Integrated process condition sensing wafer and data analysis system
First Claim
1. A sensing apparatus for sensing conditions in target environments in a processing facility where a standard substrate is transported in a standard substrate carrier that establishes a position of the standard substrate relative to a surface of the standard substrate carrier and where the robot of at least one processing tool is calibrated to the position of the standard substrate relative to the surface of the standard substrate carrier, comprising:
- a first portion that includes;
a substrate;
a plurality of sensors attached to the substrate;
a second portion that includes;
a substrate carrier that establishes the position of the first portion relative to a surface of the substrate carrier to be the same as the position of the standard substrate relative to the surface of the standard substrate carrier;
an electronics module that communicates with the first portion, the electronics module attached to the substrate carrier; and
wherein the first portion may be moved independently of the second portion.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A process condition measuring device and a handling system may be highly integrated with a production environment where the dimensions of the process condition measuring device are close to those of a production substrate and the handling system is similar to a substrate carrier used for production substrates. Process conditions may be measured with little disturbance to the production environment. Data may be transferred from a process condition measuring device to a user with little or no human intervention.
92 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A sensing apparatus for sensing conditions in target environments in a processing facility where a standard substrate is transported in a standard substrate carrier that establishes a position of the standard substrate relative to a surface of the standard substrate carrier and where the robot of at least one processing tool is calibrated to the position of the standard substrate relative to the surface of the standard substrate carrier, comprising:
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a first portion that includes; a substrate; a plurality of sensors attached to the substrate; a second portion that includes; a substrate carrier that establishes the position of the first portion relative to a surface of the substrate carrier to be the same as the position of the standard substrate relative to the surface of the standard substrate carrier; an electronics module that communicates with the first portion, the electronics module attached to the substrate carrier; and
wherein the first portion may be moved independently of the second portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13)
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11. A sensing apparatus for sensing process conditions in a processing tool that has a robot that transfers a standard substrate between a standard substrate carrier and a process chamber, comprising:
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a process condition measuring device, comprising; a substrate; a plurality of sensors attached to the substrate; a handling system, comprising; a substrate carrier that holds the process condition measuring device, the robot transferring the process condition measuring device between the substrate carrier and the process chamber; and an electronics module attached to the substrate carrier that communicates with the process condition measuring device while the substrate carrier holds the process condition measuring device. - View Dependent Claims (12, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A two part apparatus for measuring process conditions within a process chamber, comprising:
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a first part that includes a plurality of sensors for measuring one or more process conditions, a receiving unit that receives power and an energy storage unit attached to a substrate; a second part that includes a housing for the first part, a power supply unit attached to the housing and a communication unit attached to the housing, the power supply unit providing power to the receiving unit of the first part and the communication unit providing communication between the first part and the second part; and wherein the first part is housed in the second part in a first mode and is moved from the second part to the process chamber, without physical connection to the second part, in a second mode. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An apparatus for measuring conditions in a target environment, comprising:
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a process condition measuring device that includes sensors to measure one or more process conditions in the target environment, the process condition measuring device further including a power supply and a first induction coil; a handling system including a second induction coil, the handling system having a location to hold the process condition measuring device near the second induction coil, the first and second induction coils being inductively coupled when the process condition measuring device is at the location, the inductive coupling transferring both electrical power and data; and the process condition measuring device being independently movable from the handling system to measure process conditions. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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Specification