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:
Jul. 30, 2002
Filed:
Jun. 01, 1999
Akira Takeishi, Tokyo, JP;
Hideo Mitsuhashi, Tokyo, JP;
Katsuhisa Ohkawa, Tokyo, JP;
Yoshihiro Hayashi, Tokyo, JP;
Takahiro Onodera, Tokyo, JP;
NEC Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A polishing process monitoring apparatus of a semiconductor wafer is provided, which is capable of monitoring correctly the process independent of various factors affecting optical measurement, such as the configuration, material, and size of a layered structure on the wafer, and the geometric shapes of patterns and their arrangement for respective semiconductor chips. This apparatus is comprised of (a) a light irradiating means for irradiating a detection light beam to a semiconductor wafer, (b) a first light receiving means for receiving a specular-reflected light beam generated by reflection of the detection light beam at the wafer and for outputting a first signal according to an amount of the specular-reflected light beam, (c) a second light receiving means for receiving a scattered/diffracted light beam generated by scattering or diffraction of the detection light beam at the wafer and for outputting a second signal according to an amount of the scattered/diffracted light beam, and (d) a monitoring means for monitoring a polishing process of the wafer by using the first and second signals.