Patent · US Expired

Method, system, and software for evaluating characteristics of a surface with reference to its edge

US7324917B2 · kind B2 · utility

8Cited by
6References
54Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 1, 2005
Grant dateJan 29, 2008
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 8, 2026

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L22/20
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method and software is disclosed for evaluating characteristics, such as flatness, of a surface of a sample having an edge, comprising selecting an evaluation area having an area surface and a boundary, at least one portion of which is definable with reference to the edge, and evaluating characteristics of the area surface. Edge-specific evaluation conditions are used with edge-specific metrics to quantify parameters for said evaluation area. A system for evaluating such characteristics comprises a data collection system for generating data values for selected locations on said surface; and a data analyzing system for analyzing data values to determine such characteristics. A data interpolation system may be provided to interpolate data values collected with reference to a first coordinate system for analyzing with reference to a second coordinate system.

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