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. 13, 2004
Filed:
Sep. 19, 2002
Applicant:
Inventor:
Jaime Poris, Boulder Creek, CA (US);
Assignee:
Nanometrics Incorporated, Milpitas, CA (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G01B 1/114 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G01B 1/114 ;
Abstract
The focusing capability of a metrology tool is used to determine the surface profile of a substrate and the stress on the substrate that is associated with processing step, such as layer deposition or etching. The amount of focusing adjustment necessary to place the substrate in focus is used to determine the height of the surface of the substrate at three or more locations. Based on the surface profile, a curvature parameter may be calculated. The curvature parameter may be calculated before and after a processing step. The stress associated with the processing step can then determined from these two curvature parameters.