Etching apparatus and methods
AssigneeSPTS Technologies Limited
InventorOliver James Ansell
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Abstract
A method of etching the whole width of a substrate to expose buried features is disclosed. The method includes etching a face of a substrate across its width to achieve substantially uniform removal of material; illuminating the etched face during the etch process; applying edge detection techniques to light reflected or scattered from the face to detect the appearances of buried features; and modifying the etch in response to the detection of the buried feature. An etching apparatus for etching substrate across its width to expose buried is also disclosed.
Claims15
A method of etching the whole width of a substrate to expose buried features, comprising:
- (a) etching a face of a substrate across its width to achieve substantially uniform removal of material;
- (b) illuminating the etched face during the etch process;
- (c) applying edge detection techniques to light reflected or scattered from the face to detect the appearances of buried features;
- (d) modifying the etch in response to the detection of the buried feature.
A method of etching the whole width of a substrate to expose the ends of buried features, comprising:
- (a) etching a face of a substrate across its width to achieve substantially uniform removal of material;
- (b) illuminating the etched face during the etch process;
- (c) detecting non-homogeneity in an image of the face represented by light reflected or scattered from the face to detect the exposure of the buried features;
- (d) modifying the etch in response to the detection of the buried features.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.