Patent · US Expired

Evaluating a multi-layered structure for voids

US6885444B2 · kind B2 · utility

8Cited by
24References
39Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 1, 2002
Grant dateApr 26, 2005
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 4, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01R31/2656
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method and apparatus measure properties of two layers of a damascene structure (e.g. a silicon wafer during fabrication), and use the two measurements to identify a location as having voids. The two measurements may be used in any manner, e.g. compared to one another, and voids are deemed to be present when the two measurements diverge from each other. In response to the detection of voids, a process parameter used in fabrication of the damascene structure may be changed, to reduce or eliminate voids in to-be-formed structures.

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