System and method for controlling semiconductor wafer processing
First Claim
1. A system for run-to-run control of a semiconductor processing unit, comprising:
- a generator operable to generate process parameters using a model which provides a transfer function from said progress parameters to a quality characteristic provided by a user;
circuitry responsive to said generator and operable to adjust selected inputs of the processing unit to process a semiconductor wafer using said generated process parameters;
an in-situ sensor comprising an optical device operable on a single wavelength to generate a signal proportional to the concentration of a predetermined chemical species present during processing of the wafer for measuring a quality characteristic of said process in real-time during said process;
a comparator responsive to said sensor and said generator and operable to compare said measured quality characteristic with said quality characteristic; and
circuitry responsive to said comparator and operable to adjust said model if said measured quality characteristic varies from said expected quality characteristic by more than a predetermined statistical amount.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system (10) for run-to-run control of semiconductor wafer processing is provided. An input/output device (12) receives a desired quality characteristic for a particular semiconductor fabrication process. A generating circuit (22) uses a model to generate appropriate process parameters for a processing unit (20) and an expected quality characteristic. An adjusting circuit (16) functions to adjust process parameter inputs of the processing unit (20). In-situ sensor (18) functions to measure a quality characteristic of the process in the processing unit (20) on a real-time basis. A comparing circuit (24) functions to compare the measured quality characteristic with the expected quality characteristic. A model adjusting circuit (26) may adjust the model of the generating circuit (22) if the measured quality characteristic varies from the expected quality characteristic by more than a predetermined statistical amount.
179 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for run-to-run control of a semiconductor processing unit, comprising:
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a generator operable to generate process parameters using a model which provides a transfer function from said progress parameters to a quality characteristic provided by a user; circuitry responsive to said generator and operable to adjust selected inputs of the processing unit to process a semiconductor wafer using said generated process parameters; an in-situ sensor comprising an optical device operable on a single wavelength to generate a signal proportional to the concentration of a predetermined chemical species present during processing of the wafer for measuring a quality characteristic of said process in real-time during said process; a comparator responsive to said sensor and said generator and operable to compare said measured quality characteristic with said quality characteristic; and circuitry responsive to said comparator and operable to adjust said model if said measured quality characteristic varies from said expected quality characteristic by more than a predetermined statistical amount. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system for run-to-run control of a semiconductor processing unit, comprising:
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a generator operable to generate process parameters and an expected quality characteristic using a model and a desired quality characteristic provided by a user; circuitry responsive to said generator and operable to adjust selected inputs of the processing unit to process a semiconductor wafer using said generated process parameters; a real-time, in -situ sensor comprising optical device operable on a single wavelength to generate a signal proportional to the concentration of a predetermined chemical species present during processing of the wafer for measuring a quality characteristic of said process, wherein said sensor comprises; a monochromator operable to generate said signal proportional to the concentration of a predetermined chemical species present during processing of the wafer; a storage responsive to said monochromator and operable to store a value of said signal at predetermined intervals during the processing to generate data representative of an optical emission trace; and circuitry responsive to said storage and operable to use a function to convert a slope at an end-point of said optical emission trace to a quality characteristic for the process; a comparator responsive to said sensor and said generator and operatable to compare said measured quality characteristic with said expected quality characteristic; and circuitry responsive to said comparator and operable to adjust said model if said measured quality characteristic varies from said expected quality characteristic by more than a predetermined statistical amount.
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8. A system for run-to-run control of a semiconductor processing unit, comprising:
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a generator operable to generate process parameters using a plurality of models each of which provides a transfer function from said process parameters to at least one of a plurality of quality characteristics at least one of said characteristics being unmeasurable after said process is complete; circuitry responsive to said generator and operable to adjust selected inputs of the processing unit to process a semiconductor wafer using said generated process parameters; an in-situ sensor for measuring a quality characteristic of said process in real-time during said process; a comparator responsive to said sensor and said generator and operable to compare the measured quality characteristics with the expected quality characteristics; and circuitry responsive to said comparator and operable to adjust the model if the measured quality characteristics vary from the expected quality characteristics by more than a predetermined statistical amount. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system for run-to-run control of a semiconductor processing unit, comprising:
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a generator operable to generate process parameters and a plurality of expected quality characteristics using a plurality of models and desired quality characteristics; circuitry responsive to said generator and operable to adjust selected inputs of the processing unit to process the semiconductor wafer using said generated process parameters; a real-time, in-situ sensor for measuring a quality characteristic of said process wherein said sensor comprises; a monochromator operable to generate a signal proportional to the concentration of a predetermined chemical species present during processing of the wafer; a storage responsive to said monochromator and operable to store a value of a signal at predetermined intervals during the processing to generate data representative of an optical emission trace; and circuitry responsive to said storage and operable to use a function to convert a slope at an end-point of said optical emission trace to a quality characteristic for the process; a comparator responsive to said sensor and said generator and operable to compare the measured quality characteristics with the expected quality characteristics; circuitry responsive to said comparator and operable to adjust the model if the measured quality characteristics varies from the expected quality characteristics by more than a predetermined statistical amount.
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14. A system for run-to-run control of a semiconductor processing unit, comprising:
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a generator operable to generate process parameters and an expected quality characteristic using a model and a desired quality characteristic provided by a user; circuitry responsive to said generating circuitry and operable to adjust selected inputs of the processing unit to process a semiconductor wafer using said generated process parameters; a real-time, in-situ sensor for measuring a signal correlated to a quality characteristic of said process which is not measurable after the process is complete; a comparator responsive to said sensor and said generator and operable to compare said measured quality characteristic with said expected quality characteristic; circuitry responsive to said comparator and operable to adjust said model if said measured quality characteristic varies from said expected quality characteristic by more than a predetermined statistical amount. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A system for run-to-run control of a semiconductor processing unit, comprising:
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a generator operable to generate process parameters and an expected quality characteristic using a model and a desired quality characteristic provided by a user; circuitry responsive to said generator and operable to adjust selected inputs of the processing unit to process a semiconductor wafer using said generated process parameters; a real-time, in-situ sensor for measuring a signal correlated to a non-directly observable quality characteristic of said process wherein said sensor comprises; a monochromator operable to generate a signal proportional to the concentration of a predetermined chemical species present during processing of the wafer; a storage responsive to said monochromator and operable to store a value of a signal at predetermined intervals during the processing to generate data representative of an optical emission trace; and circuitry responsive to said storage and operable to use a function to convert a slope at an end-point of said optical emission trace to a quality characteristic for the process; a comparator responsive to said sensor and said generator and operable to compare said measured quality characteristic with said expected quality characteristic; circuitry responsive to said comparator and operable to adjust said model if said measured quality characteristic varies from said expected quality characteristic by more than a predetermined statistical amount.
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Specification