Method for controlling semiconductor processing apparatus

• US 7,010,374 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2003
• Issued: 03/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Junichi, Ikuhara, Shoji, Yamamoto, Hideyuki, Kagoshima, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): KOSOWSKI, ALEXANDER J
• Application Number:
  US10/377,827
• Publication Number:
  US 20040175880A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,099 Days
• Field of Search: 700/109, 700/110, 216/2, 216/67, 118/715, 702/183, 702/185, 438/709, 438/905
• US Class Current: 700/109
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67028 for cleaning followed by drying, rinsing, stripping, blasting or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67069 for drying etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67253 Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 438/905 Cleaning of reaction chamber

Abstract

A method for controlling a semiconductor processing apparatus including a vacuum processing chamber, a plasma apparatus for generating plasma inside the vacuum processing chamber, and a process controller for controlling a process by holding a process recipe including plasma cleaning of inside of the vacuum processing chamber constant, comprises the steps of detecting process abnormality of the process on the basis of sensor data detected by sensors arranged in the semiconductor processing apparatus, and executing a recovery step for removing deposition deposited inside the vacuum processing chamber when abnormality is detected.

Claims

1. A process control method in a semiconductor processing apparatus, having a vacuum processing chamber, for processing wafers in a lot of wafers in accordance with a process recipe, comprising the steps of:

(a) executing a first plasma cleaning within the vacuum processing chamber at every processing of one lot of wafers;

(b) detecting an abnormality of the process on a basis of sensor data detected by a sensor disposed in the semiconductor processing apparatus with respect to at least one wafer of the one lot of wafers; and

(c) when the abnormality of the process is detected during processing of at least one wafer of the one lot of wafers in the step (b), executing a second plasma cleaning within the vacuum processing chamber under a condition different from the first plasma cleaning at a timing which is after termination of processing of all wafers of the one lot of wafers which includes the at least one wafer and before starting of processing of a next lot of wafers.

2. A process control method according to claim 1, wherein

the first plasma cleaning has a constant cleaning time period, and

the method further comprises the step of determining whether or not the second plasma cleaning is successful based on sensor data detected by the sensor.

3. A process control method according to claim 1, wherein

the first plasma cleaning uses a mixed gas including one of an SF₆ gas and an O₂ gas, and

the second plasma cleaning generates plasma by using a Cl₂ gas.

4. A process control method according to claim 1, wherein

the process is controlled by holding a process recipe.

5. A process control method in a semiconductor processing apparatus, having a vacuum processing chamber, for processing wafers in a lot of wafers in accordance with a process recipe, comprising the steps of;

(a) executing a first plasma cleaning within the vacuum processing chamber at every processing of one lot of wafers;

(b) detecting an abnormality of the process on a basis of sensor data detected by a sensor disposed in the semiconductor processing apparatus with respect to at least one wafer of the one lot of wafers; and

(c) when the abnormality of the process is detected during processing of the at least one wafer of the one lot of wafers in the step (b), etching a dummy wafer supporting thereon a material which is to be deposited on an inner wall of the vacuum processing chamber at a timing which is after termination of processing of all wafers of the one lot of wafers which includes the at least one wafer and before starting of processing of a next lot of wafers, thereby to deposit the material of the dummy wafer on the inner wall of the vacuum processing chamber.

6. A process control method according to claim 5, wherein the first plasma cleaning has a constant cleaning time period, and

the method further comprises the step of determining whether or not the etching step is successful based on sensor data detected by the sensor.

7. A process control method according to claim 5, wherein

the first plasma cleaning uses a mixed gas including one of an SF₆ gas and an O₂ gas, and the material is one of aluminum and silicon.

8. A process control method according to claim 5, wherein the process is controlled by holding a process recipe.

9. A process control method in a semiconductor processing apparatus, having a vacuum processing chamber, for processing wafers in a lot of wafers in accordance with a process recipe, comprising the steps of:

(a) executing a first plasma cleaning within the vacuum processing chamber at every processing of one lot of wafers;

(b) executing trend anticipation as to whether or not a process abnormality occurs during processing of a next lot of wafers to be processed before starting the processing of the next lot of wafers, on a basis of sensor data detected by a sensor disposed in the semiconductor processing apparatus with respect to at least one wafer of the one lot of wafers; and

(c) when occurrence of the process abnormality during the processing of the next lot of wafers is anticipated during processing of the at least one wafer of the one lot of wafers or after termination of processing of all wafers of the one lot of wafers in the step (b), executing a second plasma cleaning within the vacuum processing chamber under a condition different from the first plasma cleaning at a timing which is after termination of processing of all wafers of the one lot of wafers which includes the at least one wafer and before starting of processing of the next lot of wafers.

10. A process control method according to claim 9, wherein

the first plasma cleaning has a constant cleaning time period, and

the method further comprises the step of determining whether or not the second plasma cleaning is successful based on sensor data detected by the sensor.

11. A process control method according to claim 9, wherein

the first plasma cleaning step uses a mixed gas including an SF₆ gas and an O₂ gas, and

the second plasma cleaning generates plasma by using a Cl₂ gas.

12. A process control method according to claim 9, wherein

the process is controlled by holding a process recipe.