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:
Jul. 09, 2013
Filed:
Aug. 30, 2005
Thanas Budri, Portland, ME (US);
Thomas Francis, South Portland, ME (US);
David Tucker, Falmouth, ME (US);
Stephen W. Swan, Windham, ME (US);
Sergei Drizlikh, Scarborough, ME (US);
Thanas Budri, Portland, ME (US);
Thomas Francis, South Portland, ME (US);
David Tucker, Falmouth, ME (US);
Stephen W. Swan, Windham, ME (US);
Sergei Drizlikh, Scarborough, ME (US);
National Semiconductor Corporation, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
A system and method for monitoring chloride content and concentration induced by a metal etch process is disclosed. A blank metal film is deposited on a semiconductor wafer. A metal etch process is then applied to partially etch the blank metal film on the wafer. The metal etch process exposes the metal film to chlorine. The wafer is then scanned using surface profiling total X-ray reflection fluorescence. A chlorine concentration map is generated that shows quantitative and spatial information about the chlorine on the wafer. Information from the chlorine concentration map is then used to select a value of chlorine concentration for a metal etch process that will not create metal chloride corrosion on a semiconductor wafer.