Xing Chen

US Patent:

6734967, May 11, 2004

Filed:

Feb 11, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/248876

Inventors:

Timothy R. Piwonka-Corle - Portland OR
Karen F. Scoffone - Redwood City CA
Xing Chen - San Jose CA
Jean-Louis Stehle - Colombes, FR
Dorian Zahorski - Vanves, FR
John-Pierre Rey - Fontenay Aux Roses, FR

Assignee:

KLA-Tencor Technologies Corporation - Milpitas CA

International Classification:

G01N 2121

US Classification:

356369

Abstract:

A method and system for spectroscopic ellipsometry employing reflective optics to measure a small region of a sample by reflecting radiation (preferably broadband UV, visible, and near infrared radiation) from the region. The system preferably has an autofocus assembly and a processor programmed to determine from the measurements the thickness and/or complex refractive index of a thin film on the sample. Preferably, only reflective optics are employed along the optical path between the polarizer and analyzer, a sample beam reflects with low incidence angle from each component of the reflective optics, the beam is reflectively focused to a small, compact spot on the sample at a range of high incidence angles, and an incidence angle selection element is provided for selecting for measurement only radiation reflected from the sample at a single, selected angle (or narrow range of angles). The focusing mirror preferably has an elliptical shape to reduce off-axis aberrations in the focused beam. Some embodiments include both a spectrophotometer and an ellipsometer integrated together as a single instrument.

US Patent:

7620747, Nov 17, 2009

Filed:

Oct 12, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/248663

Inventors:

Mark A. Overby - Bothell WA, US
Xing Cindy Chen - Mountain View CA, US

Assignee:

NVIDIA Corporation - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

G06F 13/28
G06F 3/00
G06F 15/167
G06F 12/00

US Classification:

710 22, 710 5, 710 48, 709212, 711112

Abstract:

Systems and methods for performing native command queuing according to the protocol specified by Serial ATA II for transferring data between a disk and system memory are described. Native command queuing context for queued commands is maintained by a host controller device driver and is provided to the host controller as needed to process the queued commands. The host controller is simplified since it only stores the context of the one command being processed. The host controller generates a backoff interrupt when a command cannot be queued. The host controller generates a DMA transfer context request interrupt to request programming of the registers that store the context for the one command being processed.

US Patent:

8099529, Jan 17, 2012

Filed:

Oct 29, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/608833

Inventors:

Mark A. Overby - Bothell WA, US
Xing Cindy Chen - Mountain View CA, US

Assignee:

NVIDIA Corporation - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

G06F 13/28
G06F 3/00

US Classification:

710 22, 710 28, 710 36

Abstract:

Systems and methods for performing native command queuing according to the protocol specified by Serial ATA II for transferring data between a disk and system memory are described. Native command queuing context for queued commands is maintained by a host controller device driver and is provided to the host controller as needed to process the queued commands. The host controller is simplified since it only stores the context of the one command being processed. The host controller generates a backoff interrupt when a command cannot be queued. The host controller generates a DMA transfer context request interrupt to request programming of the registers that store the context for the one command being processed.

US Patent:

20040100632, May 27, 2004

Filed:

Nov 18, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/716805

Inventors:

Timothy Piwonka-Corle - Portland OR, US
Karen Scoffone - Redwood City CA, US
Xing Chen - San Jose CA, US
Lloyd Lacomb - Santa Clara CA, US
Jean-Louis Stehle - Colombes, FR
Dorian Zahorski - Vanves, FR
Jean-Pierre Rey - Fontenay Aux Roses, FR

International Classification:

G01J004/00

US Classification:

356/364000

Abstract:

A method and system for spectroscopic ellipsometry employing reflective optics to measure a small region of a sample by reflecting radiation (preferably broadband UV, visible, and near infrared radiation) from the region. The system preferably has an autofocus assembly and a processor programmed to determine from the measurements the thickness and/or complex refractive index of a thin film on the sample. Preferably, only reflective optics are employed along the optical path between the polarizer and analyzer, a sample beam reflects with low incidence angle from each component of the reflective optics, the beam is reflectively focused to a small, compact spot on the sample at a range of high incidence angles, and an incidence angle selection element is provided for selecting for measurement only radiation reflected from the sample at a single, selected angle (or narrow range of angles). The focusing mirror preferably has an elliptical shape to reduce off-axis aberrations in the focused beam. Some embodiments include both a spectrophotometer and an ellipsometer integrated together as a single instrument. In such instrument, the spectrophotometer and ellipsometer share a radiation source, and radiation from the source can be focused by either the spectrophotometer or the ellipsometer to the same focal point on a sample. Preferred embodiments of the ellipsometer employ a rotating, minimal-length Rochon prism as a polarizer, and include a spectrometer with an intensified photodiode array to measure reflected radiation from the sample, and a reference channel (in addition to a sample channel which detects radiation reflected from the sample).

US Patent:

20050105090, May 19, 2005

Filed:

Dec 7, 2004

Appl. No.:

11/007420

Inventors:

Timothy Piwonka-Corle - Portland OR, US
Karen Scoffone - Redwood City CA, US
Xing Chen - San Jose CA, US
Lloyd Lacomb - Santa Clara CA, US
Jean-Louis Stehle - Colombes, FR
Dorian Zahorski - Vanves, FR
John-Pierre Rey - Fontenay Aux Roses, FR

International Classification:

G01J004/00

US Classification:

356369000

Abstract:

A method and system for spectroscopic ellipsometry employing reflective optics to measure a small region of a sample by reflecting radiation (preferably broadband UV, visible, and near infrared radiation) from the region. The system preferably has an autofocus assembly and a processor programmed to determine from the measurements the thickness and/or complex refractive index of a thin film on the sample. Preferably, only reflective optics are employed along the optical path between the polarizer and analyzer, a sample beam reflects with low incidence angle from each component of the reflective optics, the beam is reflectively focused to a small, compact spot on the sample at a range of high incidence angles, and an incidence angle selection element is provided for selecting for measurement only radiation reflected from the sample at a single, selected angle (or narrow range of angles). The focusing mirror preferably has an elliptical shape to reduce off-axis aberrations in the focused beam. Some embodiments include both a spectrophotometer and an ellipsometer integrated together as a single instrument. In such instrument, the spectrophotometer and ellipsometer share a radiation source, and radiation from the source can be focused by either the spectrophotometer or the ellipsometer to the same focal point on a sample. Preferred embodiments of the ellipsometer employ a rotating, minimal-length Rochon prism as a polarizer, and include a spectrometer with an intensified photodiode array to measure reflected radiation from the sample, and a reference channel (in addition to a sample channel which detects radiation reflected from the sample).

US Patent:

59108428, Jun 8, 1999

Filed:

Nov 27, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/753696

Inventors:

Timothy R. Piwonka-Corle - Portland OR
Xing Chen - San Jose CA
Lloyd J. Lacomb - Santa Clara CA
Jean-Louis Stehle - Colorbes, FR
Dorian Zahorski - Vannes, FR

Assignee:

Kla-Tencor Corporation - San Jose CA

International Classification:

G01N 2121

US Classification:

356369

Abstract:

A method and system for spectroscopic ellipsometry employing reflective optics to measure a small region of a sample by reflecting radiation (preferably broadband UV, visible, and near infrared radiation) from the region. The system preferably has an autofocus assembly and a processor programmed to determine from the measurements the thickness and/or complex refractive index of a thin film on the sample. Preferably, only reflective optics are employed along the optical path between the polarizer and analyzer, a sample beam reflects with low incidence angle from each component of the reflective optics, the beam is reflectively focused to a small, compact spot on the sample at a range of high incidence angles, and an incidence angle selection element is provided for selecting for measurement only radiation reflected from the sample at a single, selected angle (or narrow range of angles). The focusing mirror preferably has an elliptical shape to reduce off-axis aberrations in the focused beam. Some embodiments include both a spectrophotometer and an ellipsometer integrated together as a single instrument.

US Patent:

56085265, Mar 4, 1997

Filed:

Jan 19, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/375353

Inventors:

Timothy R. Piwonka-Corle - Portland OR
Karen F. Scoffone - Redwood City CA
Xing Chen - San Jose CA
Lloyd J. Lacomb - Santa Clara CA
Jean-Louis Stehle - Colombes, FR
Dorian Zahorski - Vanves, FR
Jean-Pierre Rey - Fontenay Aux Roses, FR

Assignee:

Tencor Instruments - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

G01N 2121

US Classification:

356369

Abstract:

A method and system for spectroscopic ellipsometry employing reflective optics to measure a small region of a sample by reflecting radiation (preferably broadband UV, visible, and near infrared radiation) from the region. The system preferably has an autofocus assembly and a processor programmed to determine from the measurements the thickness and/or complex refractive index of a thin film on the sample. Preferably, only reflective optics are employed along the optical path between the polarizer and analyzer, a sample beam reflects with low incidence angle from each component of the reflective optics, the beam is reflectively focused to a small, compact spot on the sample at a range of high incidence angles, and an incidence angle selection element is provided for selecting for measurement only radiation reflected from the sample at a single, selected angle (or narrow range of angles). The focusing mirror preferably has an elliptical shape,to reduce off-axis aberrations in the focused beam. Some embodiments include both a spectrophotometer and an ellipsometer integrated together as a single instrument.

US Patent:

62689169, Jul 31, 2001

Filed:

May 11, 1999

Appl. No.:

9/310017

Inventors:

Shing Lee - Fremont CA
Mehrdad Nikoonahad - Menlo Park CA
Xing Chen - San Jose CA

Assignee:

Kla-Tencor Corporation - San Jose CA

International Classification:

G01J 400
G01N 2100

US Classification:

356369

Abstract:

The surface of a doped semiconductor wafer is heated locally by means of a pump beam whose intensity is modulated at a first frequency. The heated area is sampled by a probe beam whose intensity is modulated at a second frequency. After the probe beam has been modulated (reflected or transmitted) at the first frequency by the wafer, the modulated probe beam is detected at a frequency equal to the difference between the harmonics of the first and second frequencies to determine dose of the dopants in the wafer. Such or similar type of instrument for measuring dose may be combined with an ellipsometer, reflectometer or polarimeter for measuring dose as well as thickness(es) and/or indices of refraction in a combined instrument for measuring the same sample.