Film measurement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9335151-B2
Application number	US-201213662330-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 26, 2012
Priority date	Oct 26, 2012
Publication date	May 10, 2016
Grant date	May 10, 2016

Abstract

In one embodiment, a sample is tested by an eddy current sensor at two distances separated by a known incremental distance. In one aspect, at least one of an unknown distance of the sensor from the test sample and the film thickness of the test sample may be determined as a function of a comparison of sensor output levels of a single parameter and the known incremental distance to calibration data. In yet another aspect, the distance between the sensor and the test sample may oscillated to produce an oscillating sensor output signal having an amplitude and mean which may be measured and compared to calibration data to identify at least one of the unknown film thickness of a conductive film on a test sample, and the unknown distance of the test sample from the sensor. Other aspects and features are also described.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of measuring a test sample having a film of unknown thickness, comprising:
sensing the test sample using an eddy current sensor at an unknown first distance from the test sample to generate eddy currents in the test sample to produce a sensor output signal of a single parameter at a first output level which is a function of the first unknown distance of the sensor from the test sample and the unknown thickness of the film of the test sample;
incre…

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Budiarto Edward W
• Egan Todd J
• Dzilno Dmitry A

Classifications

• G01B7/105 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic