Patent · US Expired

Methods and apparatus for end-point detection

US6447668B1 · kind B1 · utility

71Cited by
17References
36Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMay 12, 2000
Grant dateSep 10, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 12, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L21/7684
  • WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

An apparatus for detecting the end-point of an electropolishing process of a metal layer formed on a wafer includes an end-point detector. The end-point detector is disposed adjacent the nozzle used to electropolish the wafer. In one embodiment, the end-point detector is configured to measure the optical reflectivity of the portion of the wafer being electropolished.

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