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. 02, 2005
Filed:
Oct. 22, 2003
Ying Wang, San Jose, CA (US);
Anne Testoni, Bolton, MA (US);
Ying Wang, San Jose, CA (US);
Anne Testoni, Bolton, MA (US);
KLA-Tencor Corporation, Milpitas, CA (US);
Abstract
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for characterizing a potential void or voids by analyzing the X-ray count of one or more emitted X-ray species as emitted from an interconnect structure under test in response to a impinging beam, such as an electron beam, directed towards the sample surface. For example, this analysis may be used to determine whether the structure (e.g., a contact, line or via) has one or more void(s). It may also he used to help determine where the void(s) are with respect to the interconnect structure. It may also be used to help determine other characteristics of the void(s) with respect to the interconnect structure such as the shape(s) and size(s) of the void(s). The analysis may also be used to help initially determine whether the structure under test is so out of specification that it cannot then be determined whether the structure has a defect of a particular type. This analysis can be used to evaluate the process variation of wafers.