International Business Machines Corporation

Randall M Feenstra

Gerd K Binnig

Jerry M Woodall

Naftali Eliahu Lustig

Rodney T Hodgson

William L Guthrie

Heinrich Rohrer

An in-situ thickness monitoring/endpoint detection method and apparatus for chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) of a dielectric layer on a top surface of a semiconductor wafer is disclosed. The apparatus comprises center and guard electrodes and associated electronic circuitry, including a high frequency, low voltage signal generating means, for converting a current which is inversely proportional to the dielectric layer thickness into a corresponding analog voltage. A position detection device triggers an analog-to-digital converter to convert the analog voltage into a digital signal while the wafer is located within a detection region as the wafer is being polished. A control means gathers the digital signals corresponding to the thickness data for processing and CMP device control.

In-situ endpoint detection method and apparatus for chemical-mechanical

The formation of lines of the order of 8 Angstroms wide is achieved using a tunneling current through a gas that changes to provide a residue that is the basis of the line. The tunneling current energy is tuned to the energy required to dissociate the gas.

Narrow line width pattern fabrication

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Mt. Kisco, NY, United States of America

Randall M Feenstra