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:
Oct. 28, 2003
Filed:
Apr. 10, 2002
Shigenori Sakamori, Tokyo, JP;
Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A film thickness measuring mechanism is provided in an orienter chamber (A or B) or a transport buffer chamber ( ) of an etching apparatus. A wafer subjected to a predetermined etching process in an etching chamber ( ), for example, is transported temporarily into the orienter chamber (A or B) or the transport buffer chamber ( ) in which the film thickness measuring mechanism, in turn, measures an etch depth for the wafer. If the etch depth is out of predetermined tolerance with respect to an etch depth setting, an additional etching process is performed on the wafer. Etch time for the additional etching process is calculated from the actual etch depth measured by the film thickness measuring mechanism, the etch depth setting, and an etch rate of a film to be etched.