Method and apparatus for automated generation of test semiconductor wafers

• US 6,647,309 B1
• Filed: 05/22/2000
• Issued: 11/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GlobalFoundries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
• Inventors: Bone, Christopher A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rapp, Chad
• Application Number:
  US09/577,403
• Time in Patent Office: 1,268 Days
• Field of Search: 700/119, 700/120, 700/121, 700/108, 700/109, 700/110, 438/5, 438/7, 438/10, 438/11, 438/16, 438/17, 438/50
• US Class Current: 700/121
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2831 Testing of materials or semi-finished products, e.g. semiconductor wafers or substrates G01R31/318511 takes precedence; testing during manufacture H01L22/00

Abstract

The present invention provides for a method and an apparatus for automated generation of test semiconductor wafers. At least one process run of semiconductor devices is performed. A determination is made whether an excursion of the process exists. An automated test wafer generation process is performed in response to the determination that an excursion of the process exists. A control parameter modification sequence is implemented in response to an examination of the test wafers.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

performing at least one process run of semiconductor devices;

determining whether an excursion of said process exists;

performing an automated test wafer generation process in response to said determination that an excursion of said process exists; and

implementing a control parameter modification sequence for processing a subsequent run of semiconductor devices in response to an examination of said test wafers.

2. The method described in claim 1, wherein performing a process run of semiconductor devices further comprises processing semiconductor wafers.

3. The method described in claim 2, wherein processing semiconductor wafers further comprises performing a photolithography process on said semiconductor wafers.

4. The method described in claim 1, wherein determining whether an excursion of said process exists further comprises:

determining an appropriate maximum jeopardy value;

determining whether said maximum jeopardy value is sufficiently close; and

determining that an excursion of said process exists in response to a determination that said maximum jeopardy value is sufficiently close.

5. The method described in claim 1, wherein determining whether an excursion of said process exists further comprises:

analyzing at least one of a production data and an environmental data;

determining whether there is an out-of-control event during said processing of semiconductor devices using said analysis of said production data;

determining whether there is a statistical probability control (SPC) violation using said analysis of said production data;

determining whether there is a generation of a rework lot during said processing of semiconductor wafers using said analysis of said production data;

determining whether there is an activation of an alarm during said processing of semiconductor wafers using said analysis of said production data; and

determining that there is an excursion in a manufacturing process in response to a determination that there exists at least one of said out-of-control event, said SPC violation, said generation of rework lots, and said activation of an alarm.

6. The method described in claim 5, wherein acquiring environmental data further comprises acquiring at least one of:

a barometric pressure reading during a semiconductor manufacturing operation;

a nitrogen-bearing gas species reading;

an ambient temperature reading; and

a relative humidity reading.

7. The method described in claim 1, wherein performing an automated test wafer generation process further comprises:

acquiring a child lot;

forcing said child lot into a metrology tool;

acquiring metrology data for said child lot;

determining whether there exists a sustained disturbance based upon said metrology data; and

processing said metrology data.

8. The method described in claim 7, wherein acquiring metrology data further comprises acquiring at least one critical dimension measurement.

9. The method described in claim 1, wherein implementing a control parameter modification sequence further comprises:

acquiring error data from an analysis of metrology data;

determining if said error data is inside a deadband; and

modifying at least one control input parameter based upon a determination that said error data is not inside said deadband.

10. A system, comprising:

a processing tool capable of performing a process on a first semiconductor wafer; and

a controller operatively coupled to said processing tool, said controller being capable of determining whether an excursion of said process exists, performing an automated test wafer generation process in response to said determination that an excursion of said process exists, and modifying a control parameter for processing a second semiconductor wafer in response to an examination of said test wafers.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a computer system;

a manufacturing model coupled with said computer system, said manufacturing model being capable of generating at least one control input parameter signal;

a machine interface coupled with said manufacturing model, said machine interface being capable of receiving process recipes from said manufacturing model;

said processing tool capable of processing semiconductor wafers and coupled with said machine interface, said processing tool being capable of receiving at least one control input parameter signal from said machine interface;

a metrology tool coupled with said processing tool, said metrology tool being capable of acquiring metrology data;

a metrology data processing unit coupled with said metrology tool and said computer system, said metrology data processing unit being capable of organizing said acquired metrology data and sending said organized metrology data to said computer system;

an environmental sensor coupled to said processing tool, said environmental sensor being capable of acquiring environmental data during an operation of said processing tool;

an environmental data analysis unit coupled with said environmental sensor, said environmental data analysis unit being capable of organizing said environmental data and correlating said environmental data with said metrology data; and

a test wafer unit coupled with said computer system, said test wafer unit being capable of acquiring test wafers in response to said environmental data analysis.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said environmental sensor further comprises at least one of:

a pressure sensor;

a gas sensor;

a temperature sensor; and

a humidity sensor.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said computer system is capable of generating modification data for modifying at least one control input parameter.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said manufacturing model is capable of modifying said control input parameter in response to said modification data.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein said metrology tool is capable of measuring at least one critical dimension on said processed semiconductor wafers.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

means for performing at least one process run of semiconductor devices;

means for determining whether an excursion of said process exists;

means for performing an automated test wafer generation process in response to said determination that an excursion of said process exists; and

means for implementing a control parameter modification sequence for processing a subsequent run of semiconductor devices in response to an examination of said test wafers.

17. A computer readable program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs a method, comprising:

performing at least one process run of semiconductor devices;

determining whether an excursion of said process exists;

performing an automated test wafer generation process in response to said determination that an excursion of said process exists; and

implementing a control parameter modification sequence for processing a subsequent run of semiconductor devices in response to an examination of said test wafers.

18. The computer readable program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs the method described in claim 17, wherein performing a process run of semiconductor devices further comprises processing semiconductor wafers.

19. The computer readable program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs the method described in claim 18, wherein processing semiconductor wafers further comprises performing a photolithography process on said semiconductor wafers.

20. The computer readable program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs the method described in claim 17, wherein determining whether an excursion of said process exists further comprises:

determining an appropriate maximum jeopardy value;

determining whether said maximum jeopardy value is sufficiently close; and

determining that an excursion of said process exists in response to a determination that said maximum jeopardy value is sufficiently close.

21. The computer readable program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs the method described in claim 17, wherein determining whether an excursion of said process exists further comprises:

analyzing at least one of a production data and an environmental data;

determining whether there is an out-of-control event during said processing of semiconductor devices using said analysis of said production data;

determining whether there is a statistical probability control (SPC) violation using said analysis of said production data;

determining whether there is a generation of a rework lot during said processing of semiconductor wafers using said analysis of said production data;

determining whether there is an activation of an alarm during said processing of semiconductor wafers using said analysis of said production data; and

determining that there is an excursion in a manufacturing process in response to a determination that there exists at least one of said out-of-control event, said SPC violation, said generation of rework lots, and said activation of an alarm.

22. The computer readable program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs the method described in claim 21, wherein acquiring environmental data further comprises acquiring at least one of:

a barometric pressure reading during a semiconductor manufacturing operation;

a nitrogen-bearing gas species reading;

an ambient temperature reading; and

a relative humidity reading.

23. The computer readable program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs the method described in claim 17, wherein performing an automated test wafer generation process further comprises:

acquiring a child lot;

forcing said child lot into a metrology tool;

acquiring metrology data for said child lot;

determining whether there exists a sustained disturbance based upon said metrology data; and

processing said metrology data.

24. The computer readable program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs the method described in claim 23, wherein acquiring metrology data further comprises acquiring at least one critical dimension measurement.

25. The computer readable program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs the method described in claim 17, wherein implementing a control parameter modification sequence further comprises:

acquiring error data from an analysis of correlation of metrology data and environmental data;

determining if said error data is inside a deadband; and

modifying at least one control input parameter based upon a determination that said error data is not inside said deadband.