Adaptive real time control of a reticle/mask system
First Claim
1. A method of operating a thermal processing system comprising:
- positioning a reticle/mask on a heating apparatus comprising a plurality of segments;
creating a dynamic thermal model of the system;
establishing a plurality of intelligent setpoints using the dynamic thermal model of the system, wherein at least one intelligent setpoint is created for each segment of the heating apparatus; and
controlling an actual temperature of each segment using the at least one intelligent setpoint and thereby establishing a controlled temperature profile across the reticle/mask.
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Abstract
An adaptive real time thermal processing system is presented that includes a multivariable controller. Generally, the method includes creating a dynamic model of the thermal processing system; incorporating reticle/mask curvature in the dynamic model; coupling a diffusion-amplification model into the dynamic thermal model; creating a multivariable controller; parameterizing the nominal setpoints into a vector of intelligent setpoints; creating a process sensitivity matrix; creating intelligent setpoints using an efficient optimization method and process data; and establishing recipes that select appropriate models and setpoints during run-time.
33 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A method of operating a thermal processing system comprising:
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positioning a reticle/mask on a heating apparatus comprising a plurality of segments;
creating a dynamic thermal model of the system;
establishing a plurality of intelligent setpoints using the dynamic thermal model of the system, wherein at least one intelligent setpoint is created for each segment of the heating apparatus; and
controlling an actual temperature of each segment using the at least one intelligent setpoint and thereby establishing a controlled temperature profile across the reticle/mask. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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27. A thermal processing system comprising:
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means for positioning a reticle/mask being processed by the system on a heating apparatus comprising a plurality of segments;
means for creating a dynamic thermal model of the system;
means for establishing a plurality of intelligent setpoints using the dynamic thermal model of the system, wherein at least one intelligent setpoint is created for each segment of the heating apparatus; and
means for controlling an actual temperature of each segment using the at least one intelligent setpoint and thereby establish a predetermined temperature profile across the reticle/mask.
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28. A processing system comprising:
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a temperature controlled apparatus comprising a plurality of segments;
structure to support a reticle/mask on the temperature controlled apparatus to be processed thereon by the system or to process a wafer therewith by the system;
a controller programmed to provide a dynamic thermal model of the system and to establish therewith a plurality of intelligent setpoints for the segments of the temperature controlled apparatus; and
the actual temperature of each segment of the temperature controlled apparatus being responsive to at least one intelligent setpoint. - View Dependent Claims (35)
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Specification