Patent · US Expired

Method for measuring wafer thickness

US6473987B1 · kind B1 · utility

5Cited by
16References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 28, 1999
Grant dateNov 5, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 28, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01B5/06
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A wafer edge grinding or polishing machine is provided with a pair of chucks for engaging a wafer therebetween, a fixed reference surface and a sensor which is movable with a movable chuck. Measurements are made by the sensor relative to the fixed reference plane when the movable chuck is in engagement with the opposite chuck without a wafer therebetween in order to obtain a standard measurement value. With a wafer between the chucks, the sensor obtains an actual measurement value relative to the fixed reference surface. A calculator determines the difference between the standard and actual measurements values and displays the difference as the thickness of the wafer. Multiple sensors may be used to obtain multiples readings which are averaged by the calculator to obtain a thickness measurement.

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