Ken Lam Lee

6402903, Jun 11, 2002

Feb 4, 2000

09/499092

Mingwei Jiang - Sunnyvale CA
Ken Lee - Mountain View CA
Gil Lavi - Sunnyvale CA

STEAG HamaTech AG - Sternenfels

C23C 1435

20419212, 2042982, 20429822

A plasma sputtering system is disclosed, along with methods of sputtering and methods of arranging an array of magnets disposed within the sputtering system. An embodiment of the sputtering system includes a vacuum chamber. A rotating magnetron is disposed in the vacuum chamber. A target is positioned between the magnetron and a substrate upon which material from the target is to be deposited. The magnetron includes an array of pairs of oppositely poled permanent magnets. A closed loop magnetic path extends between the pairs of oppositely poled magnets of the array. The magnetic path includes an inturn region proximate to an axis of rotation of the magnetron and at least two (e. g. , five) indent regions.

6406598, Jun 18, 2002

May 25, 2001

09/866114

Ke Ling Lee - Cupertino CA
Mikhail Mazur - San Francisco CA
Ken Lee - Mountain View CA
Robert M. Martinson - San Mateo CA

STEAG HamaTech AG - Sternenfels

C23C 1432

20419212, 20429811, 20429814, 20429815, 20429825

A plasma sputtering system is described. A substrate handling system thereof places an unprocessed substrate (e. g. , an optical disk), an inner mask, and an outer mask onto a tray in a loadlock of the sputtering system, and then seals the access opening to the loadlock. The substrate and the masks are moved on the tray to a sputtering chamber where the substrate is sputter coated. The substrate handing system removes the processec substrate and accompanying inner and outer masks from the tray in the loadlock to an external substrate change station, where the processed substrate is removed from the masks, which are still gripped by the substrate handling system. Another unprocessed disk is placed on the inner mask and within the outer mask, and the sequence repeats. The substrate handling system only contacts the masks on surfaces thereof that are not subjected to direct sputter deposition.

6413381, Jul 2, 2002

Apr 12, 2000

09/547986

Ken Lee - Mountain View CA
Ke Ling Lee - Cupertino CA
Mingwei Jiang - Sunnyvale CA
Robert M. Martinson - San Mateo CA

Steag HamaTech AG - Sternenfels

C23C 1434

20419212, 2041921, 20429815, 20429823, 20429825, 20429811, 20429828

A plasma sputtering system that may be used to deposit a film on a substrate such as an optical disk is disclosed. In one embodiment, the sputtering system includes a main vacuum chamber. A plurality of sputtering chambers and a load lock chamber are connected to the main vacuum chamber. An assembly of a horizontal unprocessed substrate, an inner mask, and an outer mask are pressed onto a substrate transport tray that is positioned in the load lock. The tray supports the substrate and the masks throughout the processing of the substrate. A vertical lift lowers the tray from the load lock onto a carousel. The carousel transports the tray, substrate and masks to the sputtering chambers and then back to the load lock for unloading. Other lifts raise the tray, processed substrate, and masks from the carousel to the sputtering chambers. The tray is selectively pressed against the lower access aperture of the load lock and sputtering chambers so as to isolated them from the main chamber.

6661515, Dec 9, 2003

Sep 11, 2001

09/953742

Bruce W. Worster - Saratoga CA
Ken K. Lee - Los Altos CA

KLA-Tencor Corporation - San Jose CA

G01B 1100

356394

A method is described for characterizing defects on a test surface of a semiconductor wafer using a confocal-microscope-based automatic defect characterization (ADC) system. The surface to be tested and a reference surface are scanned using a confocal microscope to obtain three-dimensional images of the test and reference surfaces. The test and reference images are converted into sets of geometric constructs, or âprimitives,â that are used to approximate features of the images. Next, the sets of test and reference primitives are compared to determine whether the set of test primitives is different from the set of reference primitives. If such a difference exists, then the difference data is used to generate defect parameters, which are then compared to a knowledge base of defect reference data. Based on this comparison, the ADC system characterizes the defect and estimates a degree of confidence in the characterization.

7110106, Sep 19, 2006

Oct 28, 2004

10/977084

James J. Xu - San Jose CA, US
Ken K. Lee - Los Altos CA, US

CoreTech Optical, Inc. - San Jose CA

G01N 21/00

3562375, 3562371, 3562372

An inspection system includes a stage, a light source, and a light collection subsystem is disclosed. The stage supports an article for inspection, the article having a surface. The light source provides light impinging on and scattering from an illumination area of the surface. The light collection system includes a plurality of collectors arranged generally in a semi-spherical layout such that each collector collects at least a portion of the scattering light at a collection polar angle and a collection azimuthal angle that are unique relative to collection polar angle and collection azimuthal angle of other collectors. The collectors are arranged in three rings of collectors. The inspection system includes a plurality of channels where each collector of the light collection subsystem is associated with a channel. The inspection system includes a processor connected to the channels. The processor is adapted to process information from the channels.

7154605, Dec 26, 2006

May 8, 2003

10/434131

Bruce W. Worster - Saratoga CA, US
Ken K. Lee - Los Altos CA, US

KLA-Tencor Corporation - san Jose CA

G01N 356/435

356435

A method is described for characterizing defects on a test surface of a semiconductor wafer using a confocal-microscope-based automatic defect characterization (ADC) system. The surface to be tested and a reference surface are scanned using a confocal microscope to obtain three-dimensional images of the test and reference surfaces. The test and reference images are converted into sets of geometric constructs, or “primitives,” that are used to approximate features of the images. Next, the sets of test and reference primitives are compared to determine whether the set of test primitives is different from the set of reference primitives. If such a difference exists, then the difference data is used to generate defect parameters, which are then compared to a knowledge base of defect reference data. Based on this comparison, the ADC system characterizes the defect and estimates a degree of confidence in the characterization.

7384806, Jun 10, 2008

Dec 21, 2006

11/614835

Bruce W. Worster - Saratoga CA, US
Ken K. Lee - Los Altos CA, US

KLA-Tencor Corporation - San Jose

H01L 21/66

438 18

A method is described for characterizing defects on a test surface of a semiconductor wafer using a confocal-microscope-based automatic defect characterization (ADC) system. The surface to be tested and a reference surface are scanned using a confocal microscope to obtain three-dimensional images of the test and reference surfaces. The test and reference images are converted into sets of geometric constructs, or “primitives,” that are used to approximate features of the images. Next, the sets of test and reference primitives are compared to determine whether the set of test primitives is different from the set of reference primitives. If such a difference exists, then the difference data is used to generate defect parameters, which are then compared to a knowledge base of defect reference data. Based on this comparison, the ADC system characterizes the defect and estimates a degree of confidence in the characterization.

7433031, Oct 7, 2008

Oct 28, 2004

10/977144

James J. Xu - San Jose CA, US
Ken K. Lee - Los Altos CA, US

Core Tech Optical, Inc. - San Jose CA

G01N 21/00

3562372, 3562373, 3562374, 3562375, 3562376, 356338, 356445

A defect review system includes a stage, a light source, a turning mirror, and a ring of collectors. The stage supports and moves an article for inspection, the article having a surface. The light source provides light. The turning mirror turns the light toward the surface at an oblique incident angle whereby the light illuminates a spot on the surface and the light scatters from the spot. The ring of collectors is adapted to collect scattering light. A method of reviewing surface of a wafer is disclosed. The method provides a dark-field mode of operation adapted to inspect the surface by illuminating a spot on the surface at an oblique angle and collecting scattering light from the surface. Further, the method provides a bright-field mode of operation adapted to inspect the surface by illuminating a spot on the surface at a normal angle to examine the reflecting light.