MEASURING IN-SITU UV INTENSITY IN UV CURE TOOL

• US 20120161021A1
• Filed: 03/23/2011
• Published: 06/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Novellus Systems Incorporated (LAM Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Novellus Systems Incorporated (LAM Research Corporation)
• Inventors: Smargiassi, Eugene, Lee, James, Kenane, Boaz, Chen, Xiaolan
• Granted Patent: US 8,283,644 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/372
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/33 using ultraviolet light G01N21/39 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67115 mainly by radiation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67248 Temperature monitoring

Abstract

Provided are improved apparatus and methods for radiative treatment. In some embodiments, a semiconductor processing apparatus for radiative cure includes a process chamber and a radiation assembly external to the process chamber. The radiation assembly transmits radiation into the chamber on a substrate holder through a chamber window. A radiation detector measures radiation intensity from time to time. The assembly includes a gas inlet and exhaust operable to flow a radiation-activatable cooling gas through the radiation assembly.

Claims

1. An ultraviolet (UV) apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a process chamber comprising a substrate holder and a window;

a UV radiation assembly external to the process chamber, the UV radiation assembly operable to direct UV radiation through the window towards the substrate holder;

a detector assembly comprising a UV radiation detector, one or more gas inlets and a gas outlet arranged so that a gas flow from the one or more gas inlets to the gas outlet flows over one or more optical surfaces of the UV radiation detector; and

a controller comprising instructions for;

flowing a gas mixture comprising an inert gas and molecular oxygen into the one or more gas inlets during operation of the UV detector.

2. The UV apparatus of claim 1 wherein the gas mixture includes air.

3. The UV apparatus of claim 1 wherein the gas mixture includes air and N₂.

4. The UV apparatus of claim 1 wherein the gas mixture consists essentially of air and an one or more inert gases.

5. The UV apparatus of claim 1 wherein molecular oxygen is between about 5% and 20% of the coolant gas.

6. The UV apparatus of claim 1 where air is between about 20% to 100% of the coolant gas.

7. The UV apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an exhaust pump operable to pump gas out of the detector assembly via the gas outlet.

8. The UV apparatus of claim 1 wherein the UV radiation assembly includes a UV source operable to emit UV radiation having wavelength of between about 160 nm and 200 nm.

9. An ultraviolet (UV) apparatus comprising:

(a) a process chamber comprising a substrate holder and a window; and

,

(b) a UV radiation assembly external to the process chamber, the assembly comprising one or more UV lamps, one or more reflectors operable to direct a portion of the UV radiation from the at one or more UV lamps through the window towards the substrate holder, a UV intensity detector positioned to receive UV radiation from the one or more UV lamps reflected through the window, a gas inlet, and a gas outlet, wherein the gas inlet and gas outlet are positioned such that a gas flow path from the gas inlet to the gas outlet includes an optical surface of the UV intensity detector.

10. The ultraviolet (UV) apparatus of claim 9 further comprising a cover configured to isolate the UV detector from radiation from one or more UV lamps.

11. A method comprising:

directing UV radiation from a UV radiation source external to a process chamber through a process chamber window;

measuring UV radiation reflected from a substrate within the process chamber with a UV radiation detector located in a detector assembly external to the process chamber;

flowing a coolant gas through detector assembly while measuring UV radiation such that the coolant gas contacts optical surfaces of the UV radiation detector, wherein the coolant gas comprises molecular oxygen.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising generating ozone in the detector assembly from the coolant gas.

13. The method of claim 12 comprising maintaining an ozone concentration of about 5-15 ppm in the detector assembly during measurement.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein molecular oxygen is between about 5% and 20% of the coolant gas.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the coolant gas includes air.

16. The method of claim 15 where air is between about 20% to 100% of the coolant gas.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein flowing a coolant gas through the detector assembly includes pumping a gas mixture including ozone out of the detector assembly.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein the UV radiation includes UV radiation having a wavelength of between about 160 nm and 250 nm.