Patent ID: 6284986
Filing Date: 2001-09-04
Classification: G01B,G01G,H01L

Abstract:
In a semiconductor manufacturing process, a method of determining the thickness of a layer on a silicon substrate, the layer having a certain density and the layer being deposited on a certain surface area of the substrate, the method comprising:transferring the substrate from a shipping tray to a weighing device;determining the mass of the substrate by weighing the substrate by the weighing device;transferring the substrate from the weighing device to a reactor tray;depositing the layer on the substrate;transferring the substrate from the reactor tray to the weighing device;determining the combined mass of the substrate and layer by weighing the substrate by the weighing device;determining the mass of the layer from the difference between the combined mass of the substrate and layer, and the mass of the substrate; andcalculating the thickness of the layer from the mass of the layer, the surface area of the substrate, and the density of the layer.