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.

Date of Patent:
Apr. 15, 2008

Filed:

Nov. 30, 2005
Applicants:

Thomas G. Miller, Sunnyvale, CA (US);

Gregory S. Horner, Santa Clara, CA (US);

Amin Samsavar, San Jose, CA (US);

Zhiwei Xu, Sunnyvale, CA (US);

Patrick Stevens, Norman, OK (US);

Inventors:

Thomas G. Miller, Sunnyvale, CA (US);

Gregory S. Horner, Santa Clara, CA (US);

Amin Samsavar, San Jose, CA (US);

Zhiwei Xu, Sunnyvale, CA (US);

Patrick Stevens, Norman, OK (US);

Assignee:

KLA-Tencor Technologies Corp., Milpitas, CA (US);

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G01R 27/08 (2006.01); G01R 27/26 (2006.01); G01R 31/302 (2006.01); G01N 27/60 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract

A method for determining a property of an insulating film is provided. The method may include obtaining a charge density measurement of the film, a surface voltage potential of the film relative to a bulk voltage potential of the substrate, and a rate of voltage decay of the film. The method may also include determining the property of the film using the charge density, the surface voltage potential, and the rate of voltage decay. A method for determining a thickness of an insulating film is provided. The method may include depositing a charge on the film, measuring a surface voltage potential of the film relative to a bulk voltage potential of the substrate, and measuring a rate of voltage decay of the film. The method may also include determining a thickness of the film using the rate of voltage decay and a theoretical model relating to current leakage and film thickness.


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