Run-to-run etch control by feeding forward measured metal thickness

• US 6,500,681 B1
• Filed: 01/11/2002
• Issued: 12/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GlobalFoundries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
• Inventors: Christian, Craig William, Fulford, H. Jim
• Primary Examiner(s): Niebling, John F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Roman, Angel
• Application Number:
  US10/044,642
• Time in Patent Office: 354 Days
• Field of Search: 438/5, 438/8, 438/9, 438/636, 438/685, 438/688, 438/720, 438/742
• US Class Current: 438/8
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67253 Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/26 Acting in response to an ongoing measurement without interruption of processing, e.g. endpoint detection, in-situ thickness measurement endpoint detection arrangements in CMP apparatus B24B37/013, in discharge apparatus H01J37/32

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a method comprised of forming a metal layer above a structure layer on a workpiece, measuring a thickness of the metal layer, determining, based upon the measured thickness of the metal layer, at least one parameter of an etching process to be performed on the metal layer, and performing the etching process comprised of the determined parameter on the metal layer. Also disclosed is a system comprised of a deposition tool for forming a metal layer above a structure layer on a workpiece, a metrology tool for measuring a thickness of the metal layer, a controller for determining, based upon the measured thickness of the metal layer, at least one parameter of an etch process to be performed on the metal layer, and an etch tool adapted to perform an etch process comprised of the determined parameter on the metal layer.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

forming a metal layer above a structure layer on a workpiece;

measuring a thickness of the metal layer;

determining, based upon said measured thickness of said metal layer, at least one parameter of an etching process to be performed on said metal layer; and

performing said etching process comprised of said determined parameter on said metal layer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the metal layer above the structure layer comprises forming the metal layer above the structure layer comprising a dielectric layer.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming an anti-reflective coating (ARC) layer above the metal layer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring a thickness of the metal layer comprises measuring across-layer thickness uniformity of said metal layer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring the thickness of the metal layer comprises measuring the thickness of the metal layer using a sheet resistance tool.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring a thickness of the metal layer comprises measuring a thickness of the metal layer at a plurality of locations.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining, based upon said measured thickness of said metal layer, at least one parameter of an etching process to be performed on said metal layer comprises determining, based upon said measured thickness of said metal layer, at least one of an etch time, a pressure, a power setting, and a backside cooling gas flow rate for said etching process to be performed on said metal layer.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein forming a metal layer above a structure layer on a workpiece comprises forming a metal layer comprised of at least one of aluminum, titanium, zirconium, tungsten, tantalum, nickel, molybdenum, cobalt and titanium nitride above a structure layer on a workpiece.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein forming a metal layer above said structure layer comprised depositing a metal layer above said structure layer.

10. A method comprising:

depositing a metal layer above a structure layer comprised of a dielectric material on a workpiece;

measuring a thickness of the metal layer;

determining, based upon said measured thickness of said metal layer, at least one parameter of an etching process to be performed on said metal layer; and

performing said etching process comprised of said determined parameter on said metal layer.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising forming an anti-reflective coating (ARC) layer above the metal layer.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein measuring a thickness of the metal layer comprises measuring across-layer thickness uniformity of said metal layer.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein measuring the thickness of the metal layer comprises measuring the thickness of the metal layer using a sheet resistance tool.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein measuring a thickness of the metal layer comprises measuring a thickness of the metal layer at a plurality of locations.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein determining, based upon said measured thickness of said metal layer, at least one parameter of an etching process to be performed on said metal layer comprises determining, based upon said measured thickness of said metal layer, at least one of an etch time, a pressure, a power setting, and a backside cooling gas flow rate for said etching process to be performed on said metal layer.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein depositing a metal layer above a structure layer on a workpiece comprises depositing a metal layer comprised of at least one of aluminum, titanium, zirconium, tungsten, tantalum, nickel, molybdenum, cobalt and titanium nitride above a structure layer on a workpiece.

17. A method comprising:

depositing a metal layer above a structure layer on a workpiece;

measuring an across-layer thickness uniformity of the metal layer;

determining, based upon said measured across-layer thickness uniformity of said metal layer, at least one parameter of an etching process to be performed on said metal layer; and

performing said etching process comprised of said determined parameter on said metal layer.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein forming the metal layer above the structure layer comprises forming the metal layer above the structure layer comprising a dielectric layer.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising forming an anti-reflective coating (ARC) layer above the metal layer.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein measuring the thickness of the metal layer comprises measuring the thickness of the metal layer using a sheet resistance tool.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein measuring an across-layer thickness uniformity of the metal layer comprises measuring an across-layer thickness uniformity of the metal layer by measuring the metal layer at a plurality of locations.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein determining, based upon said measured thickness of said metal layer, at least one parameter of an etching process to be performed on said metal layer comprises determining, based upon said measured thickness of said metal layer, at least one of an etch time, a pressure, a power setting, and a backside cooling gas flow rate for said etching process to be performed on said metal layer.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein depositing a metal layer above a structure layer on a workpiece comprises depositing a metal layer comprised of at least one of aluminum, titanium, zirconium, tungsten, tantalum, nickel, molybdenum, cobalt and titanium nitride above a structure layer on a workpiece.