Semiconductor plasma processing apparatus with first and second processing state monitoring units

• US 6,828,165 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2003
• Issued: 12/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Tanaka, Junichi, Shiraishi, Daisuke, Ikuhara, Shoji, Yamamoto, Hideyuki, Kitsunai, Hiroyuki, Masuda, Toshio, Kagoshima, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Niebling, John F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): STEVENSON, ANDRE C
• Application Number:
  US10/438,842
• Publication Number:
  US 20030199108A1
• Time in Patent Office: 571 Days
• Field of Search: 438/14
• US Class Current: 438/14
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/048 using a predictor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41865 characterised by job scheduling, process planning, material flow
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31357 Observer based fault detection, use model
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32058 Execute program as function of deviation from predicted state, result
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/024 Quantitative history assessment, e.g. mathematical relationships between available data; Functions therefor; Principal component analysis [PCA]; Partial least square [PLS]; Statistical classifiers, e.g. Bayesian networks, linear regression or correlation analysis; Neural networks
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67276 Production flow monitoring, e.g. for increasing throughput program-control systems per se G05B19/00, e.g. total factory control G05B19/418
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/20 Sequence of activities consisting of a plurality of measurements, corrections, marking or sorting steps
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A semiconductor plasma processing apparatus for processing a semiconductor wafer includes a sensor for monitoring at least one processing state of the semiconductor plasma processing apparatus, first and second processing state monitoring units coupled to the sensor, and a selector unit for selecting one of the first and second processing state monitoring units.

Claims

1. A semiconductor plasma processing apparatus for processing a semiconductor wafer, comprising:

a sensor for monitoring at least one processing state of said semiconductor plasma processing apparatus;

first and second processing state monitoring units coupled to said sensor; and

a selector unit for selecting one of said first and second processing state monitoring units;

wherein said first processing state monitoring unit includes;

processing result input means for inputting externally measured values for processing results of a semiconductor wafer processed by said semiconductor processing apparatus in a pre-trial;

a model equation generation unit which generates a model equation for predicting a processing result using sensed data acquired by said sensor as an explanatory variable, based on said sensed data and said externally measured values;

a processing result prediction unit for predicting a processing result based on said model equation and said sensed data; and

a process recipe control unit for comparing said predicted processing result with a pre-set value to control a processing condition of said semiconductor plasma processing apparatus such that a deviation between said predicted processing result and said pre-set value is corrected; and

wherein said second processing state monitoring includes;

a principal component extraction unit for extracting a principal component based on sensed data acquired by said sensor; and

a fault detection unit for detecting a fault in processing based on variations in the principal component extracted by said extraction unit.

2. A semiconductor plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said principal component extraction unit extracts the principal component from a variety of types of sensed data acquired by said sensor.

3. A semiconductor plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said selection unit selects said second processing state monitoring unit in response to a determination of no model equation preserved for the semiconductor wafer which is being processed.