Monitoring system comprising infrared thermopile detetor
First Claim
1. A semiconductor process system adapted for processing of a material therein, said system comprising:
- a sampling region for the material;
an infrared radiation source constructed and arranged to transmit infrared radiation through the sampling region;
a thermopile detector constructed and arranged to receive infrared radiation after the transmission thereof through the sampling region and to responsively generate output signals correlative of said material; and
process control means arranged to receive the output signals of the thermopile detector and to responsively control one or more process conditions in and/or affecting the semiconductor process system, wherein said infrared radiation is transmitted along a transmission path that is substantially linear, and wherein said infrared radiation source and said thermopile detector are aligned along the transmission path of said infrared radiation.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a semiconductor processing system that employs infrared-based thermopile detector for process control, by analyzing a material of interest, based on absorption of infrared light at a characteristic wavelength by such material. Specifically, an infrared light beam is transmitted through a linear transmission path from an infrared light source through a sampling region containing material of interest into the thermopile detector. The linear transmission path reduces the risk of signal loss during transmission of the infrared light. The transmission path of the infrared light may comprise a highly smooth and reflective inner surface for minimizing such signal loss during transmission.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A semiconductor process system adapted for processing of a material therein, said system comprising:
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a sampling region for the material;
an infrared radiation source constructed and arranged to transmit infrared radiation through the sampling region;
a thermopile detector constructed and arranged to receive infrared radiation after the transmission thereof through the sampling region and to responsively generate output signals correlative of said material; and
process control means arranged to receive the output signals of the thermopile detector and to responsively control one or more process conditions in and/or affecting the semiconductor process system, wherein said infrared radiation is transmitted along a transmission path that is substantially linear, and wherein said infrared radiation source and said thermopile detector are aligned along the transmission path of said infrared radiation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A semiconductor process system adapted for processing of a material therein, said system comprising:
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a sampling region for the material;
an infrared radiation source constructed and arranged to transmit infrared radiation through the sampling region;
a thermopile detector constructed and arranged to receive infrared radiation after the transmission thereof through the sampling region and to responsively generate output signals correlative of said material; and
process control means arranged to receive the output signals of the thermopile detector and to responsively control one or more process conditions in and/or affecting the semiconductor process system, wherein said infrared radiation is transmitted along a transmission path that comprises an inner surface characterized by a roughness in a range of from about 0.012 μ
m Ra to about 1.80 μ
m Ra. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A semiconductor process system including flow circuitry for processing of a material therein, said system comprising:
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a sampling region for the material;
an infrared radiation source constructed and arranged to transmit infrared radiation through the sampling region;
a thermopile detector constructed and arranged to receive infrared radiation after the transmission thereof through the sampling region and to responsively generate output signals correlative of said material; and
process control means arranged to receive the output signals of the thermopile detector and to responsively control one or more process conditions in and/or affecting the semiconductor process system, wherein said sampling region is isolated from said infrared radiation source and said thermopile detector with interfacial spaces therebetween, and wherein a purge gas is provided at said interfacial spaces for removing particles contained by said material and preventing particle deposition thereat. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A semiconductor process system including flow circuitry for processing of a material therein, said system comprising:
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a sampling region for the material;
an infrared radiation source constructed and arranged to transmit infrared radiation through the sampling region;
a thermopile detector constructed and arranged to receive infrared radiation after the transmission thereof through the sampling region and to responsively generate output signals correlative of said material; and
process control means arranged to receive the output signals of the thermopile detector and to responsively control one or more process conditions in and/or affecting the semiconductor process system, wherein the infrared radiation is transmitted from the infrared radiation source to the thermopile detector along a transmission path, and wherein thermal energy is provided for heating at least a portion of the infrared transmission path.
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33. A method of operating a semiconductor process including processing of or with a material, said method comprising transmitting infrared radiation generated by an infrared radiation source through a sampling region containing said material, receiving the transmitted infrared radiation with a thermopile detector, generating an output from said thermopile detector indicative of concentration of a desired component of said material, and controlling one or more conditions in and/or affecting the semiconductor process, in response to said output, wherein said infrared radiation is transmitted along a transmission path that is substantially linear, and wherein said infrared radiation source and said thermopile detector are aligned along the transmission path.
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34. A method of operating a semiconductor process including processing of or with a material, said method comprising transmitting infrared radiation generated by an infrared radiation source through a sampling region containing said material, receiving the transmitted infrared radiation with a thermopile detector, generating an output from said thermopile detector indicative of concentration of a desired component of said material, and controlling one or more conditions in and/or affecting the semiconductor process, in response to said output, wherein said infrared radiation is transmitted along a transmission path that comprises an inner surface characterized by a roughness in a range of from about 0.012 μ
- m Ra to about 1.80 μ
m Ra.
- m Ra to about 1.80 μ
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35. A method of operating a semiconductor process including processing of or with a material, said method comprising transmitting infrared radiation generated by an infrared radiation source through a sampling region containing said material, receiving the transmitted infrared radiation with a thermopile detector, generating an output from said thermopile detector indicative of concentration of a desired component of said material, and controlling one or more conditions in and/or affecting the semiconductor process, in response to said output, wherein said sampling region is isolated from said infrared radiation and said thermopile detector with interfacial spaces therebetween, and wherein a purge gas is provided at said interfacial spaces for removing particles contained by said material and preventing particle deposition thereat.
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36. A method of operating a semiconductor process including processing of or with a material, said method comprising transmitting infrared radiation generated by an infrared radiation source through a sampling region containing said material, receiving the transmitted infrared radiation with a thermopile detector, generating an output from said thermopile detector indicative of concentration of a desired component of said material, and controlling one or more conditions in and/or affecting the semiconductor process, in response to said output, wherein the infrared radiation is transmitted from the infrared radiation source to the thermopile detector along a transmission path, and wherein thermal energy is provided for heating at least a portion of the infrared transmission path.
Specification