US5238525A — Analysis of Rheed data from rotating substrates

Claim 1

Independent Claim 133 words

A method of determining growth properties of a layer of material as it is being grown on a substrate, comprising the steps of: a) rotating the substrate upon which the layer is being grown; b) subjecting the growing layer to a beam of energy impinging on the layer as the substrate is rotated to modulate the beam by the variations in the growth; c) converting the beam modulations into a visual image consisting of frames of pixels; d) tracking a selected set of pixels in a frame; e) generating time varying data from said set of pixels of the oscillatory variations induced in said beam by said modulations during the growth process; f) converting said time varying data to frequency varying data; and g) utilizing said frequency varying data to determine growth properties.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 133 words

A method of determining growth properties of a layer of material as it is being grown on a substrate, comprising the steps of: a) rotating the substrate upon which the layer is being grown; b) subjecting the growing layer to a beam of energy impinging on the layer as the substrate is rotated to modulate the beam by the variations in the growth; c) converting the beam modulations into a visual image consisting of frames of pixels; d) tracking a selected set of pixels in a frame; e) generating time varying data from said set of pixels of the oscillatory variations induced in said beam by said modulations during the growth process; f) converting said time varying data to frequency varying data; and g) utilizing said frequency varying data to determine growth properties.

Claim 3

Independent Claim 110 words

A method of analyzing the growth process of a layer of material as it is being grown on a substrate, comprising the steps of: a) rotating the substrate; b) directing a beam of energy onto the growing layer as the substrate is rotated to modulate the beam by the growth process; c) forming a visual image of the modulated beam, said image consisting of frames of pixels; d) tracking a selected set of pixels in a frame; e) from said set of pixels generating time varying data of the variations in the beam induced by said growth process; and f) generating frequency varying data corresponding to said time varying data.

Claim 4

Independent Claim 110 words

A method of analyzing the growth process of a layer of material as it is being grown on a substrate, comprising the steps of: a) rotating the substrate; b) directing a beam of energy onto the growing layer as the substrate is rotated to modulate the beam by the growth process; c) forming a visual image of the modulated beam, said image consisting of frames of pixels; d) tracking a selected set of pixels in a frame; e) from said set of pixels generating time varying data of the variations in the beam induced by said growth process; and f) generating frequency varying data corresponding to said time varying data.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 20 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the selected set of pixels consists of a row and column of such pixels.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 40 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the beam of energy is taken from the group comprising electron, photon or X-ray energy and the time varying data relates to data from the group comprising scattered, diffracted, reflected or transmitted beam variations.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 20 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the time varying data is processed to determine the maximum intensity of each frame.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 18 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the growth properties determined are used to control further growth of layers.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method of claim 2 wherein the beam modulation is from the group comprising scattered, diffracted, reflected or transmitted beam modulation.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method of claim 2 wherein the time varying data in claim 2 is processed to determine the maximum intensity of selected pixels in each frame.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of claim 2 wherein information contained in the frequency varying data is used to control the growth of the layer.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 117 words

Apparatus for controlling the growth of a layer of material grown on a substrate during the growth process, comprising: a) apparatus for rotating the substrate; b) an energy source for subjecting the growing layer to a beam of energy to produce variations in the energy beam caused by the growth process; c) apparatus for detecting such variations in the energy beam caused by the growth process and generating a visual image of such variations, said visual image comprising frames of pixels; d) tracking means for tracking a set of such pixels and generating a frequency varying pattern corresponding thereto; and e) apparatus for varying the growth of the layer in response to information contained in said pattern.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 117 words

Apparatus for controlling the growth of a layer of material grown on a substrate during the growth process, comprising: a) apparatus for rotating the substrate; b) an energy source for subjecting the growing layer to a beam of energy to produce variations in the energy beam caused by the growth process; c) apparatus for detecting such variations in the energy beam caused by the growth process and generating a visual image of such variations, said visual image comprising frames of pixels; d) tracking means for tracking a set of such pixels and generating a frequency varying pattern corresponding thereto; and e) apparatus for varying the growth of the layer in response to information contained in said pattern.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 100 words

Apparatus for analyzing the growth of a layer of material during growth on a rotating substrate comprising: a) apparatus for rotating the substrate; b) apparatus for directing a beam of energy at the growth layer as the substrate is rotated to produce variations in the energy beam induced by the growth process; c) imaging means for producing an image of said variations comprising frames of pixels; d) tracking means for tracking a set of such pixels; and e) apparatus for generating a frequency varying beam pattern from said tracked pixels corresponding to variations in the beam induced by said growth.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 100 words

Apparatus for analyzing the growth of a layer of material during growth on a rotating substrate comprising: a) apparatus for rotating the substrate; b) apparatus for directing a beam of energy at the growth layer as the substrate is rotated to produce variations in the energy beam induced by the growth process; c) imaging means for producing an image of said variations comprising frames of pixels; d) tracking means for tracking a set of such pixels; and e) apparatus for generating a frequency varying beam pattern from said tracked pixels corresponding to variations in the beam induced by said growth.

Claim 16

Independent Claim 100 words

A method of controlling the growth of a layer of semiconductor material as it is being grown on a rotating substrate, comprising the steps of: a) rotating the substrate; b) subjecting the growing layer to a beam of electron energy to obtain a diffraction pattern; c) generating a visual image of said diffraction pattern which is comprises of frames of pixels; d) tracking a set of pixels in each frame; e) from said tracked pixels generating frequency varying data corresponding to oscillatory variations induced in said diffraction pattern; and f) utilizing said frequency varying data to control said growth process.

Claim 17

Independent Claim 100 words

A method of controlling the growth of a layer of semiconductor material as it is being grown on a rotating substrate, comprising the steps of: a) rotating the substrate; b) subjecting the growing layer to a beam of electron energy to obtain a diffraction pattern; c) generating a visual image of said diffraction pattern which is comprises of frames of pixels; d) tracking a set of pixels in each frame; e) from said tracked pixels generating frequency varying data corresponding to oscillatory variations induced in said diffraction pattern; and f) utilizing said frequency varying data to control said growth process.

Claim 18

Independent Claim 95 words

A method of analyzing the growth of a layer of semiconductor material as it is being grown on a rotating substrate comprising the steps of: a) directing a beam of electron energy onto the growing semiconductor layer forming on said rotating layer; b) imaging a time varying diffraction beam pattern of frames of pixels corresponding to the variations in the electron beam induced by said growth; c) tracking a set of pixels in said frames; and d) from said set of pixels generating a frequency varying beam pattern corresponding to said time varying beam pattern.

Claim 19

Independent Claim 95 words

A method of analyzing the growth of a layer of semiconductor material as it is being grown on a rotating substrate comprising the steps of: a) directing a beam of electron energy onto the growing semiconductor layer forming on said rotating layer; b) imaging a time varying diffraction beam pattern of frames of pixels corresponding to the variations in the electron beam induced by said growth; c) tracking a set of pixels in said frames; and d) from said set of pixels generating a frequency varying beam pattern corresponding to said time varying beam pattern.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 102 words

Apparatus for controlling the growth of a layer of semiconductor material on a substrate during the growth process, comprising: a) apparatus for rotating the substrate; b) an energy source for subjecting the growing layer to a beam of electron energy to produce a diffraction pattern; c) apparatus for detecting variations in said electron energy beam caused by the growth process and generating a visual image in response thereto said image comprising frames of pixels; d) tracking means for tracking a set of pixels in each frame; e) apparatus for processing a set of pixels to produce a frequency varying pattern corresponding thereto.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 102 words

Apparatus for controlling the growth of a layer of semiconductor material on a substrate during the growth process, comprising: a) apparatus for rotating the substrate; b) an energy source for subjecting the growing layer to a beam of electron energy to produce a diffraction pattern; c) apparatus for detecting variations in said electron energy beam caused by the growth process and generating a visual image in response thereto said image comprising frames of pixels; d) tracking means for tracking a set of pixels in each frame; e) apparatus for processing a set of pixels to produce a frequency varying pattern corresponding thereto.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 223 words

Apparatus for controlling the growth of a layer of semiconductor material being grown on a rotating substrate during the growth process, comprising: a) apparatus for rotating the substrate; b) an energy source for subjecting the growing layer to a beam of electron energy to produce a diffraction pattern; c) apparatus for imaging variations in said electron energy beam caused by the growth process and generating a time-varying pixel pattern in response thereto; d) apparatus for processing said time varying pixel image pattern to produce a frequency varying pattern corresponding thereto comprising: (i) apparatus for forming multiple frames of pixels of said image pattern; (ii) apparatus for selecting a portion of the pixels from said frames; (iii) apparatus for determining the peak intensity of the pixels selected and for storing data representing said peak intensity in the form of time varying data; (iv) apparatus for determining the means of the time varying data; (v) apparatus for determining the baseline trend of the time varying data by fitting a polynomial to the data and subtracting the baseline from the means of the data; (vi) apparatus for processing the baseline of the time varying data by performing a Fourier transform of the baseline of the time varying data to generate said frequency varying data; and (vii) apparatus for determining the centroid of such frequency varying data.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 223 words

Apparatus for controlling the growth of a layer of semiconductor material being grown on a rotating substrate during the growth process, comprising: a) apparatus for rotating the substrate; b) an energy source for subjecting the growing layer to a beam of electron energy to produce a diffraction pattern; c) apparatus for imaging variations in said electron energy beam caused by the growth process and generating a time-varying pixel pattern in response thereto; d) apparatus for processing said time varying pixel image pattern to produce a frequency varying pattern corresponding thereto comprising: (i) apparatus for forming multiple frames of pixels of said image pattern; (ii) apparatus for selecting a portion of the pixels from said frames; (iii) apparatus for determining the peak intensity of the pixels selected and for storing data representing said peak intensity in the form of time varying data; (iv) apparatus for determining the means of the time varying data; (v) apparatus for determining the baseline trend of the time varying data by fitting a polynomial to the data and subtracting the baseline from the means of the data; (vi) apparatus for processing the baseline of the time varying data by performing a Fourier transform of the baseline of the time varying data to generate said frequency varying data; and (vii) apparatus for determining the centroid of such frequency varying data.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 19 words

The apparatus of claim 14, including a filter for selectively removing undesired frequency components from said frequency varying pattern.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1996-08-23	1997-02-22	1997-08-24	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2000-08-23	2001-02-22	2001-08-24	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2004-08-23	2005-02-22	2005-08-24	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Analysis of Rheed data from rotating substrates

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