Particle detection method

• US 7,317,521 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2003
• Issued: 01/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Gilton, Terry L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Sang H.
• Application Number:
  US10/666,586
• Publication Number:
  US 20050062959A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,573 Days
• Field of Search: 3562371-2376, 356/243.1, 356/243.2, 356/243.3, 356/243.4, 427/44, 427/118, 427/424, 526/285, 430/20
• US Class Current: 356/237.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/77 by observing the effect on a chemical indicator
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/94 Investigating contamination, e.g. dust G01N21/85 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/9501 Semiconductor wafers manufacturing processes per se of semiconductor devices implementing a measuring step H01L22/10

Abstract

A method for detecting on a substrate used in the fabrication of integrated devices comprises the steps of (1) contacting the substrate with a monomer, wherein the particle catalyzes the polymerization of the monomer, and (2) detecting the particle using a particle counter. Different types of particles may be distinguished through their different polymerization rates of the monomer. Accordingly, in some certain embodiments, steps (1) and (2) may be repeated, allowing the growth rates of the particles to be determined. A plurality of monomers may be employed to identify different types of particles on the same substrate. The method is useful in detecting copper particles on silicon substrates.

Claims

1. A method for detecting a particle on a substrate, wherein the substrate is used in the fabrication of an integrated device, the method comprising:

contacting the integrated-device substrate with a monomer, wherein a particle that catalyzes the polymerization of the monomer is disposed on the substrate, and

detecting the particle using a particle counter.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the particle counter detects a property selected from the group consisting of number of particles, sizes of the particles, positions of the particles, and combinations thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the particle counter is capable of detecting particles on both sides of the substrate without unmounting the substrate.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the particle counter detects particles optically.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the particle counter is a laser scanner.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the particle counter detects a property selected from the group consisting of absorbance, fluorescence, reflectance, refractive index, and polarization.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a composition of the particle is identified.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the composition of the particle is identified by the polymerization rate of the monomer.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the monomer is polymerized by a plurality of particle types.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising repeating the contacting and detecting steps.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate is contacted with a plurality of monomers.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of monomers contact the substrate simultaneously.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of monomers contact the substrate sequentially.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the particle is a metal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the metal is copper.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises silicon.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the substrate comprises a single crystal silicon wafer.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the monomer is in a vapor phase.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the monomer is an alkene.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the alkene is selected from the group consisting of styrene, methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, and acrylonitrile.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the monomer is selected from the group consisting of aniline and thiophene.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising an initiator.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the initiator is benzyl bromide.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate is irradiated with electromagnetic radiation.