Process condition sensing wafer and data analysis system

• US 8,033,190 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2010
• Issued: 10/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kla-Tencor Technologies Corporation (KLA Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kla-Tencor Technologies Corporation (KLA Corporation)
• Inventors: Renken, Wayne G., Sun, Mei H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams; Hezron E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shah; Samir M
• Application Number:
  US12/787,326
• Publication Number:
  US 20100294051A1
• Time in Patent Office: 504 Days
• Field of Search: 738/661, 738/659, 738/66
• US Class Current: 73/866.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 9/005 Solid-state data loggers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67253 Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/34 Circuits for electrically characterising or monitoring manufacturing processes, e. g. whole test die, wafers filled with test structures, on-board-devices incorporated on each die, process control monitors or pad structures thereof, devices in scribe line switching, multiplexing, gating devices G01R19/25; process control with lithography, e.g. dose control, G03F7/20; structures for alignment control by optical means G03F7/70633
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• 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: Y10T 29/4913 Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.

Abstract

A measuring device incorporating a substrate with sensors that measure the processing conditions that a wafer may undergo during manufacturing. The substrate can be inserted into a processing chamber by a robot head and the measuring device can transmit the conditions in real time or store the conditions for subsequent analysis. Sensitive electronic components of the device can be distanced or isolated from the most deleterious processing conditions in order increase the accuracy, operating range, and reliability of the device. Isolation may be provided by vacuum or suitable material and phase change material may be located adjacent to electronics to maintain a low temperature.

Claims

1. A system for sensing processing conditions comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of sensors attached to the substrate;

an electronics platform electrically coupled to the plurality of sensors;

the electronics platform having an enclosure that encloses at least one integrated circuit, the enclosure including a phase change material having a melting point between 20 and 85 degrees Centigrade; and

the electronics platform mounted to the substrate by one or more legs that elevate the platform from the substrate so that a bottom surface of the enclosure is above a top surface of the substrate.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the enclosure further encloses a thermally insulating volume.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the thermally insulating volume contains gas at a pressure that is less than atmospheric pressure.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the thermally insulating volume contains a solid with a low coefficient of heat conductivity.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the electronics platform includes a power source and a plurality of integrated circuits, the phase change material in close proximity to the power source and the plurality of integrated circuits so that the phase change material, the power source and the plurality of integrated circuits are all at approximately the same temperature.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the enclosure has an outer surface that is reflective to radiant heat.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the enclosure has an inner surface that is reflective to radiant heat.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the legs maintain the electronics platform in a position that extends beyond a perimeter of the substrate.

9. A method of forming a process condition measuring device comprising:

attaching sensors to a substrate and connecting the sensors to an electronics module by leads; and

forming the electronics module to include an enclosure that encloses a thermally insulating volume around electronic components, the enclosure distanced from the substrate by legs so that a bottom surface of the enclosure is above a top surface of the substrate.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising forming the electronics module to include a phase change material having a melting point between 18 degrees Centigrade and 85 degrees Centigrade.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising polishing a surface of the electronics module to provide a reflective surface.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising forming an opening in the enclosure such that an interior pressure of the enclosure is approximately equal to an exterior pressure.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising positioning the electronics module to overlie a central location of a surface of the substrate.

14. The method of claim 9 further comprising positioning the electronics module to overlie a location that is not central on a surface of the substrate.

15. The method of claim 9 further comprising positioning the electronics module so that at least a portion of the electronics module does not overlie a surface of the substrate.