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. 30, 2005
Filed:
Mar. 28, 2002
Rodney Kistler, Los Gatos, CA (US);
David J. Hemker, San Jose, CA (US);
Yehiel Gotkis, Fremont, CA (US);
Aleksander Owczarz, San Jose, CA (US);
Bruno Morel, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Damon V. Williams, Fremont, CA (US);
Rodney Kistler, Los Gatos, CA (US);
David J. Hemker, San Jose, CA (US);
Yehiel Gotkis, Fremont, CA (US);
Aleksander Owczarz, San Jose, CA (US);
Bruno Morel, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Damon V. Williams, Fremont, CA (US);
Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, CA (US);
Abstract
In chemical mechanical polishing apparatus, a wafer carrier plate is provided with a cavity for reception of a sensor positioned very close to a wafer to be polished. Energy resulting from contact between a polishing pad and an exposed surface of the wafer is transmitted only a very short distance to the sensor and is sensed by the sensor, providing data as to the nature of properties of the exposed surface of the wafer, and of transitions of those properties. Correlation methods provide graphs relating sensed energy to the surface properties, and to the transitions. The correlation graphs provide process status data for process control.