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:
Sep. 13, 2005
Filed:
Dec. 17, 2002
Mukesh Desai, Milpitas, CA (US);
Yuchun Wang, San Jose, CA (US);
Efrain Velazquez, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Mukesh Desai, Milpitas, CA (US);
Yuchun Wang, San Jose, CA (US);
Efrain Velazquez, Los Angeles, CA (US);
ASM Nutool, Inc., Fremont, CA (US);
Abstract
A sensing apparatus for detecting a processing endpoint of a multi-layer semiconductor wafer includes a light source to emit light against a surface of the semiconductor wafer, a color sensor to sense a reflection color from the surface of the semiconductor wafer in response to the incident light and to generate a sensor signal, and a decision circuit coupled to the color sensor and configured to decide whether the wafer processing endpoint has been reached based at least in part on the sensor signal. In another embodiment, a sensing apparatus is coupled to a movable structure to position the sensing apparatus to sense the surface of the semiconductor wafer.