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:
Apr. 15, 2008
Filed:
Jul. 07, 2006
Bachir Dirahoui, Bedford Hills, NY (US);
Renee T. MO, White Plains, NY (US);
Ravikumar Ramachandran, Pleasantville, NY (US);
Eric P. Solecky, Hyde Park, NY (US);
Bachir Dirahoui, Bedford Hills, NY (US);
Renee T. Mo, White Plains, NY (US);
Ravikumar Ramachandran, Pleasantville, NY (US);
Eric P. Solecky, Hyde Park, NY (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A process implementing steps for determining encroachment of a spacer structure in a semiconductor device having thick and thin spacer regions, including a transition region formed therebetween. The method steps comprise: obtaining a line width roughness (LWR) measurement at at least one location along each thick, thin and transition spacer regions; determining a threshold LWR measurement value based on the LWR measurements; defining a region of interest (ROI) and obtaining a further LWR measurement in the ROI; comparing the LWR measurement in the ROI against the threshold LWR measurement value; and, notifying a user that either encroachment of the spacer structure is present when the LWR measurement in the ROI is below the threshold LWR measurement value, or that no encroachment of the spacer structure is present when the LWR measurement in the ROI is above the threshold LWR measurement value.