Sensor device for non-intrusive diagnosis of a semiconductor processing system

• US 7,434,485 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2006
• Issued: 10/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Hunter, Reginald
• Primary Examiner(s): NOLAND, THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US11/427,376
• Publication Number:
  US 20060236793A1
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• Field of Search: 738658-866, 738/665, 324/765, 295/93, 438/5, 438/8, 438 10- 11, 438 16- 18
• US Class Current: 73/865.9
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/707 Chucks, e.g. chucking or un-chucking operations or structural details
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70708 being electrostatic; Electrostatically deformable vacuum chucks
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/7085 Detection arrangement, e.g. detectors of apparatus alignment possibly mounted on wafers, exposure dose, photo-cleaning flux, stray light, thermal load
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67167 surrounding a central transfer chamber
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67196 characterized by the construction of the transfer chamber
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67242 Apparatus for monitoring, sorting or marking testing or measuring during manufacture H01L22/00, marks per se H01L23/544; testing individual semiconductor devices G01R31/26
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67248 Temperature monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67253 Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67259 Position monitoring, e.g. misposition detection or presence detection
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67288 Monitoring of warpage, curvature, damage, defects or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/681 using optical controlling means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/135 Associated with semiconductor wafer handling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49004 including measuring or testing of device or component part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49769 Using optical instrument [excludes mere human eyeballing]

Abstract

A battery powered sensing device for diagnosing a processing system and method for using the same are provided. The support platform generally has physical characteristics, such as size, profile height, mass, flexibility and/or strength, substantially similar to those of the substrates that are to be processed in the processing system, so the sensor device can be transferred through the processing system in a manner similar to the manner in which production substrates are transferred through the processing system.

Claims

1. An apparatus for obtaining information from within a processing system, the apparatus comprising:

a battery powered sensing device sized for transfer between a central transfer chamber and a vacuum processing chamber of the processing system by a substrate transfer robot, wherein the device is configured for obtaining information of a condition within the processing system.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the device is sized to pass through a slit valve separating the central transfer chamber and the processing chamber.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information provided by the device is indicative of the position of the sensing device within the processing system.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensing device is configured to provide optical information.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensing device is configured to provide inclination information.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensing device is configured to provide acceleration information.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensing device is configured to provide temperature information.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a substrate-sized support platform having the sensing device coupled thereto.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising:

a rechargeable battery coupled to the support platform and to the sensing device.

10. An apparatus for obtaining information from within a processing system, the apparatus comprising:

a support platform adapted for transfer between a substrate transfer robot and a substrate support structure in a vacuum processing chamber of the processing system;

a sensing device coupled to the support platform; and

a battery coupled to the support platform and to the sensing device.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the battery is rechargeable.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the support platform, sensing device and battery have a combined size configured to pass through a slit valve separating the central transfer chamber and the processing chamber.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the sensing device provides at least one of optical information, inclination information, robot operational information, distance information, electrostatic chuck performance information, magnetic information, acceleration information or temperature information.

14. A method of obtaining information from within a processing system, the method comprising:

robotically moving a battery powered sensing device through a slit valve disposed between a central transfer chamber and a vacuum processing chamber of a processing system; and

obtaining, via the sensing device, information of a condition within the processing system.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising removing the device from the processing chamber.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein obtaining further comprises:

obtaining information relating to temperature within the processing system.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein obtaining further comprises:

obtaining information relating to motion of the support platform within processing system.

18. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

transferring the information to a controller disposed outside the processing system.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein obtaining further comprises:

obtaining information relating to at least one of optical information, inclination information, robot operational information, distance information, electrostatic chuck performance information, magnetic information, acceleration information or temperature information.

20. The method of claim 14 further comprising

recharging the battery.

21. The method of claim 14, further comprising processing a substrate in the processing system based on the information.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein processing the substrate comprises at least one of physical vapor deposition (PVD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), and etching.