Process monitoring device for sample processing apparatus and control method of sample processing apparatus

• US 6,879,867 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2001
• Issued: 04/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Tanaka, Junichi, Ikuhara, Shoji, Yamamoto, Hideyuki, Takahashi, Kazue, Kitsunai, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Paladini, Albert W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KOSOWSKI, ALEXANDER J
• Application Number:
  US09/945,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20020123816A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,315 Days
• Field of Search: 438/16, 438/9, 438/14, 438/17, 700/108, 700/121, 700/110
• US Class Current: 700/108
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41875 characterised by quality surveillance of production
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 21/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32053 Adjust work parameter as function of other cell
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32182 If state of tool, product deviates from standard, adjust system, feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0221 Preprocessing measurements, e.g. data collection rate adjustment; Standardization of measurements; Time series or signal analysis, e.g. frequency analysis or wavelets; Trustworthiness of measurements; Indexes therefor; Measurements using easily measured parameters to estimate parameters difficult to measure; Virtual sensor creation; De-noising; Sensor fusion; Unconventional preprocessing inherently present in specific fault detection methods like PCA-based methods
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A monitor data acquisition section acquires a plurality of monitor data relating to a processing state of one sample in a processing apparatus, via sensors. A data selection section selects monitor data belonging to an arbitrary processing division included in a plurality of processing divisions for the sample, from among the plurality of monitor data. A monitoring signal generation section generates monitoring signals based on the monitor data belonging to the arbitrary processing division selected by the data selection section. A display setting controller displays a plurality of monitoring signals obtained with respect to samples processed in the processing apparatus, on a display section in a time series manner.

Claims

1. A process monitoring device for monitoring plasma processing of one or more semiconductor samples in a sample processing apparatus, said process monitor device comprising:

a monitor data acquisition section for acquiring plural kinds of monitor data of plasma status inside said sample processing apparatus, via one or more sensors, said plural kinds of monitor data indicating states of said plasma including, but not limited to, optical emission spectra of plasma and electrical states of plasma inside said sample processing apparatus;

a data selection section for extracting temporally, without performing time-compression processing, plural kinds of monitor data acquired during a designated time portion of one processing step within a sample processing sequence of one semiconductor sample, from among said plural kinds of monitor data;

a monitoring signal generation section for generating monitoring signals respectively corresponding in a time series manner to the monitor data extracted by said data selection section; and

a display setting controller for displaying a plurality of said monitoring signals obtained with respect to plural semiconductor samples processed in said sample processing apparatus, on a display section in a time series manner.

2. A process monitoring device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a database for storing standard data concerning said monitoring signals; and

a comparison section for making a comparison between said standard data and said monitoring signals,

wherein a result of said comparison is displayed on the display section in a time series manner.

3. A process monitoring device according to claim 2, wherein said standard data are monitoring signals obtained in a previous processing of a sample of the same kind with a recipe of the same kind as the processed sample, or data obtained by working the monitoring signals.

4. A process monitoring device according to claim 2, further comprising:

an abnormality detection section for conducting confirmation of processing states of the semiconductor sample or abnormality detection inside the sample processing apparatus, based on the result of said comparison.

5. A process monitoring device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a database for recording and storing events that occurred in the sample processing apparatus in previous sample processing operations,

wherein said events are displayed on the display section in addition to a time series display of said monitor signals.

6. A process monitoring device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an event acquisition section for acquiring events of other processing steps through which the semiconductor sample has passed,

wherein said events are displayed on the display section in addition to a time series display of said monitor signals.

7. A process monitoring device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a section for selecting a number of semiconductor samples or at least one semiconductor sample.

8. A process monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein said monitoring signals obtained with respect to plural semiconductor samples of the same kind as a semiconductor sample processed immediately before are selected from among monitoring signals of semiconductor samples processed previously, and displayed on the display section.

9. A process monitoring device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a generation section for generating monitoring signals of different types; and

a selection section for selecting a type of monitoring signals to be displayed on the display section.

10. A process monitoring device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a ranking generation section for providing sample processing divisions with ranks according to degrees of deviation of said monitoring signals from standard data; and

an abnormal division decision section for determining a sample processing division in which an abnormality of sample processing is occurring to be an abnormal division, based on said ranks, and displaying the abnormal division on the display section.

11. A process monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein in the case where said monitoring signals include two kinds or more, said display selling controller displays said monitoring signals on the display section in a time series manner by assigning said monitoring signals of one kind to an ordinate of a two-dimensional graph and assigning said monitoring signals of a different kind to an abscissa of the two-dimensional graph.

12. A process monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein a principal ingredient analysis is used as means for working said monitor data.

13. A process monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein a result obtained by predicting sample processing performance from said monitoring signals by using a model expression is displayed on the display section.

14. A sample manufacturing method for manufacturing and monitoring plasma processing of one or more semiconductor samples in a sample processing apparatus, said process monitor device comprising the steps of:

acquiring plural kinds of monitor data of plasma status inside said sample processing apparatus, via one or more sensors, said plural kinds of monitor data indicating states of said plasma including, but not limited to, optical emission spectra of plasma and electrical states of plasma inside said sample processing apparatus;

extracting temporally, without performing time-compression processing, plural kinds of monitor data acquired during a designated time portion of one processing step within a sample processing sequence for one semiconductor sample, from among said plural kinds of monitor data;

generating monitoring signals respectively corresponding in a time series manner to the monitor data extracted; and

conducting processing control of said sample by using said monitoring signals and conducting sample manufacturing.

15. A process monitoring device for monitoring plasma processing of one or one semiconductor samples in a sample processing apparatus, said process monitor device comprising:

a monitor data acquisition section for acquiring plural kinds of monitor data of plasma status inside said sample processing apparatus, via one or more sensor, said plural kinds of monitor data indicating states of said plasma including, but not limited to, optical emission spectra of plasma and electrical states of plasma inside said sample processing apparatus;

a data selection section for temporally extracting, without performing time-compression processing, plural kinds of monitor data acquired during a designated time portion of one processing step within a sample processing sequence of one semiconductor sample, from among said plural kinds of monitor data;

a monitoring signal generation section for generating monitoring signals respectively corresponding in a time series manner to the monitor data extracted; and

a display setting controller for displaying a plurality of said monitoring signals obtained with respect to plural semiconductor samples processed in the sample processing apparatus, on a display section in a time series manner.

16. A process monitoring device according to claim 15, wherein said monitoring signal generation section includes an average unit for averaging said plurality of monitoring signals, and said display setting controller displays said plurality of monitoring signals averaged on the display section in a time series manner.

17. A sample processing apparatus, comprising:

a process monitoring device comprising;

a monitor data acquisition section for acquiring plural kinds of monitor data of plasma status inside the sample processing apparatus, via one or more sensor, said plural kinds of monitor data indicating states of said plasma including, but not limited to, optical emission spectra of plasma and electrical states of plasma;

a data selection section for temporally extracting, without performing time-compression processing, plural kinds of monitor data acquired during a designated time portion of one processing step within a sample processing sequence of one semiconductor sample, from among said plural kinds of monitor data;

a monitoring signal generation section for generating monitoring signals respectively corresponding in a time series manner to the monitor data extracted; and

a display setting controller for displaying a plurality of said monitoring signals obtained with respect to the semiconductor sample processed in the sample processing apparatus, on a display section in a time series manner; and

a processing section for processing the semiconductor sample by using said monitor signals.

18. A sample processing apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising:

a processing performance prediction section for predicting a processing performance based on the monitoring signals;

a processing parameter modification quantity calculation section for obtaining a correction quantity of a processing parameter for removing a deviation of a predicted value of the processing performance from a standard value, based on the processing performance predicted; and

a controller for controlling a processing condition of a next sample based on the correction quantity of the processing parameter.

19. A sample processing method, comprising the step of:

processing a semiconductor sample using a process monitor device in a sample processing apparatus, the process monitor device comprising;

a monitor data acquisition section for acquiring plural kinds of monitor data of plasma status inside the sample processing apparatus, via one or more sensor, said plural kinds of monitor data indicating states of said plasma including, but not limited to, optical emission spectra of plasma and electrical states of plasma inside the sample processing apparatus;

a data selection section for temporally extracting, without performing time-compression processing, plural kinds of monitor data during a designated time portion of one processing step within a sample processing sequence of one semiconductor sample, from among said plural kinds of monitor data;

a monitoring signal generation section for generating monitoring signals respectively corresponding in a time series manner to the monitor data extracted; and

a display setting controller for displaying a plurality of said monitoring signals obtained with respect to plural semiconductor samples processed in the sample processing apparatus, on a display section in a time series manner.