Title:
IN-SITU END POINT DETECTION FOR SEMICONDUCTOR WAFER POLISHING
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO2003003422
Kind Code:
A3
Abstract:
The present invention relates to in-situ techniques for determining process end points in semiconductor wafer polishing processes. Generally, the technique involves utilizing a scanning inspection machine having multiple pair of lasers and sensors located at different angles for detecting signals caused to emanate from an inspected specimen. The detection techniques determine the end points by differentiating between various material properties within a wafer. An accompanying algorithm is used to obtain an end point detection curve (608) that represents a composite representation of the signals obtained from each of the detectors of the inspection machine. This end point detection curve (608) is then used to determine the process end point (614). Note that computation of the algorithm (610, 612) is performed during the polishing process so that the process end point can be determined without interruptions that diminish process throughputs.
Inventors:
CHEN HAIGUANG
LEE SHING
LEE SHING
Application Number:
PCT/US2002/020765
Publication Date:
February 27, 2003
Filing Date:
June 27, 2002
Export Citation:
Assignee:
KLA TENCOR CORP (US)
International Classes:
B24B37/013; B24B49/12; (IPC1-7): H01L21/00; G01R31/26; B24B49/00; B24B51/00
Foreign References:
| US6361646B1 | 2002-03-26 | |||
| US6287879B1 | 2001-09-11 | |||
| US5899792A | 1999-05-04 | |||
| US6071177A | 2000-06-06 | |||
| US5433651A | 1995-07-18 |
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