Method for managing UV irradiation for curing semiconductor substrate
First Claim
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1. A method for managing UV irradiation for curing a semiconductor substrate, comprising:
- passing UV light through a transmission glass window provided in a chamber for curing a semiconductor substrate placed in the chamber;
monitoring an illuminance upstream of the transmission glass window and an illuminance downstream of the transmission glass window to monitor UV light transmissivity of the transmission glass window; and
determining a timing and/or duration of cleaning of the transmission glass window, a timing of replacing the transmission glass window, a timing of replacing a UV lamp, and/or an output of the UV light based on the monitored UV light transmissivity of the transmission glass window.
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Abstract
A method for managing UV irradiation for curing a semiconductor substrate, includes: passing UV light through a transmission glass window provided in a chamber for curing a semiconductor substrate placed in the chamber; monitoring an illuminance upstream of the transmission glass window and an illuminance downstream of the transmission glass window; determining a timing and/or duration of cleaning of the transmission glass window, a timing of replacing the transmission glass window, a timing of replacing a UV lamp, and/or an output of the UV light based on the monitored illuminances.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for managing UV irradiation for curing a semiconductor substrate, comprising:
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passing UV light through a transmission glass window provided in a chamber for curing a semiconductor substrate placed in the chamber; monitoring an illuminance upstream of the transmission glass window and an illuminance downstream of the transmission glass window to monitor UV light transmissivity of the transmission glass window; and determining a timing and/or duration of cleaning of the transmission glass window, a timing of replacing the transmission glass window, a timing of replacing a UV lamp, and/or an output of the UV light based on the monitored UV light transmissivity of the transmission glass window. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16)
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4. A method for managing UV irradiation for curing a semiconductor substrate, comprising:
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passing UV light through a transmission glass window provided in a chamber for curing a semiconductor substrate placed in the chamber; monitoring an illuminance upstream of the transmission glass window and an illuminance downstream of the transmission glass window; and determining a timing and/or duration of cleaning of the transmission glass window, a timing of replacing the transmission glass window, a timing of replacing a UV lamp, and/or an output of the UV light based on the monitored illuminances, wherein the passing UV light step and the monitoring step are performed at least at one time selected from the group consisting of a start of curing of the semiconductor substrate, an end of curing of the semiconductor substrate, a start of cleaning of the transmission glass window, and an end of cleaning of the transmission glass window, wherein the determining step comprises; comparing the illuminance downstream of the transmission glass window with a first reference value; comparing the illuminance upstream of the transmission glass window with a second reference value; determining to initiate cleaning of the transmission glass window if the illuminance downstream of the transmission glass window is equal to or lower than the first reference value and the illuminance upstream of the transmission glass window is not equal to or lower than the second reference value; and determining to replace the UV lamp if the illuminance upstream of the transmission glass window is equal to or lower than the second reference value. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8)
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15. A method for managing UV irradiation for curing a semiconductor substrate, comprising:
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passing UV light through a transmission glass window provided in a chamber for curing a semiconductor substrate placed in the chamber; monitoring an illuminance upstream of the transmission glass window and an illuminance downstream of the transmission glass window; and determining a timing and/or duration of cleaning of the transmission glass window, a timing of replacing the transmission glass window, a timing of replacing a UV lamp, and/or an output of the UV light based on the monitored illuminances, wherein the determining step comprises determining the timing of replacing the transmission glass window by setting a threshold value of illuminance to replace the transmission glass window and comparing the monitored illuminance downstream of the transmission glass window with the threshold value of illuminance.
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17. A method for curing a semiconductor substrate by UV light, comprising:
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(i) curing a semiconductor substrate placed in a chamber by passing UV light through a transmission glass window provided in the chamber, in an atmosphere of a gas selected from the group consisting of Ar, CO, CO2, C2H4, CH4, H2, He, Kr, Ne, N2, O2, Xe, alcohol gases, and organic gases; (ii) cleaning the transmission glass window using a cleaning gas; (iii) monitoring an illuminance upstream of the transmission glass window and an illuminance downstream of the transmission glass window during step (i) and/or (ii), thereby determining a timing and/or duration of cleaning of the transmission glass window, a timing of replacing the transmission glass window, a timing of replacing a UV lamp, and/or an output of the UV light based on the monitored illuminances; and (iv) according to step (iii), controlling the timing and/or duration of step (ii), replacing the transmission glass window, replacing the UV lamp, and/or increasing the output of the UV light in step (i).
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Specification