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. 13, 2002
Filed:
Aug. 07, 2000
Kurt R. Lehman, Menlo Park, CA (US);
Shing M. Lee, Fremont, CA (US);
Walter Halmer Johnson, III, San Jose, CA (US);
John Fielden, Los Altos, CA (US);
KLA-Tencor Corporation, San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
Disclosed is a method of obtaining information in-situ regarding a film of a sample using an eddy probe during a process for removing the film. The eddy probe has at least one sensing coil. An AC voltage is applied to the sensing coil(s) of the eddy probe. One or more first signals are measured in the sensing coil(s) of the eddy probe when the sensing coil(s) are positioned proximate the film of the sample. One or more second signals are measured in the sensing coil(s) of the eddy probe when the sensing coil(s) are positioned proximate to a reference material having a fixed composition and/or distance from the sensing coil. The first signals are calibrated based on the second signals so that undesired gain and/or phase changes within the first signals are corrected. A property value of the film is determined based on the calibrated first signals. An apparatus for performing the above described method is also disclosed.