Patents Examined by Shantse McDonald
  • Polishing process monitoring method and apparatus, its endpoint detection method, and polishing machine using same
    Patent number: 6425801
    Abstract: A polishing process monitoring apparatus of a semiconductor wafer is provided, which is capable of monitoring correctly the process independent of various factors affecting optical measurement, such as the configuration, material, and size of a layered structure on the wafer, and the geometric shapes of patterns and their arrangement for respective semiconductor chips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2002
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Takeishi, Hideo Mitsuhashi, Katsuhisa Ohkawa, Yoshihiro Hayashi, Takahiro Onodera