Patent ID: 6707562
Filing Date: 2004-03-16
Classification: G03F,H01L

Abstract:
A method, comprising:forming at least one grating structure in a layer of photoresist material, said grating structure being comprised of a plurality of photoresist features of a first size; performing an etching process on said photoresist features of said at least one grating structure to reduce said photoresist features to a second size that is less than said first size; illuminating the at least one grating structure; measuring light reflected off of said grating structure after said etching process is started to generate an optical characteristic trace for said grating structure; comparing said generated optical characteristic trace to a target optical characteristic trace that corresponds to a grating structure comprised of a plurality of photoresist features having a desired profile; and stopping said etching process based upon said comparison of said generated trace and said target trace.