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:
May. 02, 2000
Filed:
Dec. 04, 1998
Christopher H Raeder, Austin, TX (US);
Thomas Brown, Austin, TX (US);
Peter A Burke, Newark, DE (US);
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., Austin, TX (US);
Abstract
A method for measuring the planarization efficiency of a planarization process and a device for use with the method are provided. The device may be a substrate having a set of isolated features, such as trenches or hills, with different widths. In the method, a removable layer of material is formed over the substrate. The substrate features form corresponding features in the removable layer with varying dimensions. A pre-planarization thickness of the removable layer of material is measured at each feature and at one or more of isolation areas. The removable layer of material is then planarized using a planarization process associated with one or more process parameters. A post-planarization thickness of the removable is measured at each feature and at one or more of the isolation regions. The planarization efficiency of the planarization process is then determined as a function of the dimensions of the substrate features or corresponding features in the removable layers and/or one or more process parameters. The determined planarization efficiency may be output by, for example, generating a graph of the planarization efficiency or using the planarization efficiency to change one or more parameters of the planarization process.