the article, such as being reflected from its exposed surface, and resulting information of the state of the processing of the exposed surface is transmitted from the moving carrier to a stationary receiver by radiation without the use of any physical transmission media such as wires or optical fibers. Multiple sensors mounted on the moving article carrier provide information of the uniformity of the processing across the exposed article surface. The radiation signal received by the stationary receiver is used to monitor or control the processing, such as by determining an endpoint thereof.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.