Optics: measuring and testing – Material strain analysis – With polarized light
Reexamination Certificate
2007-09-25
2007-09-25
Toatley, Jr., Gregory J. (Department: 2877)
Optics: measuring and testing
Material strain analysis
With polarized light
C356S033000, C356S365000
Reexamination Certificate
active
10936019
ABSTRACT:
Systems and methods for measuring stress in a specimen are provided. One system includes an optical subsystem configured to measure stress-induced birefringence in patterned structures formed on the specimen. In some embodiments, the optical subsystem may be configured as a spectroscopic ellipsometer, a multi-angle laser ellipsometer, a polarimeter, a polarized reflectometer, or some combination thereof. The system also includes a processor coupled to the optical subsystem. The processor is configured to determine stress in a material of the patterned structures using the stress-induced birefringence measurements. One method includes measuring stress-induced birefringence in patterned structures formed on the specimen using an optical technique. The method also includes determining stress in a material of the patterned structures using the stress-induced birefringence measurements.
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Janik Gary
Krishnan Shankar
KLA-Tencor Technologies Corp.
Skovholt Jonathan
Toatley , Jr. Gregory J.
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