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:
Feb. 13, 2007
Filed:
Feb. 04, 2003
Kurt Lehman, Menlo Park, CA (US);
Charles Chen, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Ronald L. Allen, San Jose, CA (US);
Robert Shinagawa, Cupertino, CA (US);
Anantha Sethuraman, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Christopher F. Bevis, Los Gatos, CA (US);
Thanassis Trikas, Redwood City, CA (US);
Haiguang Chen, Millbrae, CA (US);
Ching Ling Meng, Fremont, CA (US);
Kurt Lehman, Menlo Park, CA (US);
Charles Chen, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Ronald L. Allen, San Jose, CA (US);
Robert Shinagawa, Cupertino, CA (US);
Anantha Sethuraman, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Christopher F. Bevis, Los Gatos, CA (US);
Thanassis Trikas, Redwood City, CA (US);
Haiguang Chen, Millbrae, CA (US);
Ching Ling Meng, Fremont, CA (US);
KLA-Tencor Technologies Corp., Milpitas, CA (US);
Abstract
Systems and methods for characterizing polishing of a specimen are provided. One method includes scanning a specimen with an eddy current device during polishing to generate output signals at measurement spots across the specimen. The method also includes combining a portion of the output signals generated at the measurement spots located within a zone on the specimen. In addition, the method includes determining a characteristic of polishing within the zone from the combined portion of the output signals. In some instances, a zone may include a predetermined range of radial and azimuthal positions on the specimen. In one embodiment, the method may include determining a characteristic of polishing within more than one zone on the specimen. Some embodiments may include determining an additional characteristic of polishing from the characteristic of polishing within more than one zone on the specimen.