Kla Tencor Corporation

Kla Corporation

Nanchang Zhu

Lu Yu

Jianou Shi

Xianghua Liu

Jianli Cui

Walter H Johnson, Iii

Zhuoxian Zhang

Fan Zhang

Walter F Johnson

Xiafang Zhang

Juli Cheng

Huanglin Li

Liming Liu

Haiyang You

Zhu-bin Shi

Min Xiang

Guoheng Zhao

Scott Allen Young

Shiyou Pei

Houssam Chouaib

Derrick A Shaughnessy

Lansheng Dong

Yiping Feng

Hai-Yang You

Haijing Peng

Neeraj Khanna

Yaolei Zheng

Joseph R Laia, Jr

Hongshuo Zou

Zhubin Shi

Jiazhou Jin

Jin An

Jainou Shi

ZiangHua Liu

Goujun Zhang

Liang-Guo Wang

A cantilever-type probe with multiple metallic coatings is disclosed. The cantilever-type probe includes at least one probe pin. A first metallic coating is disposed upon a tip of the probe pin, and a second metallic coating is disposed upon a root of the probe pin. The second metallic coating is in contact with the first metallic coating and comprises a softer (more flexible) metal than the first metallic coating.

Cantilever-type probe with multiple metallic coatings

Resistivity probes can be used to test integrated circuits. In one example, a resistivity probe has a substrate with multiple vias and multiple metal pins. Each of the metal pins is disposed in one of the vias. The metal pins extend out of the substrate. Interconnects provide an electrical connection to the metal pins. In another example, a resistivity probe has a substrate with a top surface and multiple elements extending from the substrate. Each of the elements curves from the substrate to a tip of the element such that each of the elements is non-parallel to the top surface of the substrate.

Resistivity probes with curved portions

Metal film thickness can be determined using the sheet resistance, resistivity, and temperature coefficient of resistivity for the metal film. Variation in film thickness measurements caused by resistivity can be reduced or eliminated. A probe head may be used for some of the measurements of the metal film. The probe head can include a temperature sensor used during sheet resistance measurements. A wafer on a chuck is heated, such as using the chuck or the probe head, for the measurements.

Dynamic determination of metal film thickness from sheet resistance and TCR value

Resistivity probe having movable needle bodies

Multiple pin probes and methods for controlling such multiple pin probes to support parallel measurements are disclosed. The method may include: establishing electrical contact between a multiple pin probe and a subject of measurement; selecting two pins out of a plurality of pins included in the multiple pin probe as current-carrying pins; selecting more than two additional pins out of the plurality of pins included in the multiple pin probe as voltage-metering pins; injecting a current through the current-carrying pins; simultaneously measuring voltage signals through the voltage-metering pins; calculating a simulated voltage distribution curve at least partially based on the voltage signals simultaneously measured through the voltage-metering pins; and determining one or more processor monitor parameters of the subject of measurement at least partially based on the simulated voltage distribution curve.

Multiple pin probes with support for performing parallel measurements

A semiconductor wafer inspection system includes a camera and two or more illuminators. The illuminators illuminate a line of the semiconductor wafer in sequence and the camera captures an interleaved image of illuminated lines such that the individual images can be recovered from the interleaved image. The semiconductor wafer can be moved by a conveyor so that adjacent lines can be sequentially illuminated by the illuminators. The camera may include two or more line sensors.

Combined semiconductor metrology system

A continuous variable spacing probe pin device, including first and second probe pins. The first and second probe pins are configured to measure a property of a conductive layer. In a first configuration, the first and second probe pins include respective first portions arranged to contact the conductive layer to measure the property. In a second configuration, the first and second probe pins include respective second portions arranged to contact the conductive layer to measure the property. A first area for each respective first portion is different from a second area for each respective second portion.

Variable spacing four-point probe pin device and method

A variable pressure probe pin device, including: a housing with a channel having a first longitudinal axis; a probe at least partially disposed in the channel and including a plurality of probe pins configured to measure a property of a conductive layer; and a fluid pressure system configured to supply pressurized fluid o the channel to control a position of the probe within the channel. The housing or the probe is displaceable such that the plurality of probe pins contact the conductive layer.

Variable pressure four-point coated probe pin device and method

The disclosure is directed to nondestructive systems and methods for simultaneously measuring active carrier concentration and thickness of one or more doped semiconductor layers. Reflectance signals may be defined as functions of active carrier concentration and thickness varying over different wavelengths and over different incidence angles of analyzing illumination reflected off the surface of an analyzed sample. Systems and methods are provided for collecting a plurality of reflectance signals having either different wavelengths or different incidence angle ranges to extract active carrier density and thickness of one or more doped semiconductor layers.

System and method for nondestructively measuring concentration and thickness of doped semiconductor layers

A method and apparatus for determining dielectric layer properties are disclosed. Dielectric layer properties such as dielectric thickness, dielectric leakage or other electrical information may be determined for a multilayer film stack on a semiconducting or conducting substrate. The film stack may comprise a first dielectric layer between the substrate and an intermediate layer of semiconducting or conducting material, and a second dielectric layer disposed such that the intermediate layer is between the first and second dielectric layers. The dielectric layer properties may be determined by a) depositing electrical charge at one or more localized regions on an exposed surface of the second dielectric layer; b) performing a measurement of an electrical quantity at the one or more localized regions; and c) determining a property of the second dielectric layer from the one or more measurements.

Method and apparatus for determining dielectric layer properties

A measurement system for taking a reading in a test zone on a surface of a substrate. A chamber forms an environment, a surface treatment station dispenses a stabilizing chemical in the test zone, a charge deposition station deposits a charge in the test zone, and a QV measurement station takes a QV based measurement in the test zone. Where the surface treatment station, the charge deposition station, and the QV measurement station all interact with the substrate within the chamber. In this manner, reliable QV measurements are taken on the substrate by controlling charge spreading with the stabilizing chemical. QV measurement stability is also improved by reducing the influence of the time trending on substrates with reactive dielectrics, such as on silicon oxynitride and high-k surfaces.

Substrate conditioning for corona charge control

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Shanghai, China

Nanchang Zhu