Method and apparatus for detecting the endpoint of a chemical-mechanical polishing operation
US6179688A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 17, 1999 |
| Grant date | Jan 30, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 17, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB24B37/013
- WIPO fieldMachine tools
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
The invention, in a first aspect, includes a method and apparatus for detecting the endpoint in a chemical-mechanical polishing process. The first aspect includes a chemical-mechanical polishing tool modified to receive a first and a second data signal; combine the first and second data signals to generate a combined data signal; and detect a peak in the combined data signal, wherein the peak indicates the process endpoint. In a second aspect, the invention is a method and an apparatus for detecting the endpoint in a chemical-mechanical polishing process. The second aspect includes an apparatus implementing a method in which a data signal is received. The data signal is analyzed to detect a peak indicative of the process endpoint in the received data signal. The peak detection includes determining a high value for an initial peak; determining a low value for a following trough; estimating a value for the endpoint process from the high value and the low value; performing a least squares fit on the received data signal to identify subsequent peaks therein; filtering out a subsequent peak less than the estimated value; and identifying a remaining subsequent peak as the process endpoin…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.