Patents by Inventor Douglas E. Ruth
Douglas E. Ruth has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
-
Patent number: 7177019Abstract: This invention is an apparatus for imaging metrology, which in particular embodiments may be integrated with a processor station such that a metrology station is apart from but coupled to a process station. The metrology station is provided with a first imaging camera with a first field of view containing the measurement region. Alternate embodiments include a second imaging camera with a second field of view. Preferred embodiments comprise a broadband ultraviolet light source, although other embodiments may have a visible or near infrared light source of broad or narrow optical bandwidth. Embodiments including a broad bandwidth source typically include a spectrograph, or an imaging spectrograph. Particular embodiments may include curved, reflective optics or a measurement region wetted by a liquid. In a typical embodiment, the metrology station and the measurement region are configured to have 4 degrees of freedom of movement relative to each other.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2005Date of Patent: February 13, 2007Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Fred E. Stanke, Douglas E. Ruth, James M. Cahill, Michael Weber, Clinton B. Carlisle, Hung Pham, Edric Tong, Elliot Burke
-
Patent number: 7042580Abstract: This invention is an apparatus for imaging metrology, which in particular embodiments may be integrated with a processor station such that a metrology station is apart from but coupled to a process station. The metrology station is provided with a first imaging camera with a first field of view containing the measurement region. Alternate embodiments include a second imaging camera with a second field of view. Preferred embodiments comprise a broadband ultraviolet light source, although other embodiments may have a visible or near infrared light source of broad or narrow optical bandwidth. Embodiments including a broad bandwidth source typically include a spectrograph, or an imaging spectrograph. Particular embodiments may include curved, reflective optics or a measurement region wetted by a liquid. In a typical embodiment, the metrology station and the measurement region are configured to have 4 degrees of freedom of movement relative to each other.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2000Date of Patent: May 9, 2006Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Fred E. Stanke, Clinton B. Carlisle, Hung Pham, Edric Tong, Douglas E. Ruth, James M. Cahill, Michael Weber, Elliot Burke
-
Patent number: 6919958Abstract: This invention is an apparatus for imaging metrology, which in particular embodiments may be integrated with a processor station such that a metrology station is apart from but coupled to a process station. The metrology station is provided with a first imaging camera with a first field of view containing the measurement region. Alternate embodiments include a second imaging camera with a second field of view. Preferred embodiments comprise a broadband ultraviolet light source, although other embodiments may have a visible or near infrared light source of broad or narrow optical bandwidth. Embodiments including a broad bandwidth source typically include a spectrograph, or an imaging spectrograph. Particular embodiments may include curved, reflective optics or a measurement region wetted by a liquid. In a typical embodiment, the metrology station and the measurement region are configured to have 4 degrees of freedom of movement relative to each other.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2003Date of Patent: July 19, 2005Assignee: Therma-Wave, Inc.Inventors: Fred E. Stanke, Clinton B. Carlisle, Hung Van Pham, Edric Tong, Douglas E. Ruth, James M. Cahill, Jr., Michael Weber-Grabau, Elliot Burke, Adam E. Norton
-
Publication number: 20030184742Abstract: This invention is an apparatus for imaging metrology, which in particular embodiments may be integrated with a processor station such that a metrology station is apart from but coupled to a process station. The metrology station is provided with a first imaging camera with a first field of view containing the measurement region. Alternate embodiments include a second imaging camera with a second field of view. Preferred embodiments comprise a broadband ultraviolet light source, although other embodiments may have a visible or near infrared light source of broad or narrow optical bandwidth. Embodiments including a broad bandwidth source typically include a spectrograph, or an imaging spectrograph. Particular embodiments may include curved, reflective optics or a measurement region wetted by a liquid. In a typical embodiment, the metrology station and the measurement region are configured to have 4 degrees of freedom of movement relative to each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 26, 2003Publication date: October 2, 2003Inventors: Fred E. Stanke, Clinton B. Carlisle, Hung Pham, Edric Tong, Douglas E. Ruth, James M. Cahill, Michael Weber-Graban, Elliot Burke
-
Patent number: 6563586Abstract: This invention is an apparatus for imaging metrology, which in particular embodiments may be integrated with a processor station such that a metrology station is apart from but coupled to a process station. The metrology station is provided with a first imaging camera with a first field of view containing the measurement region. Alternate embodiments include a second imaging camera with a second field of view. Preferred embodiments comprise a broadband ultraviolet light source, although other embodiments may have a visible or near infrared light source of broad or narrow optical bandwidth. Embodiments including a broad bandwidth source typically include a spectrograph, or an imaging spectrograph. Particular embodiments may include curved, reflective optics or a measurement region wetted by a liquid. In a typical embodiment, the metrology station and the measurement region are configured to have 4 degrees of freedom of movement relative to each other.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2000Date of Patent: May 13, 2003Assignee: Therma-Wave, Inc.Inventors: Fred E. Stanke, Clinton B. Carlisle, Hung Pham, Edric Tong, Douglas E. Ruth, James M. Cahill, Michael Weber, Elliot Burke
-
Publication number: 20020018217Abstract: A wafer measurement station integrated within a process tool has a scatterometry instrument for measuring patterned features on wafers. A wafer handler feeds wafers between a cassette and one or more process stations of the process tool. Wafers presented to the measurement station are held on a wafer support, which may be moveable, and a scatterometry instrument has an optical measurement system that is moveable by a stage over the wafer support. A window isolates the moveable optics from the wafer. The optical measurement system are microscope-based optics forming a low NA system. The illumination spot size at the wafer is larger than a periodicity of the patterned features, and data processing uses a scattering model to analyze the optical signature of the collected light.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 10, 2001Publication date: February 14, 2002Inventors: Michael Weber-Grabau, Edric H. Tong, Adam E. Norton, Fred E. Stanke, James M. Cahill, Douglas E. Ruth