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:
Dec. 07, 2010
Filed:
May. 22, 2008
Applicants:
Nigel Peter Smith, Hsinchu, TW;
Yi-sha Ku, Hsinchu, TW;
Hsiu Lan Pang, Hsinchu, TW;
Inventors:
Assignee:
Nanometrics Incorporated, Milpitas, CA (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G01B 11/00 (2006.01); H01L 23/544 (2006.01); H01L 21/76 (2006.01); G06K 9/00 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract
In an overlay metrology method used during semiconductor device fabrication, an overlay alignment mark facilitates alignment and/or measurement of alignment error of two layers on a semiconductor wafer structure, or different exposures on the same layer. A target is small enough to be positioned within the active area of a semiconductor device combined with appropriate measurement methods, which result in improved measurement accuracy.