Real-time multi-zone semiconductor wafer temperature and process uniformity control system
First Claim
1. A method for real-time multi-point semiconductor wafer temperature and process uniformity control, comprising the steps of:
- selectively, independently and controllably heating segments of the semiconductor wafer;
independently performing temperature measurements on a plurality of points of the semiconductor wafer;
receiving said temperature measurements and selectively controlling the temperature of the semiconductor wafer to maintain uniformity in said temperature measurements;
said step of selectively controlling the temperature of the semiconductor wafer including heating the semiconductor wafer by directing and reflecting optical energy into a plurality of concentric circular zones, said concentric zones being substantially circularly continuous and sufficiently dose to one another to provide a substantially radially continuous flow of optical energy.
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Abstract
A real-time multi-zone semiconductor wafer temperature and process uniformity control system for use in association with a semiconductor wafer fabrication reactor comprises a multi-zone illuminator (130), a multi-point temperature sensor (132), and process control circuitry (150). The method and system of the invention significantly improved wafer (60) temperature control and process uniformity. The multi-zone illuminator module (130) selectively and controllably heats segments of the semiconductor wafer (60). Multi-point temperature sensor (132) independently performs pyrometry-based temperature measurements of predetermined points of the semiconductor wafer (60). Process control circuitry (150) operates in association with the multi-zone illuminator (130) and the multi-point temperature sensor (132) for receiving the temperature measurements and selectively controlling the illuminator module to maintain uniformity in the temperature measurements. A scatter module (116) also provides input to process control circuitry (150) for real-time emissivity compensation of the pyrometry-based temperature measurements of semiconductor wafer (60).
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method for real-time multi-point semiconductor wafer temperature and process uniformity control, comprising the steps of:
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selectively, independently and controllably heating segments of the semiconductor wafer; independently performing temperature measurements on a plurality of points of the semiconductor wafer; receiving said temperature measurements and selectively controlling the temperature of the semiconductor wafer to maintain uniformity in said temperature measurements; said step of selectively controlling the temperature of the semiconductor wafer including heating the semiconductor wafer by directing and reflecting optical energy into a plurality of concentric circular zones, said concentric zones being substantially circularly continuous and sufficiently dose to one another to provide a substantially radially continuous flow of optical energy. - View Dependent Claims (2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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3. A method for real-time multi-point semiconductor wafer temperature and process uniformity control, comprising the steps of:
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selectively, independently and controllably heating segments of the semiconductor wafer; independently performing temperature measurements on a plurality of points of the semiconductor wafer; receiving said temperature measurements and selectively controlling the temperature of the semiconductor wafer to maintain uniformity in said temperature measurements; said step of independently performing temperature measurements including sensing the semiconductor temperature using a pyrometer, said pyrometer having a plurality of fiber-optic light pipes for communicating temperature-related measurements.
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9. A method for real-time multi-point semiconductor wafer temperature and process uniformity control, comprising the steps of:
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selectively, independently and controllably heating segments of the semiconductor wafer; independently performing temperature measurements on a plurality of points of the semiconductor wafer; receiving said temperature measurements and selectively controlling the temperature of the semiconductor wafer to maintain uniformity in said temperature measurements; said step of independently performing temperature measurements including making real-time, non-invasive, in-situ temperature measurements of the semiconductor wafer by directing a plurality of incident coherent beams of optical energy to the surface of the semiconductor wafer, collecting a plurality of reflected coherent beams of optical energy resulting from the reflection of said plurality of incident coherent beams from the semiconductor wafer, collecting incoherent radiant energy emitted from a plurality of points on a semiconductor wafer, calculating temperature values for the semiconductor wafer as a function of said plurality of incident and reflected coherent beams and said incoherent radiant energy, and associating each of said plurality of incident coherent beams with the reflected coherent beam to yield a beam pair, and further associating each beam pair with the incoherent radiant energy collected from the semi conductor wafer to yield a temperature value for each respective probed point of the semiconductor wafer.
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10. A method for real-time multi-point semiconductor wafer temperature and process uniformity control, comprising the steps of:
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selectively, independently and controllably heating segments of the semiconductor wafer; independently performing temperature measurements on a plurality of points of the semiconductor wafer; receiving said temperature measurements and selectively controlling the temperature of the semiconductor wafer to maintain uniformity in said temperature measurements; and steps for diagnosis and prognosis of semiconductor wafer fabrication processes, the steps for diagnosis and prognosis comprising; directing coherent electromagnetic energy in the direction of a semiconductor wafer; measuring the total amount of electromagnetic energy reflected from said semiconductor wafer; and comparing said total reflected electromagnetic energy to a reference value, said reference value comprising an expected value for reflected electromagnetic energy for a given semiconductor wafer surface condition. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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Specification