Patent · US Expired

Method for examining structures on a semiconductor substrate

US6859516B2 · kind B2 · utility

19Cited by

8References

15Claims

0Family size

Assignee

Leica Microsystems Lithography · DE

Inventors

Gerd Schneider · Dillingen/Saar, DE
Bastian Niemann · Oettingen, DE
Dirk Hambach · Munich, DE

Key dates

Filing date	Feb 14, 2001
Grant date	Feb 22, 2005
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Nov 19, 2021

Classification

Technology area (CPC G)Physics
CPC primaryG21K2207/005
WIPO fieldMeasurement
WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

The invention is based on a method for examining structures on a semiconductor substrate. The structures are imaged with X-radiation in an X-ray microscope. The wavelength of the X-radiation is established as a function of the thickness of the semiconductor substrate in such a way that both a suitable transmission of the X-radiation through the semiconductor substrate and a high-contrast image are obtained. As a result, the structures can be observed continuously with short exposure times, high resolution and even while they are in operation.

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