| Patent Number |
Title Of Patent |
Date Issued |
| 7616301 |
Disc clamping device for multiple standard discs |
November 10, 2009 |
| A vacuum assisted disc clamping device provides a number of fixture rings preferably concentrically stacked on a fixture body that is moveable in fixture ring stacking direction and actuated by a wedge drive to compensate for varying fixture levels associated with the individual fixt |
| 7525672 |
Efficient characterization of symmetrically illuminated symmetric 2-D gratings |
April 28, 2009 |
| Methods and apparatus for optical characterization based on symmetry-reduced 2-D RCWA calculations are provided. The invention is applicable to gratings having a grating reflection symmetry plane. A sample can be illuminated at normal incidence or at a non-zero angle of incidence suc |
| 7505147 |
Efficient calculation of grating matrix elements for 2-D diffraction |
March 17, 2009 |
| Improved computation of Fourier coefficients for modeling of 2-D grating diffraction is provided. Let f(x,y) be defined in a region .OMEGA.. Typically, f(x,y) is piecewise constant (since it is a grating permittivity or inverse permittivity) and takes on various constant values in se |
| 7397554 |
Apparatus and method for examining a disk-shaped sample on an X-Y-theta stage |
July 8, 2008 |
| An apparatus and method for examining features of a planar, disk-shaped samples on a stage that holdings the sample and has an X-drive, a Y-drive and a .theta.-drive for rotating the stage about a center of rotation defined in the stage coordinates. The sample is placed on the stage such |
| 7397030 |
Integrated local and global optical metrology for samples having miniature features |
July 8, 2008 |
| This invention relates to an apparatus and method for integrated measurement of a sample that has miniature features. The apparatus has an optical measuring unit for illuminating the sample with a global test radiation over an optical test region and obtaining an optical response, su |
| 7391524 |
System and method for efficient characterization of diffracting structures with incident plane p |
June 24, 2008 |
| A system and a method for optical characterization of a symmetric grating illuminated at off-normal incident angle are provided, where the plane of incidence is parallel to the grating lines. In this case corresponding positive and negative diffraction orders have the same intensity and |
| 7349103 |
System and method for high intensity small spot optical metrology |
March 25, 2008 |
| An apparatus and method for examining features of a sample with a broadband beam of light obtained from a long-wavelength source that may include two distinct emitters that emit a long-wavelength radiation and a short-wavelength source that emits a short-wavelength radiation. A passa |
| 7330256 |
Spectrophotometric system with reduced angle of incidence |
February 12, 2008 |
| A system uses reflectance spectrophotometry to characterize a sample having any number of structures. The system uses toroidal mirrors that are shaped in such a way that the angle of reflectance off of the target is small. The small angle of reflectance may allow for simplification of |
| 7327457 |
Apparatus and method for optical characterization of a sample over a broadband of wavelengths wh |
February 5, 2008 |
| An apparatus and method for optically characterizing the reflection and transmission properties of a sample with a beam of light having a small diameter on a surface of the sample over a broadband of wavelengths, from 190 nm to 1100 nm. Reflective optical components, including off-axis |
| 7290978 |
Photomask flipper and single direction inspection device for dual side photomask inspection |
November 6, 2007 |
| A flipper for rotating and positioning a photomask in two flip orientations includes a flip unit rotatably held in a base. The flip unit includes a flip frame in which clamps are preferably spring loaded guided such that the clamps are oppositely and laterally displaceable between en |
| 7289214 |
System and method for measuring overlay alignment using diffraction gratings |
October 30, 2007 |
| A system and method for optical offset measurement is provided. An offset between two grating layers in a compound grating is measured by illuminating the gratings with light having a plane of incidence that is neither parallel with nor perpendicular to the grating lines. This non-sy |
| 7253909 |
Phase shift measurement using transmittance spectra |
August 7, 2007 |
| An apparatus and method for determining a physical parameter of features on a substrate by illuminating the substrate with an incident light covering an incident wavelength range .DELTA..lamda., e.g., from 190 nm to 1000 nm, where the substrate is at least semi-transparent. A response |
| 7248364 |
Apparatus and method for optical characterization of a sample over a broadband of wavelengths wi |
July 24, 2007 |
| An apparatus and method for optically characterizing the reflection and transmission properties of a sample with a beam of light having a small diameter on a surface of the sample over a broadband of wavelengths, from 190 nm to 1100 nm. Reflective optical components, including off-axis |
| 7212293 |
Optical determination of pattern feature parameters using a scalar model having effective optica |
May 1, 2007 |
| Optical characterization of lateral features of a pattern is provided. A plane-wave optical response is calculated for each feature. At least one of these plane-wave responses is calculated from an effective optical property (e.g., a waveguide modal refractive index). Such effective |
| 7044476 |
Compact pinlifter assembly integrated in wafer chuck |
May 16, 2006 |
| A compact pinlifter assembly is fitted in a substantially enclosed cavity within a wafer chuck such that an overall outside shape of the wafer chuck remains highly unaffected. The pinlifter assembly includes wedge guides providing a movement path in a wedge angle relative to the wafer |
| 6891628 |
Method and apparatus for examining features on semi-transparent and transparent substrates |
May 10, 2005 |
| An apparatus and method for determining a physical parameter of features on a substrate by illuminating the substrate with an incident light covering an incident wavelength range .DELTA..lambda., e.g., from 190 nm to 1000 nm, where the substrate is at least semi-transparent. A response l |
| 6825933 |
Computer-implemented reflectance system and method for non-destructive low dose ion implantation |
November 30, 2004 |
| Embodied in a reflectance system capable of providing high resolution, repeatable, efficient, and accurate reflectance measurements of a silicon or silicon-oxide wafer at all wavelengths, the present invention, including an inventive and useful software tool with user interface, prov |
| 6811370 |
Wafer handling robot having X-Y stage for wafer handling and positioning |
November 2, 2004 |
| An apparatus for handling and positioning wafers or other flat objects. The apparatus has an XY stage with an X-drive and a Y-drive, and a bed attached to the XY stage. A chuck (e.g. a vacuum chuck) is disposed on the bed and an effector is attached to the bed. The effector can rotate ab |
| 6765676 |
Simultaneous compensation of source and detector drift in optical systems |
July 20, 2004 |
| An optical system for simultaneously compensating a source drift of a light source and a detector drift of a light detector includes a test location, a first beam path from the light source to the test location, a second beam path from the test location to the light detector. First and s |
| 6710865 |
Method of inferring optical parameters outside of a measurement spectral range |
March 23, 2004 |
| The present invention provides a method for inferring optical parameters of a sample in a predictive spectral range by use of the known values of the optical parameters in a predetermined measurement spectral range. The method of the present invention capitalizes on the Forouhi-Bloomer |
| 6594025 |
Method of monitoring thin-film processes and metrology tool thereof |
July 15, 2003 |
| The present invention provides a method for monitoring a modifying-process taking place in a thin-film sample and thereby characterizing the sample thus modified, wherein the modifying-process is performed for purpose of improving physical properties of the sample. The present invention |
| 6441607 |
Apparatus for docking a floating test stage in a terrestrial base |
August 27, 2002 |
| A system for docking a floating test stage with integrated testing equipment to a predetermined position relative to a terrestrial base is described. The system includes a cylinder for docking the test stage to the predetermined position and a vibration isolation system for isolating |
| 6392756 |
Method and apparatus for optically determining physical parameters of thin films deposited on a |
May 21, 2002 |
| A method and an apparatus for optically determining a physical parameter such as thickness t, index of refraction n, extinction coefficient k or a related physical parameter such as energy bandgap E.sub.g of a thin film. A test beam having a wavelength range .DELTA..lambda. is used to |
| 6379014 |
Graded anti-reflective coatings for photolithography |
April 30, 2002 |
| A graded anti-reflective coating (ARC) with one or more layers has a bottom layer that is highly absorbing at the lithographic wavelength, and one or more layers between the substrate and the resist layer having inhomogeneous optical constants. The refractive indices are matched across |
| 6128085 |
Reflectance spectroscopic apparatus with toroidal mirrors |
October 3, 2000 |
| An apparatus uses reflectance spectrophotometry to characterize a sample having any number of thin films. The apparatus uses two toroidal mirrors in an optical relay to direct light reflected by the sample to a spectroscopic device. A computer then analyzes the reflected spectrum to |
| 6091485 |
Method and apparatus for optically determining physical parameters of underlayers |
July 18, 2000 |
| A method and apparatus for optically determining a physical parameter of an underlayer such as the underlayer refractive index N.sub.u, extinction coefficient k.sub.u and/or thickness t.sub.u through a top layer having a first top layer thickness t.sub.1 and an assigned refractive index |
| 6084666 |
Apparatus for multiple positioning of a planar sample at a repeatable distance and angle from a |
July 4, 2000 |
| An apparatus for rotationally positioning a disk on a stationary stage at a constant and repeatable distance and angle for a device to perform an operation on several positions of the disk surface is disclosed. The disk apparatus has a manipulating member that operates from a central por |
| 6075612 |
Optical devices having toroidal mirrors for performing reflectance measurements |
June 13, 2000 |
| An optical device for measuring reflectance, and, optionally, transmission, of a substrate. The device has first and second toroidal mirrors and first and second optical fibers. The first toroidal mirror directs light from the first optical fiber toward the substrate, which reflects from |
| 5991022 |
Reflectance spectrophotometric apparatus with toroidal mirrors |
November 23, 1999 |
| An apparatus uses reflectance spectrophotometry to characterize a sample having any number of thin films. The apparatus uses two toroidal mirrors in an optical relay to direct light reflected by the sample to a spectrophotometer. A computer then analyzes the reflected spectrum to cha |
| 5880831 |
Reflectance spectrophotometric apparatus with optical relay |
March 9, 1999 |
| The invention comprises an apparatus for characterizing a thin film using the reflected spectrum of the film. The apparatus uses two toroidal mirrors in an optical relay to direct light onto the thin film and to direct reflected light from the film to a spectrophotometer. A computer |
