Steven T Meeks

US Patent:

6392749, May 21, 2002

Filed:

Nov 20, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/718054

Inventors:

Steven W. Meeks - Fremont CA
Rusmin Kudinar - Fremont CA

Assignee:

Candela Instruments - Fremont CA

International Classification:

G01B 1106

US Classification:

356381

Abstract:

A system and a method for measuring a height of a thin film disk or a silicon wafer having a first and a second electromagnetic signal source for generating a first and a second signal toward a first position on the thin film magnetic disk at two different angles, a first and a second sensitive detector positioned at a right angle from each other to receive a reflected portion of the first and the second signal that reflects off of the object, and to determine a radial portion of the first and the second signals and a circumferential portion of the first and the second signals. The system also includes a processor for determining the height of the first position based upon a difference between the circumferential portion of the second signal and the circumferential portion of the first signal that does not include slope information.

US Patent:

6757056, Jun 29, 2004

Filed:

May 18, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/861280

Inventors:

Steven W. Meeks - Fremont CA
Rusmin Kudinar - Fremont CA

Assignee:

Candela Instruments - Fremont CA

International Classification:

G01N 2100

US Classification:

356 73

Abstract:

A system and method for measuring defects, film thickness, contamination, particles and height of a thin film disk or a silicon wafer.

US Patent:

6897957, May 24, 2005

Filed:

Dec 21, 2001

Appl. No.:

10/029957

Inventors:

Steven W. Meeks - Fremont CA, US

Assignee:

Candela Instruments - Fremont CA

International Classification:

G01N021/84

US Classification:

356430

Abstract:

A system and method for measuring defects, film thickness, contamination, particles and height of a thin film disk or a silicon wafer. The system includes a processor for determining height. In addition to measuring the height the system can measure film thickness and defects through the measurement of the phase shift of optical signals. An optical profilometer is described which can measure topography on thin film disks, optical substrates or silicon wafers and whose output is independent of the reflectivity of the substrate. This material independent optical profilometer uses a retro-reflector to achieve reflectivity independence and to increase the height sensitivity to 8 times the height of the surface. The reflectivity independent optical profilometer achieves perfect cancellation of the slope of the surface while measuring the topography of the substrate.

US Patent:

6909500, Jun 21, 2005

Filed:

Aug 14, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/219632

Inventors:

Steven W. Meeks - Fremont CA, US

Assignee:

Candela Instruments - Fremont CA

International Classification:

G01N021/88

US Classification:

3562373

Abstract:

Scratches, pits and particles which are smaller or larger than the beam size may be measured and identified by a dual beam technique. This invention uses a pair of orthogonally oriented laser beams, one in the radial and one in the circumferential direction. The scattered light from radial and circumferential beams allows the detection and classification of particles, pits and scratches.

US Patent:

6930765, Aug 16, 2005

Filed:

Apr 19, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/126154

Inventors:

Steven W. Meeks - Fremont CA, US
Hung P. Nguyen - Santa Clara CA, US

Assignee:

KLA-Tencor Technologies - Milpitas CA

International Classification:

G01N021/88

US Classification:

356 73

Abstract:

A combined optical profiler, ellipsometer, reflectometer and scatterometer is described which is configured to have user selectable spot sizes. An attached computer allows the user to select via software the desired spot size on the substrate.

US Patent:

7061601, Jun 13, 2006

Filed:

Jan 8, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/754275

Inventors:

Steven W. Meeks - Fremont CA, US

Assignee:

KLA-Tencor Technologies Corporation - Milpitas CA

International Classification:

G01N 21/00

US Classification:

3562372, 3562374, 3562375

Abstract:

A double-sided optical inspection system is presented which may detect and classify particles, pits and scratches on thin film disks or wafers in a single scan of the surface. In one embodiment, the invention uses a pair of orthogonally oriented laser beams, one in the radial and one in the circumferential direction on both surfaces of the wafer or thin film disk. The scattered light from radial and circumferential beams is separated via their polarization or by the use of a dichroic mirror together with two different laser wavelengths.

US Patent:

7075630, Jul 11, 2006

Filed:

Jun 21, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/873892

Inventors:

Steven W Meeks - Fremont CA, US
Rusmin Kudinar - Fremont CA, US

Assignee:

KLA-Tencor Technologies Corporation - Milpitas CA

International Classification:

G01N 21/00

US Classification:

356 73

Abstract:

A system and method for measuring defects, film thickness, contamination, particles and height of a thin film disk or a silicon wafer.

US Patent:

7075741, Jul 11, 2006

Filed:

Jun 14, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/867609

Inventors:

Ronny Soetarman - Fremont CA, US
Vamsi M. Velidandla - Hayward CA, US
Jimmy Leung - Morgan Hill CA, US
Steven W. Meeks - Fremont CA, US

Assignee:

KLA Tencor Technologues Corporation - Milpitas CA

International Classification:

G11B 5/02

US Classification:

360 25

Abstract:

An embodiment of the present invention includes receiving a disk having a servo pattern and automatically identifying the center of the servo pattern. The present invention also automatically identifies the center of the physical disk and then automatically identifying the variance between the servo center and physical disk center.