Apparatus for integrated monitoring of wafers and for process control in semiconductor manufacturing and a method for use thereof

• US 7,255,748 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2004
• Issued: 08/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nova Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nova Measuring Instruments Limited (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Finarov, Moshe
• Primary Examiner(s): MOORE, KARLA A
• Application Number:
  US10/842,479
• Publication Number:
  US 20040207837A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,190 Days
• Field of Search: 156/345.24, 356/73, 118/712, 118/713
• US Class Current: 118/712
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67253 Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/681 using optical controlling means

Abstract

The present invention relates to an integrated apparatus for monitoring wafers and for process control in the semiconductor manufacturing process, by means of at least two different measurements that can be installed inside any part of the semiconductor production line, i.e., inside the photocluster equipment, the CVD equipment or the CMP equipment. The apparatus comprises a measuring unit for performing at least one optical measurement in predetermined sites on said wafer, illumination sources for illuminating said wafer via measuring unit, supporting means for holding, rotating and translating the wafer and a control unit. The measuring unit comprises: at least two measuring sub-units, one of them being normal-incidence optical measuring system.

Claims

1. An integrated apparatus for monitoring semiconductor wafer and for process control in the semiconductor production process by means at least two different measurements, comprising a measuring unit for performing said measurements in predetermined sites on said wafer, at least one illumination source for illuminating said wafer, supporting means for holding, rotating and translating the wafer and a control unit connected to said measuring unit, to said supporting means and to said illumination source,

wherein said measuring unit comprises at least two fixed-relative-to-each-other measuring sub-units spatially separated along a wafer translating axis, at least one of the sub-units being a substantially normal-incidence optical measuring sub-unit comprising an image acquisition assembly and an autofocusing assembly.

2. An integrated apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said measuring unit is in a sealed enclosure.

3. An integrated apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said illumination sources is external to said measuring unit and its light beam is conveyed to said measuring unit by suitable light guides.

4. An integrated apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus is installed inside or is attached to one of a Chemical Vapor Deposition equipment, a Chemical Mechanical Polishing equipment, a photocluster equipment or any other processing equipment in the semiconductor production line.

5. An integrated apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus is installed on one of the cooling chambers of a cluster Chemical Vapor Deposition equipment.

6. An integrated apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus is installed on a transfer chamber of a cluster Chemical Vapor Deposition equipment.

7. An integrated apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said optical measuring sub-unit comprises a visible illumination source and optical components suitable for performing optical measurements at the visible spectral range and wherein the other measuring sub-unit comprises at least one optical measuring sub-unit that comprises optical components and illumination sources suitable for performing optical measurements at any other spectral range or at a specific wavelength.

8. An integrated apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the optical unit operating at the visible spectral range light includes an optical imaging device.

9. An integrated apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the measuring unit comprises two optical sub-units and wherein first optical sub-unit comprises a visible illumination source and optical components suitable for performing optical measurements at the visible spectral range and is used for relative positioning of the measuring unit and the wafer and for thin layer thickness measurements and wherein the second optical sub-unit comprises an infrared illumination source and optical components suitable for performing optical measurements at the infrared spectral range and is used for layer composition measurements and for contamination analysis.

10. An integrated apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the measuring unit comprises two optical sub-units and wherein first optical sub-unit comprises a visible illumination source and optical components suitable for performing optical measurements at the visible spectral range and is used for relative positioning of the measuring unit and the wafer and for thin layer thickness measurements and wherein the second optical sub-unit comprises an ultraviolet illumination source and optical components suitable for performing optical measurements at the ultraviolet spectral range and is used for illuminating a wafer by ultraviolet illumination and measuring the reflected signals by means of a detector.

11. An integrated apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the measuring unit comprises two optical sub-units and wherein first optical sub-unit comprises a visible illumination source and optical components suitable for performing optical measurements at the visible spectral range and is used for relative positioning of the measuring unit and the wafer and for thin layer thickness measurements and wherein the second optical sub-unit comprises an X ray illumination source and optical components suitable for performing optical measurements at the X ray spectral range and is used for illuminating a wafer by X ray radiation and measuring the reflected signals by means of a detector.

12. An integrated apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said least two fixed-relative to-each-other measuring sub-units are movable relative to the semiconductor wafer.

13. An integrated apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said measuring unit is in an enclosure having an optical window associated with said enclosure.

14. An integrated apparatus according to claim 5, wherein second measuring sub-unit comprises a UV optical measuring sub-unit.

15. An integrated apparatus according to claim 5, wherein at least one of said illumination sources is external to said measuring unit and its light beam is conveyed to said measuring unit by suitable light guides.

16. An integrated apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the measuring unit comprises two optical sub-units and wherein the first optical sub-unit comprises a visible illumination source and optical components suitable for performing optical measurements at the visible spectral range and is used for relative positioning of the measuring unit and the wafer and for thin layer thickness measurements, and wherein the second optical sub-unit comprises an ultraviolet illumination source and optical components suitable for performing optical measurements at the ultraviolet spectral range and is used for illuminating a wafer by ultraviolet illumination and measuring the reflected signals by means of a detector.

17. An integrated apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said least two fixed-relative-to-each-other measuring sub-units are movable relative to the semiconductor wafer.

18. An integrated apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said optical window is of an open type.

19. An integrated apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said enclosure is of a sealed type.

20. An integrated apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said at least one optical measuring sub-unit comprises a reflective type optical measuring sub-unit.

21. An integrated apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said at least one optical measuring sub-unit comprises a reflective type optical measuring sub-unit.

22. An integrated apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said at least one optical measuring sub-unit comprises a reflective type optical measuring sub-unit.

23. An integrated apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said at least one optical measuring sub-unit comprises a reflective type optical measuring sub-unit.

24. An integrated apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit provides data for a semiconductor production process feedback closed loop control.

25. An integrated apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit provides data for a semiconductor production process feed forward control.

26. An integrated apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the control unit provides data for a semiconductor production process feedback closed loop control.

27. An integrated apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the control unit provides data for a semiconductor production process feed forward control.

28. An integrated apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the control unit provides data for a semiconductor production process feedback closed loop control.

29. An integrated apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the control unit provides data for a semiconductor production process feed forward control.