Patent ID: 6819427
Filing Date: 2004-11-16
Classification: G01N,G03F

Abstract:
A system of monitoring development of a selectively irradiated photoresist material layer comprising:at least one light source disposed near the selectively irradiated photoresist material layer, the at least one light source adapted to transmit a ray of light across the selectively irradiated photoresist material layer; at least one detector disposed near the selectively irradiated photoresist material layer, the at least one detector adapted to receive a reflected ray of light due to the at least one light source and provide a signal corresponding to the intensity of the reflected ray of light; a measuring system operably coupled to the at least one detector, the measuring system adapted to receive the signal corresponding to the intensity of the ray of light and convert the signal to digital data, the measuring system measuring at least one of volume of developer, concentration of developer and period of contact time between developer and selectively irradiated photoresist; and a processor operatively coupled to the measuring system, the processor adapted to receive the digital data from the measuring system and analyze the digital data wherein the difference of the intensity of the ray of light from the at least one light source to when it is received by at least one detector is proportional to an amount of water generated across the selectively irradiated photoresist material layer due to an interaction of a developer and an acid in the selectively irradiated photoresist material layer.