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:
Sep. 09, 2014
Filed:
Aug. 27, 2011
Kurt Lehman, Menlo Park, CA (US);
Charles Chen, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Ronald L. Allen, San Jose, CA (US);
Robert Shinagawa, Cupertino, CA (US);
Anantha Sethuraman, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Christopher F. Bevis, Los Gatos, CA (US);
Thanassis Trikas, Redwood City, CA (US);
Haiguang Chen, Millbrae, CA (US);
Ching Ling Meng, Fremont, CA (US);
Kurt Lehman, Menlo Park, CA (US);
Charles Chen, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Ronald L. Allen, San Jose, CA (US);
Robert Shinagawa, Cupertino, CA (US);
Anantha Sethuraman, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Christopher F. Bevis, Los Gatos, CA (US);
Thanassis Trikas, Redwood City, CA (US);
Haiguang Chen, Millbrae, CA (US);
Ching Ling Meng, Fremont, CA (US);
KLA-Tencor Technologies Corp., Milpitas, CA (US);
Abstract
Methods and systems for monitoring a parameter of a measurement device during polishing, damage to a specimen during polishing, a characteristic of a polishing pad, or a characteristic of a polishing tool are provided. One method includes scanning a specimen with a measurement device during polishing of a specimen to generate output signals at measurement spots on the specimen. The method also includes determining if the output signals are outside of a range of output signals. Output signals outside of the range may indicate that a parameter of the measurement device is out of control limits. In a different embodiment, output signals outside of the range may indicate damage to the specimen. Another method includes scanning a polishing pad with a measurement device to generate output signals at measurement spots on the polishing pad. The method also includes determining a characteristic of the polishing pad from the output signals.