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. 29, 2001
Filed:
Mar. 08, 1999
Warren T. Yu, San Jose, CA (US);
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Abstract
In order to improve the quality of a semiconductor product, mapping of the critical dimensions of predetermined features such as ring oscillators, test transistors, turning forks WET transistors etc., is carried out at various stages of the manufacturing process. For example, a reticle is mapped, the etch mask which is produced from the effect of the image on the resist layer, and the results of the etching are respectively mapped. Using the data gleaned from these mappings, it is determined if any of the control variables of a new etch process require adjustment to improve the quality of the end product. Therefore, when an etch process is introduced to the process, it is possible to run the diagnostic process and then work back via the collected critical dimension data to determine what changes in the control parameters are appropriate to improve the resulting product.