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: 7177019
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Fred E. Stanke, Douglas E. Ruth, James M. Cahill, Michael Weber, Clinton B. Carlisle, Hung Pham, Edric Tong, Elliot Burke
  • Patent number: 7042580
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Fred E. Stanke, Clinton B. Carlisle, Hung Pham, Edric Tong, Douglas E. Ruth, James M. Cahill, Michael Weber, Elliot Burke
  • Patent number: 6919958
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: 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: 20030184742
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2003
    Publication date: October 2, 2003
    Inventors: Fred E. Stanke, Clinton B. Carlisle, Hung Pham, Edric Tong, Douglas E. Ruth, James M. Cahill, Michael Weber-Graban, Elliot Burke
  • Patent number: 6563586
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2003
    Assignee: 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: 20020018217
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2001
    Publication date: February 14, 2002
    Inventors: Michael Weber-Grabau, Edric H. Tong, Adam E. Norton, Fred E. Stanke, James M. Cahill, Douglas E. Ruth