Method and apparatus for monitoring integrated circuit fabrication
First Claim
1. An EIW unit for use in sensing a parameter of a surface structure that is formed on the EIW by integrated circuit processing equipment which is used to manufacture an integrated circuit, the EIW unit comprising:
- a substrate having a wafer or water-like shape; and
a plurality of sensors, disposed on or in the substrate, to sample the process parameter of the surface structure that is formed above the sensors and on the EIW unit by the integrated circuit processing equipment during processing.
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Abstract
In one aspect, the present invention is a sensor unit for sensing process parameters of a process to manufacture an integrated circuit using integrated circuit processing equipment. In one embodiment, the sensor unit includes a substrate having a wafer-shaped profile and a first sensor, disposed on or in the substrate, to sample a first process parameter. The sensor unit of this embodiment also includes a second sensor, disposed on or in the substrate, to sample a second process parameter wherein the second process parameter is different from the first process parameter. In one embodiment, the sensor unit includes a first source, disposed on or in the substrate, wherein first source generates an interrogation signal and wherein the first sensor uses the interrogation signal from the first source to sample the first process parameter. The sensor unit may also include a second source, disposed on or in the substrate, wherein second source generates an interrogation signal and wherein the second sensor uses the interrogation signal from the second source to sample the second process parameter. The first sensor and the first source may operate in an end-point mode or in a real-time mode. In this regard, the first sensor samples the first parameter periodically or continuously while the sensor unit is disposed in the integrated circuit processing equipment and undergoing processing. In one embodiment, the first sensor is a temperature sensor and the second sensor is a pressure sensor, a chemical sensor, a surface tension sensor or a surface stress sensor.
163 Citations
65 Claims
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1. An EIW unit for use in sensing a parameter of a surface structure that is formed on the EIW by integrated circuit processing equipment which is used to manufacture an integrated circuit, the EIW unit comprising:
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a substrate having a wafer or water-like shape; and
a plurality of sensors, disposed on or in the substrate, to sample the process parameter of the surface structure that is formed above the sensors and on the EIW unit by the integrated circuit processing equipment during processing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of measuring a process parameter of a surface structure that is formed by an integrated circuit manufacturing process wherein the method of measuring the process parameter uses an EIW unit having a substrate and a plurality of sensors disposed on or in the substrate, the method comprising:
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placing the substrate into the integrated circuit processing equipment;
performing the integrated circuit manufacturing process that forms a surface structure above the plurality of sensors during the manufacturing process;
enabling the plurality of sensors to sample the process parameter of the surface structure;
sampling the process parameter of the surface structure using the plurality of sensors; and
determining the process parameter of the surface structure using data from the plurality of sensors. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A system for sensing a process parameter of a surface structure that is formed by integrated circuit processing equipment which is used to manufacture an integrated circuit, the system comprising:
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an EIW unit that is adapted to be disposed in the integrated circuit processing equipment, the EIW unit including;
substrate having a wafer or wafer-like shape; and
a sensor, disposed on or in the substrate, to sample the process parameter of the surface structure that is formed by integrated circuit processing equipment, wherein the sensor samples the process parameter while or after the EIW unit is subjected to processing by the integrated circuit processing equipment; and
a computing device to receive the samples from the sensor and determine the process parameter of the surface structure using the samples. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
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Specification