Patents by Inventor Xiafang (Michelle) Zhang

Xiafang (Michelle) Zhang 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).

  • Methods for imperfect insulating film electrical thickness/capacitance measurement
    Patent number: 7397254
    Abstract: Methods for determining an electrical parameter of an insulating film are provided. One method includes measuring a surface potential of a leaky insulating film without inducing leakage across the insulating film and determining the electrical parameter from the surface potential. Another method includes applying an electrical field across the insulating film. Leakage across the insulating film caused by the electrical field is negligible. The method also includes measuring a surface potential of the specimen and determining a potential of the substrate. In addition, the method includes determining a pure voltage across the insulating film from the surface potential and the substrate potential. The method further includes determining the electrical parameter from the pure voltage. The electrical parameter may be capacitance or electrical thickness of the insulating film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Technologies Corp.
    Inventors: Xiafang (Michelle) Zhang, Zhiwei (Steve) Xu, Jianou Shi, Quoc-Bao Vu, Thomas G. Miller, Gregory S. Horner
  • Methods for imperfect insulating film electrical thickness/capacitance measurement
    Patent number: 7075318
    Abstract: Methods for determining an electrical parameter of an insulating film are provided. One method includes measuring a surface potential of a leaky insulating film without inducing leakage across the insulating film and determining the electrical parameter from the surface potential. Another method includes applying an electrical field across the insulating film. Leakage across the insulating film caused by the electrical field is negligible. The method also includes measuring a surface potential of the specimen and determining a potential of the substrate. In addition, the method includes determining a pure voltage across the insulating film from the surface potential and the substrate potential. The method further includes determining the electrical parameter from the pure voltage. The electrical parameter may be capacitance or electrical thickness of the insulating film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Technologies Corp.
    Inventors: Xiafang (Michelle) Zhang, Zhiwei (Steve) Xu, Jianou Shi, Bao Vu, Thomas G. Miller, Gregory S. Horner