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. 18, 2006
Filed:
Jun. 04, 2002
Applicants:
Tuqiang NI, Fremont, CA (US);
Wenli Collison, Fremont, CA (US);
Inventors:
Tuqiang Ni, Fremont, CA (US);
Wenli Collison, Fremont, CA (US);
Assignee:
Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, CA (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G01N 21/00 (2006.01); H01L 21/00 (2006.01); H01L 21/302 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract
Methods for detecting the endpoint of a photoresist stripping process provide O for reaction with the photoresist for a wafer to be stripped of photoresist. NO is also supplied for reaction with O not reacted with the photoresist. After substantially all the photoresist is stripped from the wafer, the rate of a reaction of O and NO to form NOincreases, which increases the intensity of emitted light. An operation of detecting this increase in light intensity signals the endpoint of the photoresist stripping process.