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:
May. 23, 2006
Filed:
May. 28, 2002
Jon Opsal, Livermore, CA (US);
David Y. Wang, Fremont, CA (US);
Jon Opsal, Livermore, CA (US);
David Y. Wang, Fremont, CA (US);
Therma-Wave, Inc., Fremont, CA (US);
Abstract
The subject invention relates to broadband optical metrology tools for performing measurements of patterned thin films on semiconductor integrated circuits. Particularly a family of optical designs for broadband optical systems wherein the ratio of illumination system to collection system numerical apertures is less than 1. System performance is enhanced through selection and control of the optical system partial coherence; this is accomplished through installation of beam-control apertures within the illumination and collection optical systems. The invention is broadly applicable to a large class of broadband optical wafer metrology techniques including spectrophotometry, spectroscopic reflectometry, spectroscopic ellipsometry and spectroscopic scatterometry.