| Nova Measuring Instruments Ltd. Patent applications |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 20090213377 | REFLECTIVE OPTICAL SYSTEM - A lens arrangement is presented. The lens arrangement comprises a first element having a concave reflective surface and defining an optical axis of the lens arrangement, and a second substantially flat and at least partially reflective element spaced-apart from the first element along the optical axis. The second element is configured to allow light passage therethrough and is oriented with respect to the optical axis and the first element such that at a predetermined angle of incidence of an input light beam onto the second element, the input light beam is reflected onto the reflective surface of the first element and reflected therefrom to pass through the second element. | 08-27-2009 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
