Other

Kla-tencor Technologies Corporation

Candescent Technologies Corporation

Candescent Intellectual Property Services, Inc.

Sony Corporation

Kla Tencor Corporation

Advanced Technology Materials, Inc.

Canon Kabushiki Kaisha

Shiyou Pei

Bob Lee Mackey

Jianou Shi

Lawrence S Pan

Theodore S Fahlen

Michael James Nystrom

Roger W Barton

John D Porter

William J Cummings

George B Hopple

Jeffrey Alan Rzepiela

Douglas M Smith

Arthur J Learn

Stephen C Wallace

Sergio Edelstein

Kollengode S Narayanan

Donald R Schropp, Jr

Xiafang Zhang

Zhiwei (Steve) Xu

Christopher J Spindt

James C Dunphy

Xueping Xu

John M Macaulay

Colin D Stanners

Kazuo Kajiwara

Sudhakar Gopalakrishnan

Kris E Sahlstrom

Haruo Kato

Eric Bouche

Roger A Pearson

Mahmood Mirzaaghaeian

Ramamoorthy Ramesh

Zhiwei Xu

John D Alexander

Nanchang Zhu

Steve Yifeng Cui

John K O'Reilly

Vasil M Chakarov

Yiping Feng

Joseph R Laia, Jr

Min Xiang

Duan A Haven

Frederick K Byers

Haiyong (Howard) Wang

Liang-Guo Wang

Goujun Zhang

ZiangHua Liu

Jainou Shi

Alexander Kagan

Systems and methods for controlling deposition of a charge on a wafer for measurement of one or more electrical properties of the wafer are provided. One system includes a corona source configured to deposit the charge on the wafer and a sensor configured to measure one or more conditions within the corona source. This system also includes a control subsystem configured to alter one or more parameters of the corona source based on the one or more conditions. Another system includes a corona source configured to deposit the charge on the wafer and a mixture of gases disposed within a discharge chamber of the corona source during the deposition of the charge. The mixture of gases alters one or more parameters of the charge deposited on the wafer.

Systems and methods for controlling deposition of a charge on a wafer for measurement of one or more electrical properties of the wafer

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

A method of measuring electrical characteristics of a gate dielectric. The gate dielectric is local annealed by directing a highly localized energy source at the measurement area, such that the measurement area is brought to an annealing temperature while surrounding structures are not significantly heated. While heating the measurement area, a flow of a gas containing a percentage of hydrogen, deuterium, or water vapor at a flow rate is directed to the measurement area. A charge is inducted on the measurement area and the electrical characteristics of the gate dielectric are measured using non contact electrical probing.

Corona based charge voltage measurement

Various methods and systems for determining one or more properties of a specimen are provided. One system for determining a property of a specimen is configured to illuminate a specimen with different wavelengths of light substantially simultaneously. The different wavelengths of light are modulated at substantially the same frequency. The system is also configured to perform at least two measurements on the specimen. A minority carrier diffusion length of the specimen may be determined from the measurements and absorption coefficients of the specimen at the different wavelengths. Another system for detecting defects on a specimen is configured to deposit a charge at multiple locations on an upper surface of the specimen. This system is also configured to measure a vibration of a probe at the multiple locations. Defects may be detected on the specimen using a two-dimensional map of the specimen generated from the measured surface voltages.

Methods and systems for determining one or more properties of a specimen

A method and a system for calibrating the work function of a non-contact voltage sensor are provided. The method includes preparing a reference sample to have a stable work function, measuring a voltage of the sample using a non-contact voltage sensor, and determining a work function correction factor of the sensor from the measured voltage. In turn, the calibrated work function may be used to adjust voltages of substrates measured by the sensor. A corona gun which includes a first electrode and one or more conductive rods is provided. In some embodiments, the conductive rods may be angled between 0 and 90 degrees with respect to a first electrode sidewall and/or be concentrically arranged less than 90 degrees from each other. In addition or alternatively, the corona gun may be adapted to alter its length and/or include a second electrode partially inset within a space surrounded by the first electrode.

Systems and methods for using non-contact voltage sensors and corona discharge guns

Non-contact methods for determining a parameter of an insulating film are provided. One method includes measuring at least two surface voltages of the insulating film. The surface voltages are measured after different charge depositions. Measuring the surface voltages is performed in two or more sequences. The method also includes determining individual parameters for the two or more sequences from the surface voltages and the charge depositions. In addition, the method includes determining the parameter of the insulating film as an average of the individual parameters. The parameter is substantially independent of leakage in the insulating film. Another method includes determining a characteristic of nitrogen in an insulating film using two parameters of the insulating film selected from equivalent oxide thickness, optical thickness, and a measure of leakage through the insulating film. The characteristic may be a nitrogen dose, a nitrogen percentage, or a presence of nitrogen in the insulating film.

Non-contact methods for measuring electrical thickness and determining nitrogen content of insulating films

A flat-panel display is fabricated by a process in which a spacer () having a rough face (or) is positioned between a pair of plate structure (and). When electrons strike the spacer, the roughness in the spacer's face causes the number of secondary electrons that escape the spacer to be reduced, thereby alleviating positive charge buildup on the spacer. As a result, the image produced by the display is improved. The spacer facial roughness can be achieved in various ways such as providing suitable depressions (, or) or/and protuberances (, and) along the spacer's face.

Fabrication of flat-panel display having spacer with rough face for inhibiting secondary electron escape

A light-emitting device () suitable for a flat-panel cathode-ray tube display contains a light-emissive region () formed over a plate (). The light-emissive region contains a plurality of light-emissive particles (). Part of the outer surface of each of a group of the light-emissive particles is conformally covered with a group of intensity-enhancement coatings (and).

Light-emitting device having light-emissive particles partially coated with intensity-enhancement material

A protected faceplate structure of a field emission display device is disclosed in one embodiment. Specifically, in one embodiment, the present invention recites a faceplate of a field emission display device wherein the faceplate of the field emission display device is adapted to have phosphor containing wells disposed above one side thereof. The present embodiment is further comprised of a barrier layer which is disposed over the one side of said faceplate which is adapted to have phosphor containing wells disposed thereabove. The barrier layer of the present embodiment is adapted to prevent degradation of the faceplate. Specifically, the barrier layer of the present embodiment is adapted to prevent degradation of the faceplate due to electron bombardment by electrons directed towards the phosphor containing wells.

Protected substrate structure for a field emission display device

Inert gas provided at a suitable level inside a hermetically sealed cathode-ray tube display, typically of the flat-panel type, enables the display's electron-emitting device () to be automatically cleaned during display operation subsequent to final display sealing. Upon being struck by electrons emitted by the electron-emitting device, atoms () of the inert gas ionize to produce positively charged ions () which travel backward to the electron-emitting device and dislodge overlying contaminant material (and). A getter () collects dislodged contaminant. A reservoir () provides inert gas to replace inert gas lost during the cleaning process.

Cleaning of cathode-ray tube display

The present invention provides a spacer assembly which is tailored to provide a secondary electron emission coefficient of approximately 1 for the spacer assembly when the spacer assembly is subjected to flat panel display operating voltages. The present invention further provides a spacer assembly which accomplishes the above achievement and which does not degrade severely when subjected to electron bombardment. The present invention further provides a spacer assembly which accomplishes both of the above-listed achievements and which does not significantly contribute to contamination of the vacuum environment of the flat panel display or be susceptible to contamination that may evolve within the tube. Specifically, in one embodiment, the present invention is comprised of a spacer structure which has a specific secondary electron emission coefficient function associated therewith. The material comprising the spacer structure is tailored to provide a secondary electron emission coefficient of approximately 1 for the spacer assembly when the spacer assembly is subjected to flat panel display operating voltages.

Tailored spacer wall coatings for reduced secondary electron emission

A protected faceplate structure of a field emission display device is disclosed in one embodiment. Specifically, in one embodiment, the present invention recites a faceplate of a field emission display device wherein the faceplate of the field emission display device is adapted to have phosphor containing areas disposed above one side thereof. The present embodiment is further comprised of a barrier layer which is disposed over the one side of said faceplate which is adapted to have phosphor containing areas disposed thereabove. The barrier layer of the present embodiment is adapted to prevent degradation of the faceplate. Specifically, the barrier layer of the present embodiment is adapted to prevent degradation of the faceplate due to electron bombardment by electrons directed towards the phosphor containing areas.

A light-emitting device ( ) suitable for a flat-panel cathode-ray tube display contains a light-emissive region ( ) formed over a plate ( ). The light-emissive region contains a plurality of light-emissive particles ( ). Part of the outer surface of each light-emissive particle is conformally covered with a coating ( ) that provides light reflection or/and gettering.

Light-emitting device having light-emissive particles partially coated with light-reflective or/and getter material

Growing community of inventors

Saratoga, CA, United States of America

Shiyou Pei