Patents Assigned to FemtoMetrix, Inc.
  • Patent number: 12241924
    Abstract: Various approaches can be used to interrogate a surface such as a surface of a layered semiconductor structure on a semiconductor wafer. Certain approaches employ Second Harmonic Generation and in some cases may utilize pump and probe radiation. Other approaches involve determining current flow from a sample illuminated with radiation. Decay constants can be measured to provide information regarding the sample. Additionally, electric and/or magnetic field biases can be applied to the sample to provide additional information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: FemtoMetrix, Inc.
    Inventors: Viktor Koldiaev, Marc Kryger, John Changala
  • Patent number: 12158492
    Abstract: Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) can be used to interrogate a surface such as a surface of a layered semiconductor structure on a semiconductor wafer. In some instances, SHG is used to evaluate an interfacial region such as between metal and oxide. Various parameters such as input polarization, output polarization, and azimuthal angle of incident beam, may affect the SHG signal. Accordingly, such parameters are varied for different types of patterns on the wafer. SHG metrology on various test structures may also assist in characterizing a sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: FemtoMetrix, Inc.
    Inventor: Ming Lei
  • Patent number: 11988611
    Abstract: Semiconductor metrology systems based on directing radiation on a wafer, detecting second harmonic generated (SHG) radiation from the wafer and correlating the second harmonic generated (SHG) signal to one or more electrical properties of the wafer are disclosed. The disclosure also includes parsing the SHG signal to remove contribution to the SHG signal from one or more material properties of the sample such as thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: FemtoMetrix, Inc.
    Inventors: Viktor Koldiaev, Marc Christopher Kryger, John Paul Changala, Jianing Shi
  • Patent number: 11946863
    Abstract: Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) can be used to interrogate a surface of a sample such as a layered semiconductor structure. The SHG based sample interrogation systems may simultaneously collect different polarization components of the SHG signal at a time to provide different types of information. SHG imaging systems can provide SHG images or maps of the distribution of SHG signals over a larger area of a sample. Some such SHG imaging systems employ multiple beams and multiple detectors to capture SHG signals over an area of the sample. Some SHG imaging systems employ imaging optics to image the sample onto a detector array to form SHG images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: FemtoMetrix, Inc.
    Inventor: Ming Lei
  • Patent number: 11821911
    Abstract: Various approaches to can be used to interrogate a surface such as a surface of a layered semiconductor structure on a semiconductor wafer. Certain approaches employ Second Harmonic Generation and in some cases may utilize pump and probe radiation. Other approaches involve determining current flow from a sample illuminated with radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: FemtoMetrix, Inc.
    Inventors: Viktor Koldiaev, Marc Kryger, John Changala
  • Patent number: 11808563
    Abstract: Surface sensing methods for imaging a scanned surface of a sample via sum-frequency vibrational spectroscopy are disclosed herein. The methods include exposing a sampled location of the scanned surface to a visible light beam and exposing the sampled location to a tunable infrared beam such that the tunable infrared beam is at least partially coincident with the visible light beam. The methods also include varying a frequency of the tunable infrared beam an inducing optical resonance within an imaged structure that extends at least partially within the sampled location. The methods further include receiving at least a portion of an emitted light beam from the sampled location and scanning the visible light beam and the runnable infrared beam across the scanned portion of the scanned surface. The methods also include generating an image of the scanned portion of the scanned surface based upon the receiving and the scanning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignees: The Boeing Company, FemtoMetrix, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey H. Hunt, Jianing Shi, John Paul Changala
  • Patent number: 11473903
    Abstract: Surface sensing methods for imaging a scanned surface of a sample via sum-frequency vibrational spectroscopy are disclosed herein. The methods include exposing a sampled location of the scanned surface to a visible light beam and exposing the sampled location to a tunable infrared beam such that the tunable infrared beam is at least partially coincident with the visible light beam. The methods also include varying a frequency of the tunable infrared beam an inducing optical resonance within an imaged structure that extends at least partially within the sampled location. The methods further include receiving at least a portion of an emitted light beam from the sampled location and scanning the visible light beam and the runnable infrared beam across the scanned portion of the scanned surface. The methods also include generating an image of the scanned portion of the scanned surface based upon the receiving and the scanning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignees: The Boeing Company, FemtoMetrix, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey H. Hunt, Jianing Shi, John Paul Changala
  • Patent number: 11415617
    Abstract: Various approaches can be used to interrogate a surface such as a surface of a layered semiconductor structure on a semiconductor wafer. Certain approaches employ Second Harmonic Generation and in some cases may utilize pump and probe radiation. Other approaches involve determining current flow from a sample illuminated with radiation. Decay constants can be measured to provide information regarding the sample. Additionally, electric and/or magnetic field biases can be applied to the sample to provide additional information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: FemtoMetrix, Inc.
    Inventors: Viktor Koldiaev, Marc Kryger, John Changala
  • Patent number: 11293965
    Abstract: Various approaches can be used to interrogate a surface such as a surface of a layered semiconductor structure on a semiconductor wafer. Certain approaches employ Second Harmonic Generation and in some cases may utilize pump and probe radiation. Other approaches involve determining current flow from a sample illuminated with radiation. Decay constants can be measured to provide information regarding the sample. Additionally, electric and/or magnetic field biases can be applied to the sample to provide additional information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: FemtoMetrix, Inc.
    Inventors: Viktor Koldiaev, Marc Kryger, John Changala
  • Patent number: 11199507
    Abstract: Semiconductor metrology systems based on directing radiation on a wafer, detecting second harmonic generated (SHG) radiation from the wafer and correlating the second harmonic generated (SHG) signal to one or more electrical properties of the wafer are disclosed. The disclosure also includes parsing the SHG signal to remove contribution to the SHG signal from one or more material properties of the sample such as thickness. Systems and methods described herein include machine learning methodologies to automatically classify obtained SHG signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: FemtoMetrix, Inc.
    Inventors: Viktor Koldiaev, Marc Christopher Kryger, John Paul Changala, Jianing Shi
  • Patent number: 11150287
    Abstract: Various approaches to can be used to interrogate a surface such as a surface of a layered semiconductor structure on a semiconductor wafer. Certain approaches employ Second Harmonic Generation and in some cases may utilize pump and probe radiation. Other approaches involve determining current flow from a sample illuminated with radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: FemtoMetrix, Inc.
    Inventors: Viktor Koldiaev, Marc Kryger, John Changala
  • Patent number: 11092637
    Abstract: Various approaches can be used to interrogate a surface such as a surface of a layered semiconductor structure on a semiconductor wafer. Certain approaches employ Second Harmonic Generation and in some cases may utilize pump and probe radiation. Other approaches involve determining current flow from a sample illuminated with radiation. Decay constants can be measured to provide information regarding the sample. Additionally, electric and/or magnetic field biases can be applied to the sample to provide additional information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: FemtoMetrix, Inc.
    Inventors: Viktor Koldiaev, Marc Kryger, John Changala
  • Patent number: 10928188
    Abstract: Surface sensing methods for imaging a scanned surface of a sample via sum-frequency vibrational spectroscopy are disclosed herein. The methods include exposing a sampled location of the scanned surface to a visible light beam and exposing the sampled location to a tunable infrared beam such that the tunable infrared beam is at least partially coincident with the visible light beam. The methods also include varying a frequency of the tunable infrared beam an inducing optical resonance within an imaged structure that extends at least partially within the sampled location. The methods further include receiving at least a portion of an emitted light beam from the sampled location and scanning the visible light beam and the runnable infrared beam across the scanned portion of the scanned surface. The methods also include generating an image of the scanned portion of the scanned surface based upon the receiving and the scanning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignees: The Boeing Company, FemtoMetrix, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey H. Hunt, Jianing Shi, John Paul Changala
  • Patent number: 10663504
    Abstract: Various approaches can be used to interrogate a surface such as a surface of a layered semiconductor structure on a semiconductor wafer. Certain approaches employ Second Harmonic Generation and in some cases may utilize pump and probe radiation. Other approaches involve determining current flow from a sample illuminated with radiation. Decay constants can be measured to provide information regarding the sample. Additionally, electric and/or magnetic field biases can be applied to the sample to provide additional information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: FemtoMetrix, Inc.
    Inventors: Viktor Koldiaev, Marc Kryger, John Changala
  • Patent number: 10613131
    Abstract: Various approaches to can be used to interrogate a surface such as a surface of a layered semiconductor structure on a semiconductor wafer. Certain approaches employ Second Harmonic Generation and in some cases may utilize pump and probe radiation. Other approaches involve determining current flow from a sample illuminated with radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: FemtoMetrix, Inc.
    Inventors: Viktor Koldiaev, Marc Kryger, John Changala
  • Patent number: 10591525
    Abstract: Various approaches can be used to interrogate a surface such as a surface of a layered semiconductor structure on a semiconductor wafer. Certain approaches employ Second Harmonic Generation and in some cases may utilize pump and probe radiation. Other approaches involve determining current flow from a sample illuminated with radiation. Decay constants can be measured to provide information regarding the sample. Additionally, electric and/or magnetic field biases can be applied to the sample to provide additional information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: FemtoMetrix, Inc.
    Inventors: Viktor Koldiaev, Marc Kryger, John Changala
  • Patent number: 10551325
    Abstract: Semiconductor metrology systems based on directing radiation on a wafer, detecting second harmonic generated (SHG) radiation from the wafer and correlating the second harmonic generated (SHG) signal to one or more electrical properties of the wafer are disclosed. The disclosure also includes parsing the SHG signal to remove contribution to the SHG signal from one or more material properties of the sample such as thickness. Systems and methods described herein include machine learning methodologies to automatically classify obtained SHG signal data from the wafer based on an electrical property of the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: FemtoMetrix, Inc.
    Inventors: Viktor Koldiaev, Marc Christopher Kryger, John Paul Changala, Jianing Shi