Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080204721 | Thin films measurement method and system - A method and system are presented for use in controlling the processing of a structure. First measured data is provided being indicative of at least one of the following: a thickness (d | 08-28-2008 |
20080297794 | APPARATUS FOR OPTICAL INSPECTION OF WAFERS DURING POLISHING - A measurement system installable within a processing equipment and more specifically within the exit station of a polishing machine. The optical scheme of this system includes a spectrophotometric channel, an imaging channel and also means for holding the wafer under measurement. | 12-04-2008 |
20090127476 | VACUUM UV BASED OPTICAL MEASURING METHOD AND SYSTEM - A method and system are presented for use in optical processing of an article by VUV radiation. The method comprises: localizing incident VUV radiation propagation from an optical head assembly towards a processing site on the article outside the optical head assembly and localizing reflected VUV radiation propagation from said processing site towards the optical head assembly by localizing a medium, non-absorbing with respect to VUV radiation, in within the light propagation path in the vicinity of said site outside the optical head assembly. The level of the medium is controlled by measuring the reflected VUV radiation. | 05-21-2009 |
20090135419 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SPECTRAL MEASUREMENTS - A system and method for use in spectrometric measurements of an article using selecting an optimal integration time range of the light detection system during which the measurement is to be applied, the optimal integration time being that at which a required value of signal to noise ratio (SNR) of the measurements is obtainable. | 05-28-2009 |
20090161123 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MEASURING PATTERNED STRUCTURES - A method and system are presented for determining a line profile in a patterned structure, aimed at controlling a process of manufacture of the structure. The patterned structure comprises a plurality of different layers, the pattern in the structure being formed by patterned regions and un-patterned regions. At least first and second measurements are carried out, each utilizing illumination of the structure with a broad wavelengths band of incident light directed on the structure at a certain angle of incidence, detection of spectral characteristics of light returned from the structure, and generation of measured data representative thereof. The measured data obtained with the first measurement is analyzed, and at least one parameter of the structure is thereby determined. Then, this determined parameter is utilized, while analyzing the measured data obtained with the second measurements enabling the determination of the profile of the structure. | 06-25-2009 |
20090231558 | MONITORING APPARATUS AND METHOD PARTICULARLY USEFUL IN PHOTOLITHOGRAPHICALLY PROCESSING SUBSTRATES - Apparatus for processing substrates according to a predetermined photolithography process includes a loading station in which the substrates are loaded, a coating station in which the substrates are coated with a photoresist material, an exposing station in which the photoresist coating is exposed to light through a mask having a predetermined pattern to produce a latent image of the mask on the photoresist coating, a developing station in which the latent image is developed, an unloading station in which the substrates are unloaded and a monitoring station for monitoring the substrates with respect to predetermined parameters of said photolithography process before reaching the unloading station. | 09-17-2009 |
20100006785 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THIN FILM QUALITY CONTROL - Photovoltaic thin film quality control is obtained where the thin film is supported by a support and a section of the film is illuminated by a polychromatic illumination source. The source forms on the thin film a continuous illuminated line. Discrete sampled points located on the illuminated line are imaged onto a two dimensional optical switch. A concordance look-up-table between the coordinates of the above sampled points on the thin film and their coordinates on the two dimensional optical switch are generated. The spectral composition of the illumination reflected by the sampled points is determined and photovoltaic thin film parameters applicable to the quality control are derived from the spectral composition of reflected or transmitted by the photovoltaic thin film illumination. | 01-14-2010 |
20100010659 | Thin Films measurment method and system - A method and system are presented for use in controlling the processing of a structure. First measured data is provided being indicative of at least one of the following: a thickness (d | 01-14-2010 |
20100048100 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ENDPOINT DETECTION - A method and system are presented for monitoring a process sequentially applied to a stream of substantially identical articles by a processing tool, so as to terminate the operation of the processing tool upon detecting an end-point signal corresponding to a predetermined value of a desired parameter of the article being processed. The article is processed with the processing tool. Upon completing the processing in response to the end-point signal generated by an end-point detector continuously operating during the processing of the article, integrated monitoring is applied to the processed article to measure the value of the desired parameter. The measured value of the desired parameter is analyzed to determine a correction value thereof to be used for adjusting the end-point signal corresponding to the predetermined value of the desired parameter for terminating the processing of the next article in the stream. | 02-25-2010 |
20100121627 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MEASURING PATTERNED STRUCTURES - A method of preparation of reference data for measuring the profile of a patterned structure for use in control of a manufacturing process, the method including: providing a model for generating profiles based on the manufacturing process; generating the profiles by simulation of the manufacturing process; and preparing diffraction signal reference data corresponding to the generated profiles. | 05-13-2010 |
20100204820 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SUBSTRATE HANDLING - A system for substrate handling proposed, comprising an optical local tilt detector, a plurality of arms each having vertically extended movable along vertical axis fingers to contact the edge of a substrate, wherein at least one of the arms has a linear actuator moveable arm and each of the fingers provided by z-axis miniature linear actuator; and a control unit connected to said tilt detector and said z-axis linear actuators enabling measuring and correcting of local tilt. | 08-12-2010 |
20100214566 | LATERAL SHIFT MEASUREMENT USING AN OPTICAL TECHNIQUE - Alignment of layers during manufacture of a multi-layer sample is controlled by applying optical measurements to a measurement site in the sample. The measurement site includes two diffractive structures located one above the other in two different layers, respectively. The optical measurements include at least two measurements with different polarization states of incident light, each measurement including illuminating the measurement site so as to illuminate one of the diffractive structures through the other. The diffraction properties of the measurement site are indicative of a lateral shift between the diffractive structures. The diffraction properties detected are analyzed for the different polarization states of the incident light to determine an existing lateral shift between the layers. | 08-26-2010 |
20100220316 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THIN FILM QUALITY CONTROL - Photovoltaic thin film quality control is obtained where the thin film is supported by a support and a section of the film is illuminated by a polychromatic or monochromatic illumination source. The source forms on the thin film an illuminated line. The light collected from discrete sampled points located on the illuminated line is transferred to a photo-sensitive sensor through an optical switch. The spectral signal of the light reflected, transmitted or scattered by the sampled points is collected by the sensor, processed and photovoltaic thin film parameters applicable to the quality control are derived e.g. thin film thickness, index of refraction, extinction coefficient, absorption coefficient, energy gap, conductivity, crystallinity, surface roughness, crystal phase, material composition and photoluminescence spectrum and intensity. Manufacturing equipment parameters influencing the material properties may be changed to provide a uniform thin film layer with pre-defined properties. | 09-02-2010 |
20100280807 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MEASURING PATTERNED STRUCTURES - A method and system are presented for determining a line profile in a patterned structure, aimed at controlling a process of manufacture of the structure. The patterned structure comprises a plurality of different layers, the pattern in the structure being formed by patterned regions and un-patterned regions. At least first and second measurements are carried out, each utilizing illumination of the structure with a broad wavelengths band of incident light directed on the structure at a certain angle of incidence, detection of spectral characteristics of light returned from the structure, and generation of measured data representative thereof. The measured data obtained with the first measurement is analyzed, and at least one parameter of the structure is thereby determined. Then, this determined parameter is utilized, while analyzing the measured data obtained with the second measurements enabling the determination of the profile of the structure. | 11-04-2010 |
20100280808 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MEASURING PATTERNED STRUCTURES - A method and system are presented for determining a line profile in a patterned structure, aimed at controlling a process of manufacture of the structure. The patterned structure comprises a plurality of different layers, the pattern in the structure being formed by patterned regions and un-patterned regions. At least first and second measurements are carried out, each utilizing illumination of the structure with a broad wavelengths band of incident light directed on the structure at a certain angle of incidence, detection of spectral characteristics of light returned from the structure, and generation of measured data representative thereof. The measured data obtained with the first measurement is analyzed, and at least one parameter of the structure is thereby determined. Then, this determined parameter is utilized, while analyzing the measured data obtained with the second measurements enabling the determination of the profile of the structure. | 11-04-2010 |
20100324865 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MEASURING PATTERNED STRUCTURES - A method and system are presented for determining a line profile in a patterned structure, aimed at controlling a process of manufacture of the structure. The patterned structure comprises a plurality of different layers, the pattern in the structure being formed by patterned regions and un-patterned regions. At least first and second measurements are carried out, each utilizing illumination of the structure with a broad wavelengths band of incident light directed on the structure at a certain angle of incidence, detection of spectral characteristics of light returned from the structure, and generation of measured data representative thereof. The measured data obtained with the first measurement is analyzed, and at least one parameter of the structure is thereby determined. Then, this determined parameter is utilized, while analyzing the measured data obtained with the second measurements enabling the determination of the profile of the structure. | 12-23-2010 |
20110037957 | MONITORING APPARATUS AND METHOD PARTICULARLY USEFUL IN PHOTOLITHOGRAPHICALLY PROCESSING SUBSTRATES - Apparatus for processing substrates according to a predetermined photolithography process includes a loading station in which the substrates are loaded, a coating station in which the substrates are coated with a photoresist material, an exposing station in which the photoresist coating is exposed to light through a mask having a predetermined pattern to produce a latent image of the mask on the photoresist coating, a developing station in which the latent image is developed, an unloading station in which the substrates are unloaded and a monitoring station for monitoring the substrates with respect to predetermined parameters of said photolithography process before reaching the unloading station. | 02-17-2011 |
20110089348 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THIN FILM QUALITY CONTROL - Photovoltaic thin film quality control is obtained where the thin film is supported by a support and a section of the film is illuminated by a polychromatic or monochromatic illumination source. The illumination is positioned in certain locations including locations where the layer stack includes a reduced number of thin film layers. Such locations may be discrete sampled points located within scribe lines, contact frames or dedicated measurement targets. The light collected from such discrete sampled points is transferred to a photo-sensitive sensor through an optical switch. The spectral signal of the light reflected, transmitted or scattered by the sampled points is collected by the sensor and processed by a controller in such a way that parameters of simplified stacks are used for accurate determination of desired parameters of the full cell stack. In this way the photovoltaic thin film parameters applicable to the quality control are derived e.g. thin film thickness, index of refraction, extinction coefficient, absorption coefficient, energy gap, conductivity, crystallinity, surface roughness, crystal phase, material composition and photoluminescence spectrum and intensity. Manufacturing equipment parameters influencing the material properties may be changed to provide a uniform thin film layer with pre-defined properties. | 04-21-2011 |
20110189926 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ENDPOINT DETECTION - A method and system are presented for monitoring a process sequentially applied to a stream of substantially identical articles by a processing tool, so as to terminate the operation of the processing tool upon detecting an end-point signal corresponding to a predetermined value of a desired parameter of the article being processed. The article is processed with the processing tool. Upon completing the processing in response to the end-point signal generated by an end-point detector continuously operating during the processing of the article, integrated monitoring is applied to the processed article to measure the value of the desired parameter. The measured value of the desired parameter is analyzed to determine a correction value thereof to be used for adjusting the end-point signal corresponding to the predetermined value of the desired parameter for terminating the processing of the next article in the stream. | 08-04-2011 |
20120008147 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MEASURING PATTERNED STRUCTURES - A method and system are presented for determining a line profile in a patterned structure, aimed at controlling a process of manufacture of the structure. The patterned structure comprises a plurality of different layers, the pattern in the structure being formed by patterned regions and un-patterned regions. At least first and second measurements are carried out, each utilizing illumination of the structure with a broad wavelengths band of incident light directed on the structure at a certain angle of incidence, detection of spectral characteristics of light returned from the structure, and generation of measured data representative thereof. The measured data obtained with the first measurement is analyzed, and at least one parameter of the structure is thereby determined. Then, this determined parameter is utilized, while analyzing the measured data obtained with the second measurements enabling the determination of the profile of the structure | 01-12-2012 |
20120044506 | THIN FILMS MEASUREMENT METHOD AND SYSTEM - A method and system are provided for controlling processing of a structure. First measured data is provided being indicative of at least one of: a thickness (d | 02-23-2012 |
20120268939 | METHOD OF LASER PROCESSING - A method of manufacturing a waveguide within a substrate by local modification of material structure under high power density laser radiation applied from the mostly distant side of the substrate. | 10-25-2012 |
20130087098 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ENDPOINT DETECTION - A process control system is provided for use with a processing tool for thin film patterning by a material removal processing system. The system includes an optical end-point detector operable within a working area defined by the processing tool when the processing tool is applied to an article, the optical end-point detector performing in-situ measurements of parameters of patterned thin film on the article. An optical integrated monitoring tool is installed with the processing tool and operable outside the working area for measuring parameters of the patterned thin film on the article. A control unit is connected to the end-point detector and to the integrated monitoring tool, and includes processing and computational intelligence responsive to data received from the end-point detector and to the measured data received from the integrated monitoring tool for analyzing data and generating a signal for terminating the patterning of the thin film on the article. | 04-11-2013 |
20130128270 | LATERAL SHIFT MEASUREMENT USING AN OPTICAL TECHNIQUE - Alignment of layers during manufacture of a multi-layer sample is controlled by applying optical measurements to a measurement site in the sample. The measurement site includes two diffractive structures located one above the other in two different layers, respectively. The optical measurements include at least two measurements with different polarization states of incident light, each measurement including illuminating the measurement site so as to illuminate one of the diffractive structures through the other. The diffraction properties of the measurement site are indicative of a lateral shift between the diffractive structures. The diffraction properties detected are analyzed for the different polarization states of the incident light to determine an existing lateral shift between the layers. | 05-23-2013 |
20130293872 | MONITORING APPARATUS AND METHOD PARTICULARLY USEFUL IN PHOTOLITHOGRAPHICALLY PROCESSING SUBSTRATES - Apparatus for processing substrates according to a predetermined photolithography process includes a loading station in which the substrates are loaded, a coating station in which the substrates are coated with a photoresist material, an exposing station in which the photoresist coating is exposed to light through a mask having a predetermined pattern to produce a latent image of the mask on the photoresist coating, a developing station in which the latent image is developed, an unloading station in which the substrates are unloaded and a monitoring station for monitoring the substrates with respect to predetermined parameters of said photolithography process before reaching the unloading station. | 11-07-2013 |
20140320837 | MONITORING APPARATUS AND METHOD PARTICULARLY USEFUL IN PHOTOLITHOGRAPHICALLY PROCESSING SUBSTRATES - Apparatus for processing substrates according to a predetermined photolithography process includes a loading station in which the substrates are loaded, a coating station in which the substrates are coated with a photoresist material, an exposing station in which the photoresist coating is exposed to light through a mask having a predetermined pattern to produce a latent image of the mask on the photoresist coating, a developing station in which the latent image is developed, an unloading station in which the substrates are unloaded and a monitoring station for monitoring the substrates with respect to predetermined parameters of said photolithography process before reaching the unloading station. | 10-30-2014 |