Patent · US Expired

Monitoring apparatus and method particularly useful in photolithographically processing substrates

US6166801A · kind A · utility

94Cited by
15References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 2, 1998
Grant dateDec 26, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 2, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S414/135
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Apparatus for processing substrates according to a predetermined photolithography process includes a loading station in which the substrates are loaded, a coating station in which the substrates are coated with a photoresist material, an exposing station in which the photoresist coating is exposed to light through a mask having a predetermined pattern to produce a latent image of the mask on the photoresist coating, a developing station in which the latent image is developed, an unloading station in which the substrates are unloaded and a monitoring station for monitoring the substrates with respect to predetermined parameters of said photolithography process before reaching the unloading station.

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