Patent · US Active

Methods and systems for measuring a characteristic of a substrate or preparing a substrate for analysis

US8765496B2 · kind B2 · utility

3Cited by
38References
21Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 28, 2008
Grant dateJul 1, 2014
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 21, 2031

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01J2237/31745
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Methods and systems for measuring a characteristic of a substrate or preparing a substrate for analysis are provided. One method for measuring a characteristic of a substrate includes removing a portion of a feature on the substrate using an electron beam to expose a cross-sectional profile of a remaining portion of the feature. The feature may be a photoresist feature. The method also includes measuring a characteristic of the cross-sectional profile. A method for preparing a substrate for analysis includes removing a portion of a material on the substrate proximate to a defect using chemical etching in combination with an electron beam. The defect may be a subsurface defect or a partially subsurface defect. Another method for preparing a substrate for analysis includes removing a portion of a material on a substrate proximate to a defect using chemical etching in combination with an electron beam and a light beam.

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