Method and apparatus for performing limited area spectral analysis

• US 7,602,484 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2007
• Issued: 10/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Netchitaliouk, Andrei Ivanovich, Uo, Yasuhiro, Lian, Lei, Davis, Matthew F., Willwerth, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Geisel; Kara E
• Application Number:
  US11/952,748
• Publication Number:
  US 20080074658A1
• Time in Patent Office: 676 Days
• Field of Search: 356/72, 3562374-2375, 356/445
• US Class Current: 356/237.5
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/8851 Scan or image signal processing specially adapted therefor, e.g. for scan signal adjustment, for detecting different kinds of defects, for compensating for structures, markings, edges G01N21/8806 and G01N21/93 - G01N21/95692 take precedence; optical measurement of dimensions G01B11/00; optical scanning G02B26/10; image transformation G06T3/00; computerised image enhancement G06T5/00; image processing per se for flaw detection G06T7/0002
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/9501 Semiconductor wafers manufacturing processes per se of semiconductor devices implementing a measuring step H01L22/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32935 Monitoring and controlling tubes by information coming from the object and/or discharge
• 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 22/26 Acting in response to an ongoing measurement without interruption of processing, e.g. endpoint detection, in-situ thickness measurement endpoint detection arrangements in CMP apparatus B24B37/013, in discharge apparatus H01J37/32

Abstract

A method and apparatus for obtaining in-situ data of a substrate in a semiconductor substrate processing chamber is provided. The apparatus includes an optics assembly for acquiring data regarding a substrate and an actuator assembly adapted to laterally move the optics assembly in two dimensions relative to the substrate.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring a substrate in a semiconductor substrate processing chamber, comprising:

acquiring data at a first location on a substrate disposed in a semiconductor substrate processing chamber using an in-situ measuring tool, the measuring tool moveable along two axes;

moving the measuring tool to at least a second location over the substrate;

acquiring data at least a second location on the substrate; and

analyzing the acquired data to identify defects in the monitored substrate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the acquired data further comprises:

performing multivariate analysis of the acquired data.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein analyzing the acquired data further comprises:

comparing the multivariate analysis of the monitored substrate to a stored multivariate analysis of a known reference substrate to identify defects in the monitored substrate.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

controlling the process in response to the acquired data.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the controlling further comprises:

determining an endpoint of a process being performed on the substrate.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

monitoring a desired location with the measuring tool until a reflectance pattern observed by the measuring tool matches a known reflectance pattern.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

detecting a first reflectance signal at a target location on the substrate; and

monitoring a second location on the substrate that correlates to the target location to detect a second reflectance signal that is stronger than the first reflectance signal.

8. A method of monitoring a substrate in a semiconductor substrate processing chamber, comprising:

providing an etch chamber having an in-situ measuring tool, the measuring tool moveable along two axes;

acquiring data at a first location on a substrate disposed in the etch chamber using the measuring tool;

moving the measuring tool to at least a second location over the substrate;

acquiring data at least a second location on the substrate; and

analyzing the acquired data to identify defects in the monitored substrate.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

scanning the substrate for a target; and

recording the location of the target.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the target is a high-reflectance spot disposed in a desired location on an alignment substrate.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the target is a feature formed on a substrate.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the data acquisition step further comprises:

locating a target on the substrate; and

monitoring the substrate.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the substrate is monitored at the target location.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the substrate is monitored at a predetermined offset from the target location.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein analyzing the acquired data further comprises:

performing multivariate analysis of the acquired data.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

controlling the process in response to the acquired data.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the controlling further comprises:

determining an endpoint of an etch process being performed on the substrate.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

monitoring the target location with the measuring tool until a reflectance pattern observed by the measuring tool matches a known reflectance pattern.

19. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

detecting a first reflectance signal at a target location on the substrate; and

monitoring a second location on the substrate that correlates to the target location to detect a second reflectance signal that is stronger than the first reflectance signal.

20. A method of monitoring a substrate in a semiconductor substrate processing chamber, comprising:

acquiring data at a first location on a substrate disposed in a semiconductor substrate processing chamber using an in-situ measuring tool, the measuring tool moveable along two axes;

moving the measuring tool to at least a second location over the substrate;

acquiring data at the second location on the substrate;

detecting a first reflectance signal at a target location on the substrate; and

monitoring a second location on the substrate that correlates to the target location to detect a second reflectance signal that is stronger than the first reflectance signal.