William H Mcclintock

US Patent:

20180166347, Jun 14, 2018

Filed:

Feb 7, 2018

Appl. No.:

15/891290

Inventors:

- Santa Clara CA, US
Zhihong Wang - Santa Clara CA, US
Wen-Chiang Tu - Mountain View CA, US
Zhefu Wang - Milpitas CA, US
Hassan G. Iravani - Sunnyvale CA, US
Boguslaw A. Swedek - Cupertino CA, US
Fred C. Redeker - Fremont CA, US
William H. McClintock - Los Altos CA, US

International Classification:

H01L 21/66
H01L 21/321

Abstract:

A substrate for use in fabrication of an integrated circuit has a layer with a plurality of conductive interconnects. The substrate includes a semiconductor body, a dielectric layer disposed over the semiconductor body, a plurality of conductive lines of a conductive material disposed in first trenches in the dielectric layer to provide the conductive interconnects, and a closed conductive loop structure of the conductive material disposed in second trenches in the dielectric layer. The closed conductive loop is not electrically connected to any of the conductive lines.

US Patent:

20180056476, Mar 1, 2018

Filed:

Aug 25, 2017

Appl. No.:

15/686936

Inventors:

- Santa Clara CA, US
Zhihong Wang - Santa Clara CA, US
Harry Q. Lee - Los Altos CA, US
Brian J. Brown - Palo Alto CA, US
Wen-Chiang Tu - Mountain View CA, US
William H. McClintock - Los Altos CA, US
Wei Lu - Fremont CA, US

International Classification:

B24B 37/005
B24B 53/017
G01B 7/06

Abstract:

An apparatus for chemical mechanical polishing includes a platen having a surface to support a polishing pad, a carrier head to hold a substrate against a polishing surface of the polishing pad, a pad conditioner including a conductive body to be pressed against the polishing surface, an in-situ polishing pad thickness monitoring system including a sensor disposed in the platen to generate a magnetic field that passes through the polishing pad, and a controller configured to receive a signal from the monitoring system and generate a measure of polishing pad thickness based on a portion of the signal corresponding to a time that the sensor is below the conductive body of the pad conditioner.

US Patent:

20150371907, Dec 24, 2015

Filed:

Jun 23, 2014

Appl. No.:

14/312470

Inventors:

- Santa Clara CA, US
Zhihong Wang - Santa Clara CA, US
Wen-Chiang Tu - Mountain View CA, US
Zhefu Wang - Milpitas CA, US
Hassan G. Iravani - San Jose CA, US
Boguslaw A. Swedek - Cupertino CA, US
Fred C. Redeker - Fremont CA, US
William H. McClintock - Los Altos CA, US

International Classification:

H01L 21/66
H01L 21/306

Abstract:

A substrate for use in fabrication of an integrated circuit has a layer with a plurality of conductive interconnects. The substrate includes a semiconductor body, a dielectric layer disposed over the semiconductor body, a plurality of conductive lines of a conductive material disposed in first trenches in the dielectric layer to provide the conductive interconnects, and a closed conductive loop structure of the conductive material disposed in second trenches in the dielectric layer. The closed conductive loop is not electrically connected to any of the conductive lines.

US Patent:

20140141694, May 22, 2014

Filed:

Nov 21, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/683911

Inventors:

- Santa Clara CA, US
Zhihong Wang - Santa Clara CA, US
Wen-Chiang Tu - Mountain View CA, US
William H. McClintock - Los Altos CA, US

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

B24B 49/12

US Classification:

451 5

Abstract:

A method of controlling a polishing system includes polishing a substrate at a first polishing station, transporting the substrate to an in-line optical metrology system positioned between the first polishing station and a second polishing station, at the in-line optical metrology system measuring a spectrum reflected from the substrate, and generating a characterizing value from the spectrum, determining that the substrate needs rework based on the characterizing value, returning the substrate to the first polishing station and performing rework of the substrate at the first polishing station; and transporting the substrate to the second polishing station and polishing the substrate at the second polishing station.