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:
Aug. 15, 2000
Filed:
Apr. 20, 1998
Yoshijiro Ushio, Yokohama, JP;
Motoo Koyama, Tokyo, JP;
Nikon Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
In the polishing apparatus and film inspection method, a polishing apparatus for polishing an object causes a relative movement between a polishing body and the polishing object. A polishing agent is then interposed between the polishing body and the polishing object. The polishing apparatus includes an optical measuring system capable of measuring at least one of a polished surface state of the polishing object or a film thickness of the polishing object and a position detection system capable of detecting relative positions of the optical measuring system and the polishing object. A control system is also included, and is capable of controlling at least one of the optical measuring system or the polishing object in accordance with position detection system signals so that prescribed endpoint detection regions of the polishing object are measured by the optical measuring system. A film thickness inspection method optically detects the film thickness of the outermost layer on a semiconductor substrate on which desired wiring patterns are formed in predetermined chip regions by laminating a plurality of layers. The film thickness inspection method includes selecting regions other than the chip regions on the semiconductor substrate, and the film thickness is optically detected by illuminating these regions with light.