Patent · US Expired

Methods and systems for determining a characteristic of a layer formed on a specimen by a deposition process

US6946394B2 · kind B2 · utility

28Cited by
264References
64Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 20, 2001
Grant dateSep 20, 2005
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 5, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T117/1004
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Methods and systems for monitoring semiconductor fabrication processes are provided. A system may include a stage configured to support a specimen and coupled to a measurement device. The measurement device may include an illumination system and a detection system. The illumination system and the detection system may be configured such that the system may be configured to determine multiple properties of the specimen. For example, the system may be configured to determine multiple properties of a specimen including, but not limited to, a characteristic of a layer formed on a specimen by a deposition process. In this manner, a measurement device may perform multiple optical and/or non-optical metrology and/or inspection techniques.

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