Infrared thermopile detector system for semiconductor process monitoring and control

• US 7,011,614 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2003
• Issued: 03/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Entegris Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Advanced Technology Materials, Inc. (Entegris Incorporated)
• Inventors: Arno, Jose
• Primary Examiner(s): Lebentritt, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): STEVENSON, ANDRE C
• Application Number:
  US10/623,244
• Publication Number:
  US 20040018746A1
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 732/041.5, 250/343, 438/14
• US Class Current: 483/14
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0007 of wafers or semiconductor substrates, e.g. using Rapid Thermal Processing
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0014 for sensing the radiation from gases, flames
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/025 Interfacing a pyrometer to an external device or network; User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/12 using thermoelectric elements, e.g. thermocouples
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3504 for analysing gases, e.g. multi-gas analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67253 Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 483/16 with means to transfer work

Abstract

A thermopile-based detector for monitoring and/or controlling semiconductor processes, and a method of monitoring and/or controlling semiconductor processes using thermopile-based sensing of conditions in and/or affecting such processes.

Claims

1. A method of operating a semiconductor process including processing of or with a gas, said method comprising transmitting infrared radiation through the gas for infrared radiation absorbance by a desired component of said gas, detecting the infrared radiation transmitted through the gas with a thermopile detector, generating an output from said thermopile detector indicative of concentration of said selected component of said gas, and controlling one or more conditions in and/or affecting the semiconductor process, in response to said output.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more conditions in and/or affecting the process include flow rate of a chemical reagent to a semiconductor process tool.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more conditions in and/or affecting the process include flow rate of a gas stream discharged from or flowed to a process unit in the semiconductor process.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the gas stream to a semiconductor process tool is monitored.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the gas stream flowed to an abatement unit is monitored.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the thermopile sensor output is employed to modulate a valve.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the thermopile detector output is employed to modulate a set point of a mass flow controller.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the thermopile detector output is employed to terminate a first process step and initiate a second process step.

6. A method of operating a semiconductor process including processing of or with a gas, said method comprising sensing concentration of a desired component of said gas with a thermopile detector, generating an output from said thermopile detector indicative of concentration of said selected component of said gas, and controlling one or more conditions in and/or affecting the semiconductor process, in response to said output, wherein the one or more conditions in and/or affecting the process include flow rate of a gas stream discharged from or flowed to a process unit in the semiconductor process, and wherein the gas stream discharged by an abatement unit is monitored.

9. A method of operating a semiconductor process including processing of or with a gas, said method comprising sensing concentration of a desired component of said gas with a thermopile detector, generating an output from said thermopile detector indicative of concentration of said selected component of said gas, and controlling one or more conditions in and/or affecting the semiconductor process, in response to said output, wherein the thermopile detector output is employed to modulate flow of a scrubbing medium in an abatement treatment step of the process.

11. A method of operating a semiconductor process including processing of or with a gas, said method comprising sensing concentration of a desired component of said gas with a thermopile detector, generating an output from said thermopile detector indicative of concentration of said selected component of said gas, and controlling one or more conditions in and/or affecting the semiconductor process, in response to said output, wherein the thermopile detector output is employed to modulate recycle of a fluid stream in the process.

12. A method of operating a semiconductor process including processing of or with the material, said method comprising transmitting infrared radiation through the material for infrared radiation absorbance by a desired component of said material, detecting the infrared radiation transmitted through the material with a thermopile detector, generating an output from sent thermopile indicative of concentration of said selected component of said material, and controlling one or more conditions in and/or affecting the semiconductor process, in response to said output.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the material comprises a solid.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the material comprises a fluid.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the material comprises a liquid.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the material comprises a gas.