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:
Oct. 06, 2009
Filed:
Dec. 08, 2005
Adlai H. Smith, Escondido, CA (US);
Robert O. Hunter, Jr., Snowmass Village, CO (US);
Joseph J. Bendik, Jr., Escondido, CA (US);
Adlai H. Smith, Escondido, CA (US);
Robert O. Hunter, Jr., Snowmass Village, CO (US);
Joseph J. Bendik, Jr., Escondido, CA (US);
Litel Instruments, San Diego, CA (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for embedded encoding of overlay data ordering in an in-situ interferometer is described. An in-situ interferometer is encoded, or augmented, with special or missing alignment attributes at desired positions. Exposing a sequence of the encoded in-situ interferometer onto a silicon wafer coated with a suitable recording media. Then measuring the alignment attributes. The encoded overlay data is processed to verify the proper order and physical location of each overlay measurement. The data is collected without increasing the overall number of required overlay measurements required. Collection of overlay data allows for the proper reconstruction of the aberrated wavefront. Non-coupling alignment attribute offsets can also be used to perform similar operations using singular value decomposition and null space operations.