公开(公告)号：US07112961B2

公开(公告)日：2006-09-26

申请号：US10685210

申请日：2003-10-14

申请人： Lawrence C. Lei ,  Siqing Lu ,  Yu Chang ,  Cecilia Martner ,  Quyen Pham ,  Yu Ping Gu ,  Joel Huston ,  Paul Smith ,  Gabriel Lorimer Miller

发明人： Lawrence C. Lei ,  Siqing Lu ,  Yu Chang ,  Cecilia Martner ,  Quyen Pham ,  Yu Ping Gu ,  Joel Huston ,  Paul Smith ,  Gabriel Lorimer Miller

IPC分类号： G01B7/06 ,  G01N27/72

CPC分类号： G01B7/105

摘要： A method and apparatus are provided for measuring the thickness of a test object. The apparatus includes an eddy current sensor having first and second sensor heads. The sensor heads are positioned to have a predetermined gap therebetween for passage by at least a portion of the test object through the gap. The sensor heads make measurements at given sampling locations on the test object as the test object is moved through the gap. The apparatus also includes a position sensing mechanism to determine positions of the sampling locations on the test object. The apparatus also includes an evaluation circuit in communication with the eddy current sensor and to the position sensing mechanism for determining the thickness of the test object at the sampling locations.

摘要翻译： 提供了一种用于测量被测物体的厚度的方法和装置。 该装置包括具有第一和第二传感器头的涡流传感器。 传感器头被定位成在其间具有预定的间隙，以通过该测试对象的至少一部分通过间隙。 当测试对象移动通过间隙时，传感器头在测试对象上的给定采样位置进行测量。 该装置还包括位置检测机构，用于确定测试对象上的采样位置的位置。 该装置还包括与涡流传感器和位置感测机构通信的评估电路，用于确定采样位置处的测试对象的厚度。

公开(公告)号：US07777483B2

公开(公告)日：2010-08-17

申请号：US12099747

申请日：2008-04-08

申请人： Lawrence C. Lei ,  Siqing Lu ,  Yu Chang ,  Cecilia Martner ,  Quyen Pham ,  Yu Ping Gu ,  Joel Huston ,  Paul Smith ,  Gabriel Lorimer Miller

发明人： Lawrence C. Lei ,  Siqing Lu ,  Yu Chang ,  Cecilia Martner ,  Quyen Pham ,  Yu Ping Gu ,  Joel Huston ,  Paul Smith ,  Gabriel Lorimer Miller

IPC分类号： G01B7/06 ,  G01N27/72

CPC分类号： G01B7/105

摘要： A method and apparatus are provided for measuring the thickness of a test object. The apparatus includes an eddy current sensor having first and second sensor heads. The sensor heads are positioned to have a predetermined gap therebetween for passage by at least a portion of the test object through the gap. The sensor heads make measurements at given sampling locations on the test object as the test object is moved through the gap. The apparatus also includes a position sensing mechanism to determine positions of the sampling locations on the test object. The apparatus also includes an evaluation circuit in communication with the eddy current sensor and to the position sensing mechanism for determining the thickness of the test object at the sampling locations.

摘要翻译： 提供了一种用于测量被测物体的厚度的方法和装置。 该装置包括具有第一和第二传感器头的涡流传感器。 传感器头被定位成在其间具有预定的间隙，以通过该测试对象的至少一部分通过间隙。 当测试对象移动通过间隙时，传感器头在测试对象上的给定采样位置进行测量。 该装置还包括位置检测机构，用于确定测试对象上的采样位置的位置。 该装置还包括与涡流传感器和位置感测机构通信的评估电路，用于确定采样位置处的测试对象的厚度。

公开(公告)号：US20080186022A1

公开(公告)日：2008-08-07

申请号：US12099747

申请日：2008-04-08

申请人： Lawrence C. Lei ,  Siqing Lu ,  Yu Chang ,  Cecilia Martner ,  Quyen Pham ,  Yu Ping Gu ,  Joel Huston ,  Paul Smith ,  Gabriel Lorimer Miller

发明人： Lawrence C. Lei ,  Siqing Lu ,  Yu Chang ,  Cecilia Martner ,  Quyen Pham ,  Yu Ping Gu ,  Joel Huston ,  Paul Smith ,  Gabriel Lorimer Miller

IPC分类号： G01B7/06

CPC分类号： G01B7/105

摘要： A method and apparatus are provided for measuring the thickness of a test object. The apparatus includes an eddy current sensor having first and second sensor heads. The sensor heads are positioned to have a predetermined gap therebetween for passage by at least a portion of the test object through the gap. The sensor heads make measurements at given sampling locations on the test object as the test object is moved through the gap. The apparatus also includes a position sensing mechanism to determine positions of the sampling locations on the test object. The apparatus also includes an evaluation circuit in communication with the eddy current sensor and to the position sensing mechanism for determining the thickness of the test object at the sampling locations.

摘要翻译： 提供了一种用于测量被测物体的厚度的方法和装置。 该装置包括具有第一和第二传感器头的涡流传感器。 传感器头被定位成在其间具有预定的间隙，以通过该测试对象的至少一部分通过间隙。 当测试对象移动通过间隙时，传感器头在测试对象上的给定采样位置进行测量。 该装置还包括位置检测机构，用于确定测试对象上的采样位置的位置。 该装置还包括与涡流传感器和位置感测机构通信的评估电路，用于确定采样位置处的测试对象的厚度。

公开(公告)号：US07355394B2

公开(公告)日：2008-04-08

申请号：US11522416

申请日：2006-09-18

申请人： Lawrence C. Lei ,  Siqing Lu ,  Yu Chang ,  Cecilia Martner ,  Quyen Pham ,  Yu P. Gu ,  Joel Huston ,  Paul Smith ,  G. Lorimer Miller

发明人： Lawrence C. Lei ,  Siqing Lu ,  Yu Chang ,  Cecilia Martner ,  Quyen Pham ,  Yu P. Gu ,  Joel Huston ,  Paul Smith ,  G. Lorimer Miller

IPC分类号： G01B7/06 ,  G01N27/72

CPC分类号： G01B7/105

摘要： A method and apparatus are provided for measuring the thickness of a test object. The apparatus includes an eddy current sensor having first and second sensor heads. The sensor heads are positioned to have a predetermined gap therebetween for passage by at least a portion of the test object through the gap. The sensor heads make measurements at given sampling locations on the test object as the test object is moved through the gap. The apparatus also includes a position sensing mechanism to determine positions of the sampling locations on the test object. The apparatus also includes an evaluation circuit in communication with the eddy current sensor and to the position sensing mechanism for determining the thickness of the test object at the sampling locations.

摘要翻译： 提供了一种用于测量被测物体的厚度的方法和装置。 该装置包括具有第一和第二传感器头的涡流传感器。 传感器头被定位成在其间具有预定的间隙，以通过该测试对象的至少一部分通过间隙。 当测试对象移动通过间隙时，传感器头在测试对象上的给定采样位置进行测量。 该装置还包括位置检测机构，用于确定测试对象上的采样位置的位置。 该装置还包括与涡流传感器和位置感测机构通信的评估电路，用于确定采样位置处的测试对象的厚度。

公开(公告)号：US20070063698A1

公开(公告)日：2007-03-22

申请号：US11522416

申请日：2006-09-18

申请人： Lawrence Lei ,  Siqing Lu ,  Yu Chang ,  Cecilia Martner ,  Quyen Pham ,  Yu Gu ,  Joel Huston ,  Paul Smith ,  Gabriel Miller

发明人： Lawrence Lei ,  Siqing Lu ,  Yu Chang ,  Cecilia Martner ,  Quyen Pham ,  Yu Gu ,  Joel Huston ,  Paul Smith ,  Gabriel Miller

IPC分类号： G01B7/06

CPC分类号： G01B7/105

摘要： A method and apparatus are provided for measuring the thickness of a test object. The apparatus includes an eddy current sensor having first and second sensor heads. The sensor heads are positioned to have a predetermined gap therebetween for passage by at least a portion of the test object through the gap. The sensor heads make measurements at given sampling locations on the test object as the test object is moved through the gap. The apparatus also includes a position sensing mechanism to determine positions of the sampling locations on the test object. The apparatus also includes an evaluation circuit in communication with the eddy current sensor and to the position sensing mechanism for determining the thickness of the test object at the sampling locations.

摘要翻译： 提供了一种用于测量被测物体的厚度的方法和装置。 该装置包括具有第一和第二传感器头的涡流传感器。 传感器头被定位成在其间具有预定的间隙，以通过该测试对象的至少一部分通过间隙。 当测试对象移动通过间隙时，传感器头在测试对象上的给定采样位置进行测量。 该装置还包括位置检测机构，用于确定测试对象上的采样位置的位置。 该装置还包括与涡流传感器和位置感测机构通信的评估电路，用于确定采样位置处的测试对象的厚度。

公开(公告)号：US20060076511A1

公开(公告)日：2006-04-13

申请号：US10962164

申请日：2004-10-08

申请人： Peter Borden ,  Cecilia Martner

发明人： Peter Borden ,  Cecilia Martner

IPC分类号： G21K7/00

CPC分类号： H01L22/12 ,  H01L21/67092 ,  H01L21/76843

摘要： A cut of a longitudinal feature (such as a trench in a semiconductor wafer), is made not perpendicular to or parallel to the feature, but instead at an angle to the longitudinal direction of the feature. Specifically, if the longitudinal feature is oriented along an X axis, then several embodiments cut the feature along a shallow angle θ relative to the X axis, to form a cross-section of the feature that is substantially elongated. The amount of elongation of the cross-section depends on the shallowness of angle θ. Specifically, the shallower the angle θ, the more elongated the cross-section. Such an elongated cross-section is evaluated by a tool whose resolution limit has been reached and which tool cannot be used to evaluate a normal cross-section of the feature. Therefore resolution-limited tools have an extended life by use of shallow angle cuts as device geometries shrink below their resolution limits.

摘要翻译： 纵向特征（例如半导体晶片中的沟槽）的切口不与特征垂直或平行，而是与特征的纵向成一定角度。 具体地说，如果纵向特征沿着X轴定向，则几个实施例沿着相对于X轴的浅角度θ切割特征，以形成基本上伸长的特征的横截面。 横截面的伸长量取决于角度θ的浅度。 具体来说，角度θ越浅，横截面越细。 通过已经达到分辨率极限的工具评估这样一个细长的横截面，哪个工具不能用于评估特征的正常横截面。 因此，分辨率限制的工具通过使用浅角切割具有延长的使用寿命，因为器件几何尺寸缩小到其分辨率极限以下。