Refraction From Surfaces Of Different Refractive Index Patents (Class 356/504)
  • Patent number: 12351917
    Abstract: A system includes multi-zone heater with heating elements within a substrate support that correspond to multiple zones of the substrate support. A processing device coupled to the heating elements and to access a temperature matrix with multiple vectors corresponding to zones; determine a temperature map of the substrate support by multiplying the temperature matrix by a weight vector, the weight vector containing estimated weight values for each respective vector; determine a target thickness map of a film on a substrate based on an original thickness map and the temperature map, the original thickness map having data characterizing an original thickness across locations of an original film at a uniform temperature; iteratively update the estimated weight values so that the temperature map results in minimization to a standard deviation of thickness values within the target thickness map; and employ the estimated weight values as control values for the heating elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2025
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Jun Ma
  • Patent number: 12322662
    Abstract: Wafers that begin as flat surfaces during a semiconductor manufacturing process may become warped or bowed as layers and features are added to an underlying substrate. This warpage may be detected between manufacturing processes by rotating the wafer adjacent to a displacement sensor. The displacement sensor may generate displacement data relative to a baseline measurement to identify areas of the wafer that bow up or down. The displacement data may then be mapped to locations on the wafer relative to an alignment feature. This mapping may then be used to adjust parameters in subsequent semiconductor processes, including adjusting how a carrier head on a polishing process holds or applies pressure to the wafer as it is polished.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2025
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Justin Wong, Ehud Chatow
  • Patent number: 12276490
    Abstract: Implementations disclosed describe, among other things, a system and a method of scanning a substrate with a beam of light and detecting for each of a set of locations of the substrate, a respective one of a set of intensity values associated with a beam of light reflected from (or transmitted through) the substrate. The detected intensity values are used to determine a profile of a thickness of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Mehdi Vaez-Iravani, Todd J. Egan, Gopalakrishna B. Prabhu
  • Patent number: 12216455
    Abstract: A substrate processing system includes a process chamber, one or more robot, a substrate measurement system, and a computing device. The process chamber may process a substrate that will comprise a film and/or feature after the processing. The one or more robot, to move the substrate from the process chamber to a substrate measurement system. The substrate measurement system may measure the film and/or feature on the substrate and generate a profile map of the film and/or feature. The computing device may process data from the profile map using a first trained machine learning model, wherein the first trained machine learning model outputs a first chamber component condition estimation for a first chamber component of the process chamber. The computing device may then determine whether to perform maintenance on the first chamber component of the process chamber based at least in part on the first chamber component condition estimation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Chunlei Zhang, Zhaozhao Zhu, Michael Kutney
  • Patent number: 12186832
    Abstract: The present invention generally describes apparatuses and methods used to perform an annealing process on desired regions of a substrate. In one embodiment, pulses of electromagnetic energy are delivered to a substrate using a flash lamp or laser apparatus. The pulses may be from about 1 nsec to about 10 msec long, and each pulse has less energy than that required to melt the substrate material. The interval between pulses is generally long enough to allow the energy imparted by each pulse to dissipate completely. Thus, each pulse completes a micro-anneal cycle. The pulses may be delivered to the entire substrate at once, or to portions of the substrate at a time. Further embodiments provide an apparatus for powering a radiation assembly, and apparatuses for detecting the effect of pulses on a substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Moffatt, Joseph M. Ranish
  • Patent number: 12191176
    Abstract: A process recipe associated with a substrate at a manufacturing system is identified. A first set of measurements for the substrate is obtained from a substrate measurement subsystem. A second set of measurements for the substrate is obtained from one or more sensors of a chamber of the manufacturing system. A determination is made based on the obtained first set of measurements and the obtained second set of measurements of whether to modify the process recipe by at least one of modifying an operation of the process recipe or generating an instruction to prevent completion of execution of one or more operations of the process recipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Upendra V. Ummethala, Blake Erickson, Prashanth Kumar, Michael Kutney, Steven Trey Tindel, Zhaozhao Zhu
  • Patent number: 12136557
    Abstract: A process recipe associated with a substrate at a manufacturing system is identified. A first set of measurements for the substrate is obtained from a substrate measurement subsystem. A second set of measurements for the substrate is obtained from one or more sensors of a chamber of the manufacturing system. A determination is made based on the obtained first set of measurements and the obtained second set of measurements of whether to modify the process recipe by at least one of modifying an operation of the process recipe or generating an instruction to prevent completion of execution of one or more operations of the process recipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Upendra V. Ummethala, Blake Erickson, Prashanth Kumar, Michael Kutney, Steven Trey Tindel, Zhaozhao Zhu
  • Patent number: 12130231
    Abstract: A method and a measuring equipment of the degree of crystallinity of a polymer coating on a metallic substrate using a hyperspectral camera as well as representing or mapping the degree of crystallinity is provided. An equipment for online measurement of crystallinity of polymers, including at least one hyperspectral camera, at least one lighting source, a polymer layer deposited on a substrate and means to convey the substrate, the lighting source and the hyperspectral camera being set-up in specular reflection towards the polymer layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: ArcelorMittal
    Inventors: Nathalie Labbe, Morgan Ferte
  • Patent number: 12123701
    Abstract: A system for measuring the topography of a surface including a carriage assembly and a base assembly. The carriage assembly comprising a plurality of displacement-measuring probes coupled to a carriage support structure. The base assembly positioned adjacent to the carriage assembly and comprising at least one reference object with an opening sized to receive a test object. At least one of the carriage assembly or the base assembly is configured to translate with respect to the other in at least two directions to enable at least one of the displacement-measuring probes to measure a displacement to a reference surface of the reference object and at least another one of the displacement-measuring probes to measure a displacement to a target surface of the target object whose topography is measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: OPTIPRO SYSTEMS, LLC
    Inventor: James Fredric Munro
  • Patent number: 12111253
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a reflectance, of at least a portion of a target object, in at least one selected wavelength range of electromagnetic (EM) radiation are disclosed. The method comprises, for each selected wavelength range, providing a digital image including at least one target object and a plurality of reference objects, each reference object having respective non-identical predetermined reflectance characteristics, with a digital camera arrangement that provides output image data that comprises digital numbers that are responsive to radiation, in only a selected wavelength range, incident at a sensing plane of the digital camera arrangement. A relationship between a first set of the digital numbers is determined and a first set of the respective predetermined reflectance characteristics of the reference objects. Responsive to the relationship, a further set of digital numbers is transformed to allocate a value of reflectance for each of the digital numbers in the further set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX ENTERPRISES LIMITED
    Inventors: Tracy Lawson, John Stamford
  • Patent number: 12050174
    Abstract: The present invention refers to method for detecting phosphate and/or sulphate salts on the surface of a substrate or within a substrate, use of a LWIR detecting device for detecting the intensity of electromagnetic radiation scattered and/or emitted reflection by phosphate and/or sulphate salts being present on and/or in a substrate, use of a substrate comprising phosphate and/or sulphate salts for providing information via electromagnetic radiation scattering and/or emission as well as a LWIR imaging system for detecting phosphate and/or sulphate salts on and/or within a substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2024
    Assignee: OMYA INTERNATIONAL AG
    Inventors: Roger Bollström, Kai Max Hettmann
  • Patent number: 12025642
    Abstract: A permittivity measuring method includes measuring a set of phases at sampling frequencies of at least three points in each of a first-half portion and a second-half portion of a phase characteristic of electromagnetic waves that passed through a measurement target, if the mode of the phase changes of both sets of phases belongs to a phase group in which change of the at least three points in the first half and change of at least three points in the second half are both monotonic change, maximal values, or minimal values, calculating the permittivity using the phase slope of the phases in the first-half portion and the phases in the second-half portion, and if the mode of the phase changes does not belong to the phase group, calculating the permittivity by fitting the phases of either the first half or the second half to a quadratic function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Teruo Jo, Hiroshi Hamada, Hideyuki Nosaka
  • Patent number: 11988497
    Abstract: An optical unit includes an input portion configured to have measurement light having a wavelength extending from an ultraviolet region to a visible region input thereto, an optical system configured to condense the measurement light in a state where a chromatic aberration is caused to occur, and an opening portion configured not to image light having a wavelength in the visible region and to image light having a wavelength in the ultraviolet region of the measurement light having a chromatic aberration having occurred therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Ikuo Arata, Satoshi Takimoto, Kenichi Ohtsuka
  • Patent number: 11965846
    Abstract: A system for detecting contamination in a two-phase immersion cooling system based on temperature differences between component surface temperature and fluid temperature, a previous component surface temperature and a present component surface temperature and a component surface temperature and a component surface temperature threshold value. Large differences between the component surface temperature and the fluid temperature or between the component surface temperature and a previous component surface temperature or a component surface temperature exceeding a component surface temperature threshold value may indicate contaminants in the fluid that are inhibiting the ability for the component to effectively transfer heat to the fluid. A temperature monitoring system may monitor the temperatures and communicate with a service system to apply corrective measures before the residue can cause significant damage to an information handling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Jon Taylor Fitch, Steven Embleton, David Lyle Moss
  • Patent number: 11906281
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for measuring the thickness and refractive index of a multilayer thin film by measuring angle-resolved spectral reflectance according to light polarization. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the apparatus and method for measuring the thickness and refractive index of a multilayer structure using angle-resolved spectroscopic reflectometry is capable of measuring and analyzing thickness and refractive index of each layer of a structure having a multilayer thin film through an s-polarized imaging and a p-polarized imaging of the reflective light located in a back focal plane of an objective lens which are acquired through an angle-resolved spectral imaging acquisition part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science
    Inventors: Young-sik Ghim, Hyug-gyo Rhee
  • Patent number: 11819975
    Abstract: A workpiece processing apparatus which coats a front surface of a workpiece with a resin, the workpiece having devices formed in regions demarcated by a plurality of planned dividing lines formed in a lattice pattern. The workpiece processing apparatus includes a cassette mounting base mounted with a cassette housing a plurality of workpieces, a resin coating unit that coats the front surface of the workpiece with the resin, a resin curing unit that cures the resin by applying an external stimulus to the coated resin, a resin grinding unit that flattens the cured resin by grinding the cured resin by a rotating grinding stone, and a conveying mechanism that conveys the workpiece between the units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: DISCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinya Watanabe, Ichiro Yamahata, Katsuhiko Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11688616
    Abstract: A method for determining whether to modify a manufacturing process recipe is provided. A substrate to be processed at a manufacturing system according to the first process recipe is identified. An instruction to transfer the substrate to a substrate measurement subsystem to obtain a first set of measurements for the substrate is generated. The first set of measurements for the substrate is received from the substrate measurement subsystem. An instruction to transfer the substrate from the substrate measurement subsystem to a processing chamber is generated. A second set of measurements for the substrate is received from one or more sensors of the processing chamber. A first mapping between the first set of measurements and the second set of measurements for the substrate is generated. The first set of measurements mapped to the second set of measurements for the substrate is stored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Upendra V. Ummethala, Blake Erickson, Prashanth Kumar, Michael Kutney, Steven Trey Tindel, Zhaozhao Zhu
  • Patent number: 11639872
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer readable medium are provided for determining interferometric data and spectral data associated with combustion conditions of a flame in a combustion chamber using a sensor head including a first vacuum cavity, a diaphragm operatively interfaced to an inner portion of the combustion chamber, and an optical sensor interrogator configured on a computing device and coupled to the sensor head via optical fibers. The optical sensor interrogator including an interferometer configured to determine interferometric data associated with the flame based on light transmitted and reflected via a first optical fiber and a spectrometer configured to determine spectral data associated with the flame based on light transmitted via a second optical fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: GE Inspection Technologies, LP
    Inventor: Michael Charles Spalding
  • Patent number: 11476081
    Abstract: A method, non-transitory computer readable medium and an evaluation system for evaluating an intermediate product related to a three dimensional NAND memory unit. The evaluation system may include an imager and a processing circuit. The imager may be configured to obtain, via an open gap, an electron image of a portion of a structural element that belongs to an intermediate product. The structural element may include a sequence of layers that include a top layer that is followed by alternating nonconductive layers and recessed conductive layers. The imager may include electron optics configured to scan the portion of the structural element with an electron beam that is oblique to a longitudinal axis of the open gap. The processing circuit is configured to evaluate the intermediate product based on the electron image. The open gap (a) exhibits a high aspect ratio, (b) has a width of nanometric scale, and (c) is formed between structural elements of the intermediate product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS ISRAEL LTD.
    Inventors: Roman Kris, Vadim Vereschagin, Assaf Shamir, Elad Sommer, Sharon Duvdevani-Bar, Meng Li Cecilia Lim
  • Patent number: 11417010
    Abstract: Methods for detecting areas of localized tilt on a sample using imaging reflectometry measurements include obtaining a first image without blocking any light reflected from the sample and obtaining a second image while blocking some light reflected from the sample at the aperture plane. The areas of localized tilt are detected by comparing first reflectance intensity values of pixels in the first image with second reflectance intensity values of corresponding pixels in the second image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Mehdi Vaez-Iravani, Guoheng Zhao
  • Patent number: 11413720
    Abstract: There is disclosed a polishing apparatus which allows for easy replacement of a light source with another type of light source. The light-source assembly includes: a base fixed to a polishing table and coupled to a light-emitting transmission line; and a light-source module having a lamp for emitting light. The light-source module is removably attached to the base. The base is a common base which is adapted to any of a plurality of light-source modules of different types including the light-source module. The base includes a positioning structure which achieves positioning of the light-source module relative to the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Takahashi, Toshifumi Kimba, Masaki Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 11402336
    Abstract: A system for detecting residue in a two-phase immersion cooling system based on changes in the intensity of energy reflected off a reflective surface. An energy source is positioned at an incident angle relative to a reflective surface and an intensity sensor is positioned at a target reflected energy angle relative to the reflective surface, wherein the intensity sensor detects light or other energy reflected off the reflective surface. If residues are deposited on the reflective surface, the reflectivity of the residue will change the reflected energy angle or otherwise change the amount of energy reflected toward the sensor. A heating element may generate more heat than existing components such that the system detects the presence of residues with sufficient time to allow less expensive and less intensive corrective measures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Jon Taylor Fitch, Steven Embleton, David Lyle Moss
  • Patent number: 11320387
    Abstract: Techniques regarding one or more structures for checking the via formation are provided. For example, one or more embodiments described herein can comprise an apparatus, which can comprise a microfluidic channel positioned on a silicon substrate. The apparatus can also comprise a pattern of material comprised within the microfluidic channel and positioned on a surface of the silicon substrate. Further, the pattern of material can define a future location of a through-silicon via. An advantage of such an apparatus can be that the pattern of material can facilitate checking whether the through-silicon via is fully or partially formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Benjamin Wunsch, Sung-Cheol Kim, Stacey Gifford, Joshua T. Smith
  • Patent number: 11015919
    Abstract: A thickness measuring apparatus includes a white light source for emitting white light, a dispersing mechanism for producing time differences corresponding to the wavelengths of light components of the white light to thereby generate spectral light, the spectral light being applied to the workpiece and then reflected on the upper surface and the lower surface of the workpiece to obtain return light, a two-dimensional image sensor having a photodetecting area for detecting the return light, the photodetecting area including a plurality of pixels, a storing section for storing the intensity of the return light detected by the plural pixels according to wavelength with time difference, the intensity of the return light detected by each pixel being stored as a spectral interference waveform, and a thickness computing section for computing the thickness of the workpiece from the spectral interference waveform stored in the storing section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: DISCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Kimura, Keiji Nomaru
  • Patent number: 10871400
    Abstract: Provided herein are systems and methods for monitoring radial stresses in glass tubing. In some embodiments, a measurement system includes a light source delivering a light to a tube, and a polarizer receiving the light after the light is refracted through a wall of the tube. The measurement system may further include a detector receiving the light from the polarizer, the detector operable to capture a first image of the light at a first polarization state and a second image of the light at a second polarization state. The system may further include a controller operable to determine a retardation profile related to the stress profile of the wall of the tube by determining a retardation magnitude of the light refracted through the wall of the tube based on a difference between the first image of the light and the second image of the light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventor: William John Furnas
  • Patent number: 10861755
    Abstract: A system and method of use for simplifying the measurement of various properties of complex semiconductor structures is provided. The system and method supports reduction of structure complexity and modeling for optical monitoring and permits determination of film thicknesses and feature depths during semiconductor manufacturing processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Verity Instruments, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew Weeks Kueny
  • Patent number: 10761032
    Abstract: Methods of and apparatus for inspecting composite layers of a first material formed on a second material are provided including providing an illumination source, illuminating at least a portion of the composite at the layer, receiving light reflected from the sample, determining a spectral response from the received light, and comparing the received spectral response to an expected spectral response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignees: BWXT Nuclear Operations Group, Inc., BWXT NOG Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron C. Havener, James D. Jogerst, Thomas C. Mohr, Keith B. Rider
  • Patent number: 10626878
    Abstract: A method for inspecting a rotary machine having a flow path through which a fluid flows includes a step of measuring a width of the flow path by a non-contact sensor in a stationary component of the rotary machine at a position facing the flow path; and a step of determining whether or not the measured width of the flow path is less than a predetermined lower limit threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES COMPRESSOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuji Masuda, Shinichiro Tokuyama
  • Patent number: 10386173
    Abstract: This invention describes the structure and function of an integrated multi-sensing system. Integrated systems described herein may be configured to form a microphone, pressure sensor, gas sensor or accelerometer. The system uses Fabry-Perot Interferometer in conjunction with beam collimator, beam splitter, optical waveguide and a photodetector integrated. It also describes a configurable method for tuning the integrated system to specific resonance frequency using electrostatic actuators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Inventors: Kris Vossough, Farhang Yazdani
  • Patent number: 10156435
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a shape measuring apparatus includes a memory to store, as information regarding a pattern provided in a sample, two-dimensional information regarding a plane parallel with a surface of the sample, and an irradiation module to irradiate the surface of the sample with a beam. The apparatus further includes an irradiation controller to control an irradiation direction of the beam to the sample in accordance with the two-dimensional information, and an acquisition module to acquire scattering intensity data regarding the beam reflected by the surface of the sample. The apparatus further includes a calculator to calculate predicted scattering intensity data regarding the beam in accordance with a shape model that represents a three-dimensional shape of the pattern with a parameter, and a measurement module to measure the three-dimensional shape by adjusting the parameter and fitting the scattering intensity data and the predicted scattering intensity data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: Toshiba Memory Corporation
    Inventor: Rikiya Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 10094955
    Abstract: A method for fabricating an optical element including selecting a lamp spectrum and bandpass filter spectrum, obtaining a spectral characteristics vector to quantify the concentration of a component in a sample and obtaining a target spectrum from the lamp spectrum, the bandpass filter spectrum, and the spectral characteristics vector, is provided. Further including selecting a number of layers less than a maximum value, and performing an optimization routine using the index of refraction and thickness of each of the number of layers until an error between a model spectrum and the target spectrum is less than a tolerance value, or a number of iterations is exceeded. And reducing the number of layers if the error is less than a tolerance and stopping the procedure if the number of iterations is exceeded. A device using an optical element for optically-based chemometrics applications fabricated using the method above is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Michael T. Pelletier, Christopher Michael Jones
  • Patent number: 10041997
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for optical probing of a DUT is disclosed. The system enables identifying, localizing and classifying faulty devices within the DUT. A selected area of the DUT is imaged while the DUT is receiving test signals, which may be static or dynamic, i.e., causing certain of the active devices to modulate. Light from the DUT is collected and is passed through a rotatable diffracting element prior to imaging it by a sensor and converting it into an electrical signal. The resulting image changes depending on the rotational positioning of the grating. The diffracted image is inspected to identify, localize and classify faulty devices within the DUT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: FEI EFA, Inc.
    Inventors: Herve Deslandes, Prasad Sabbineni, Regina Freed
  • Patent number: 10020233
    Abstract: In a plasma processing method and apparatus for processing a film to be processed contained in a film structure preliminarily formed on an upper surface of a wafer mounted in a processing chamber, by using plasma, a residual film thickness at an arbitrary time is calculated using a result of comparing detective differential waveform pattern data with actual differential waveform pattern data. The detective differential waveform pattern data is produced by using two basic differential waveform pattern data which respectively use, as parameters, residual thicknesses of the films to be processed in film structures having underlying films with different thicknesses and the wavelengths of the interference light. The detective waveform pattern data being preliminarily prepared prior to processing of the wafer. Determination is made as to whether or not an object of the processing has been reached by using the residual film thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigeru Nakamoto, Tatehito Usui, Satomi Inoue, Kousa Hirota, Kousuke Fukuchi
  • Patent number: 10008530
    Abstract: Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a back side illuminated (BSI) image sensor. The BSI image sensor includes a semiconductive substrate, a deep trench isolation (DTI) at a back side of the semiconductive substrate, and a dielectric layer. the dielectric layer includes a top portion over the back side, and a side portion lined to a sidewall of the DTI. The BSI image sensor includes a planarization stop layer disposed conformally on top of the dielectric layer. The planarization stop layer includes a top section on the top portion, a side section lined against the side portion, and a first transmittance. The BSI image sensor includes a low-transparent material inside the DTI, and the low-transparent material includes a second transmittance. The second transmittance is lower than the first transmittance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: Keng-Ying Liao, Chung-Bin Tseng, Cheng-Hsien Chou, Jiech-Fun Lu, Po-Zen Chen, Yi-Hung Chen
  • Patent number: 9952034
    Abstract: An optical interferometric system for measurement of a full-field thickness of a plate-like object in real time includes two light sources, two screens, two image capturing devices, and an image processing module. The light sources radiate incident lights toward a reference point on the plate-like object in respective directions to produce respective interference fringe patterns (IFPs). The image capturing devices capture light intensity distribution images respectively of the IFPS imaged respectively on the screens. The image processing module calculates a fringe order at the reference point according to the light intensity distribution images, and obtains a full-field thickness distribution of the plate-like object according to the fringe order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: NATIONAL TSING HUA UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Wei-Chung Wang, Po-Chi Sung
  • Patent number: 9934946
    Abstract: A plasma processing device performing etching processing to a sample disposed in a processing chamber disposed in a vacuum vessel by using plasma formed in the processing chamber includes a light detector, a component detector, and a determination unit. The light detector detects light intensity of a plurality of wavelengths from the inside of the processing chamber at a plurality of times during the sample processing. The component detector detects, by using a result of a principal component analysis of time-series data, a highly correlated component between the time-series data of a plurality of the wavelengths at a certain time in a plurality of the times obtained from output of the light detector. The determination unit determines an amount or an end point of the etching processing based on a change in light intensity of at least one of a plurality of the wavelengths detected by using the time-series data from which the highly correlated component is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Yohei Kawaguchi, Tatehito Usui, Masahito Togami, Satomi Inoue, Shigeru Nakamoto
  • Patent number: 9927224
    Abstract: A thickness measuring apparatus and a thickness measuring method. The thickness measuring apparatus includes a light source outputting an extended monochromatic light with coherence; a collimating lens converting output light of the light source into incident beam of parallel ray; a beam splitter reflecting and providing the incident beam to a measurement target and transmitting first reflection light reflected on a top surface of the measurement target and second reflection light reflected on a bottom surface of the measurement target; an imaging lens disposed between the measurement target and the beam splitter with a predetermined focal distance to receive and provide the incident beam to a measurement position of the measurement target disposed on the focal distance; a camera photographing an interference fringe formed by the first and second reflection lights and outputting an interference fringe image; and a processing part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science
    Inventors: Jong-Ahn Kim, Jae-Wan Kim, Jae-Yong Lee, Jae-Heun Woo
  • Patent number: 9880377
    Abstract: A system microscopy system and method that enable obtaining high resolution 3D images in a single shot are presented. The system is an ultra-high speed, real time multi wavelength phase shift interference microscopy system that uses three synchronized color CCD cameras. Each CCD is equipped with a precision achromatic phase mask which in turn allows obtaining ?/2 phase shifted signals in three different wavelengths simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Photonicsys Ltd.
    Inventors: Avner Safrani, Michael Ney, Ibrahim Abdulhalim
  • Patent number: 9859103
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a process control device includes an emission amount calculation unit and a process control unit. The emission amount calculation unit selects light of a predetermined wavelength among light generated while a dry etching process is being executed on a substrate. The process control unit calculates an integral value which is obtained by integrating an emission intensity of the selected light with time of detecting the selected light. Further, the process control unit calculates a total amount of the integral value as a total emission amount at the substrate. Further, the process control unit outputs an instruction to stop the dry etching process when the total emission amount reaches a predetermined reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Ooshima
  • Patent number: 9709385
    Abstract: The present invention provides a detection device and a detection method. The detection device comprises a light source module, a receiving module, an image generation module and a judgment module, wherein the light source module is configured to emit light towards a film at a predetermined angle, the receiving module is configured to receive interference light formed by first reflected light reflected by an upper surface of the film and second reflected light reflected by a lower surface of the film, the image generation module is configured to generate an interference fringe image according to the interference light, and the judgment module is configured to judge whether thickness of the film is uniform according to the interference fringe image. The detection device can perform high accuracy detection on uniformity of the thickness of a film, thereby facilitating improving display quality of a display panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., HEFEI BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yangkun Jing, Changjun Jiang
  • Patent number: 9599611
    Abstract: This disclosure provides methods and devices for the label-free detection of target molecules of interest. The principles of the disclosure are particularly applicable to the detection of biological molecules (e.g., DNA, RNA, and protein) using standard SiO2-based microarray technology.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: TRUSTEES OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: M. Selim Unlu, David A. Bergstein, Michael F. Ruane, Bennett B. Goldberg
  • Patent number: 9470514
    Abstract: A method of comparing surface profiles of an object, the object being rotatable on an axis, such that the object has a longitudinal dimension and an axial dimension. The object is incrementally scanned with a laser scan micrometer, first in a pre-test scan procedure and then in a post-test scan procedure. The two scan procedures are performed in the same manner, by using the laser scan micrometer to scan the object in a longitudinal direction, rotating the object, re-scanning the object, measuring the scan length thereby obtaining a longitudinal height value, and repeating the preceding steps for a number of incremental rotations thereby obtaining one longitudinal height profile. This process is repeated by incrementally moving the object in an axial direction and acquiring additional longitudinal height profiles, thereby acquiring a set of longitudinal height profiles. The pre-test and post-test sets of profiles are then aligned and compared.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Eric Liu, Sean C. Mitchem, Kerry J. McCubbin
  • Patent number: 9460973
    Abstract: A system including an index assigning section estimating the thickness of a thin film based on the intensity of light reflected on a substrate and a theoretical formula expressing a relationship between the thickness of the thin film and the intensity of an interference light when the spectrum is obtained for the first time, and assigning indexes for each candidate value for the layer thickness; a layer thickness wide-range estimating section estimating the layer thickness within the range of the value of a layer thickness wide-range estimation width including the previously estimated value of the layer thickness based on the theoretical formula; a selecting section selecting an index from the indexes; a determining section determining a layer thickness wide-range estimation result; and a layer thickness determining section determining the thickness of the thin film based on the theoretical formula after calculating the layer thickness wide-range estimation result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Rui Kato, Yuzo Nagumo, Hiroomi Goto
  • Patent number: 9453795
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for determining the amount of total phosphate in a body of water from reflected light, and also includes systems for the measurement, calculation and transmission of data relating to or carrying out that method. In addition, the invention relates to methods and systems for determining other parameters of water quality from reflected light, for example, turbidity, dissolved oxygen and/or nitrogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Bowling Green State University
    Inventors: Teagan Loew, Robert K. Vincent
  • Patent number: 9409204
    Abstract: The present invention provides a mask, on which a preset pattern is provided. First test patterns for determining an amount of a position offset of the mask during its movement are provided on the mask at a first side of the preset pattern and a second side of the preset pattern opposite to the first side, respectively. When being moved in a direction from the first side to the second side by a standard distance, the mask can determine whether a position offset occurs to the mask during its movement, and determine an amount of the position offset if a position offset occurs. Thus, the position offset of the mask can be corrected, thereby obtaining an accurate predetermined pattern on a glass substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., BEIJING BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jian Guo
  • Patent number: 9390943
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus generates an electric field in a processing space between a lower electrode to which a high frequency power is supplied and an upper electrode facing the lower electrode and performs plasma processing on a substrate mounted on the lower electrode by using a plasma generated by the electric field. Distribution of a plasma density in the processing space is controlled by a magnetic field generated by controlling a plurality of electromagnets provided at a top surface of the upper electrode which is provided to be opposite to the processing space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kazuya Nagaseki, Etsuji Ito, Akihiro Yokota, Shinji Himori, Shoichiro Matsuyama
  • Patent number: 9368713
    Abstract: There is provided a piezoelectric film-attached substrate, including a piezoelectric film having a specific thickness, wherein a reflection spectrum shows a relation between a light obtained in such a way that the surface of the piezoelectric film is irradiated with an irradiation light having a specific wavelength and the irradiation light is reflected on the surface of the piezoelectric film, and a light obtained in such a way that the irradiation light is transmitted through the piezoelectric film and is reflected on the surface of the lower electrode, which is the reflection spectrum at least at one point on a center part and an outer peripheral part of the piezoelectric film, and such a reflection spectrum has at least one of the maximum value and the minimum value respectively, wherein the reflectance at least in one maximum value is 0.4 or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: SUMITOMO CHEMICAL COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Watanabe, Kenji Shibata, Kazufumi Suenaga, Akira Nomoto, Fumimasa Horikiri
  • Patent number: 9355442
    Abstract: Film thickness measured values obtained by measurement in advance at a plurality of points on a measurement preparation substrate and coordinates corresponding to the film thickness measured values are acquired. A pixel value at each coordinates is extracted from a preparation imaged image obtained by imaging the measurement preparation substrate in advance by an imaging device. Correlation data between the pixel value extracted at each coordinates and the film thickness measured value at each coordinates is generated. A substrate being a film thickness measurement object is imaged by the imaging device to acquire an imaged image, and a film thickness of a film formed on the substrate being the film thickness measurement object is calculated on the basis of a pixel value of the imaged image and the correlation data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shuji Iwanaga, Tadashi Nishiyama, Kanzou Katou
  • Patent number: 9190336
    Abstract: There is provided a plasma processing apparatus which compares a plurality of patterns detected using an interference light intensity pattern using a wavelength from at least one preset film of the plurality of film layers as a parameter and an intensity pattern using a wavelength of light from the other film as a parameter and an light intensity pattern from inside the processing chamber which is detected during processing of the film to be processed; and compares a film thickness corresponding to one of the plurality of patterns having a minimum difference obtained by the comparison and a target film thickness; and determines that the thickness of the film to be processed reaches the target film thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Kousuke Fukuchi, Shigeru Nakamoto, Tatehito Usui, Satomi Inoue, Kousa Hirota
  • Patent number: 9099350
    Abstract: An apparatus for inspecting an integrated circuit is an apparatus for inspecting an integrated circuit having a semiconductor substrate and a circuit portion formed on a front face a side of the semiconductor substrate. The apparatus comprises a light generation unit for generating light L for irradiating the integrated circuit, a wavelength width adjustment unit, for adjusting the wavelength width of the light irradiating the integrated circuit, an irradiation position adjustment unit for adjusting the irradiation position of the light irradiating the integrated circuit, and a light detection unit for detecting the light from the integrated circuit when the light from the light generation unit irradiates the circuit portion through a rear face of the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Tomonori Nakamura, Nobuyuki Hirai