Patent · US Expired

Method to determine a complete etch in integrated devices

US6645781B1 · kind B1 · utility

5Cited by
13References
28Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 29, 2002
Grant dateNov 11, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 29, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L22/00
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

In an integrated device, an etch is performed in an intermediate layer to form a via. The via is inspected using a scanning electron microscopy. The scanning electron microscopy detects a level of brightness associated with the via and a background shade. Whether the etch reached an etch-stop layer is determined by comparing the level of brightness associated with the via to the background shade.

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