Patent · US Expired

Methods and systems for generating a two-dimensional map of a characteristic at relative or absolute locations of measurement spots on a specimen during polishing

US6935922B2 · kind B2 · utility

7Cited by
41References
100Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 4, 2003
Grant dateAug 30, 2005
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 23, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB24B49/12
  • WIPO fieldMachine tools
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

Methods and systems for generating a two-dimensional map of a characteristic at relative or absolute locations of measurement spots on a specimen during polishing are provided. One method includes scanning a specimen with a measurement device during polishing to generate output signals at measurement spots on the specimen. The method may also include determining a characteristic of polishing at the measurement spots from the output signals. In addition, the method may include determining relative or absolute locations of the measurement spots on the specimen. The method may further include generating a two-dimensional map of the characteristic at the relative or absolute locations of the measurement spots on the specimen. In some embodiments, the relative locations of the measurement spots may be determined from a representative scan path of the measurement device and an average spacing between starting points on individual scans.

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