The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 03, 2019
Filed:
Jun. 24, 2016
Kla-tencor Corporation, Milpitas, CA (US);
Shifang Li, Pleasanton, CA (US);
Guoheng Zhao, Palo Alto, CA (US);
KLA-Tencor Corporation, Milpitas, CA (US);
Abstract
Disclosed are apparatus and methods for determining height of a semiconductor structure. The system includes an illumination module for directing one or more source lines or points towards a specimen having multiple surfaces at different relative heights and a collection module for detecting light reflected from the surfaces. The collection module contains at least two detectors with one slit or pinhole in front of each detector that that are positioned to receive light reflected from one of the surfaces. A first detector receives reflected light from a slit or pinhole that is positioned before a focal point, and a second detector receive reflected light from a slit or pinhole that is positioned after the focal point so that the first and second detector receive light having different intensity values unless the surface is at an optimum focus. The system includes a processor system for determining a height based on the detected light received by the detectors from two of the surfaces.