Integrated process condition sensing wafer and data analysis system

• US 7,855,549 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2006
• Issued: 12/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation (KLA Corporation)
• Original Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation (KLA Corporation)
• Inventors: Renken, Wayne Glenn, Jensen, Earl M., Gordon, Roy, Paquette, Brian, Sun, Mei H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hollington; Jermele M
• Application Number:
  US11/553,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20070046284A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,516 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 324/750.3
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67253 Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6732 Vertical carrier comprising wall type elements whereby the substrates are horizontally supported, e.g. comprising sidewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/681 using optical controlling means
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01078 Platinum [Pt]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01087 Francium [Fr]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/10253 Silicon [Si]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12041 LED
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15153 the die mounting substrate comprising a recess for hosting the device
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15157 Top view
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15165 Monolayer substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/16152 Cap comprising a cavity for hosting the device, e.g. U-shaped cap
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/16153 Cap enclosing a plurality of side-by-side cavities [e.g. E-shaped cap]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/16195 Flat cap [not enclosing an internal cavity]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19041 being a capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3011 Impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3025 Electromagnetic shielding

Abstract

A process condition measuring device and a handling system may be highly integrated with a production environment where the dimensions of the process condition measuring device are close to those of a production substrate and the handling system is similar to a substrate carrier used for production substrates. Process conditions may be measured with little disturbance to the production environment. Data may be transferred from a process condition-measuring device to a user with little or no human intervention.

Claims

1. In a battery powered portable measuring instrument including a substrate with a plurality of sensors of a parameter distributed across a surface thereof, a method of compressing the amount of data obtained from the sensors of the parameter by processing on the measuring instrument, comprising:

computing different sets of differences between values of the parameter from the same set of data by;

calculating a first set of differences between values of the parameter read at different times by individual sensors,

calculating a second set of differences between values of the parameter read at a given time by the plurality of sensors, and

selecting one of the first set or second set of differences that represents the values of the parameter read by the sensors with the lesser amount of data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the values of the parameter are digital values.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the digital values contain a number of bits that represent the values measured by the sensors with a full resolution.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the differences between the values of the parameter comprise a fewer number of bits than the values with the full resolution.