Methods of processing wafers and methods of communicating signals with respect to a wafer

• US 20010011900A1
• Filed: 04/04/2001
• Published: 08/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David R. Hembree
• Original Assignee: David R. Hembree
• Inventors: Hembree, David R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,245,136 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/755
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67248 Temperature monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67253 Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring

Abstract

The present invention includes an electronic device workpiece processing apparatus and method of communicating signals within an electronic device workpiece processing apparatus. One embodiment of an electronic device workpiece processing apparatus includes a chuck including a surface, an electrical coupling adjacent the surface, and electrical interconnect configured to connect with the electrical coupling of the chuck and conduct a signal within the chuck; an intermediate member having a first surface and a second surface and the intermediate member including: an electrical coupling adjacent the first surface and configured to couple with the electrical coupling of the chuck; an electrical coupling adjacent the second surface; and an electrical interconnect configured to connect the electrical coupling adjacent the first surface and the electrical coupling adjacent the second surface; and an electronic device workpiece configured to couple with the second surface of the intermediate member, the electronic device workpiece including a sensor and an electrical coupling configured to provide electrical connection of the sensor with the electrical coupling of the second surface of the intermediate member.

Claims

1. An electronic device workpiece processing apparatus comprising:

a workpiece holder adapted to receive an electronic device workpiece having an electrical coupling, the workpiece holder including an electrical coupling configured to electrically couple with the electrical coupling of the electronic device workpiece and communicate signals between the electronic device workpiece and the workpiece holder.

2. The electronic device workpiece processing apparatus according to

claim 1

further comprising a data gathering device coupled with the electrical coupling of the workpiece holder and configured to receive the signals.

3. The electronic device workpiece processing apparatus according to

claim 2

further comprising a contact plate configured to communicate the signal intermediate the workpiece holder and the data gathering device.

4. The electronic device workpiece processing apparatus according to

claim 1

wherein the workpiece holder includes a first surface, a second surface, and an electrical interconnect configured to electrically couple the first surface and the second surface.

5. The electronic device workpiece processing apparatus according to

claim 4

wherein the first surface of the workpiece holder is configured to face a received electronic device workpiece and the second surface is configured to face a chuck.

6. The electronic device workpiece processing apparatus according to

claim 1

wherein the workpiece holder includes a plurality of electrical couplings adapted to couple with a plurality of electrical couplings of the electronic device workpiece.

7. The electronic device workpiece processing apparatus according to

claim 1

wherein the workpiece holder comprises a chuck.

8. The electronic device workpiece processing apparatus according to

claim 1

wherein the workpiece holder comprises a chuck configured to receive a calibration workpiece and a production workpiece.

9. The electronic device workpiece processing apparatus according to

claim 8

wherein the workpiece holder and the calibration workpiece include vacuum chambers adapted to receive a vacuum to couple the calibration workpiece and the production workpiece with the chuck.

10. The electronic device workpiece processing apparatus according to

claim 1

wherein the workpiece holder comprises an intermediate member adapted to couple with a chuck.

11. The electronic device workpiece processing apparatus according to

claim 1

wherein the workpiece holder includes a vacuum chamber adapted to receive a vacuum to couple a received electronic device workpiece with the workpiece holder.

12. The electronic device workpiece processing apparatus according to

claim 1

wherein the electrical interconnect comprises a conductive column configured to extend outward from plural surfaces of the chuck.

13. The electronic device workpiece processing apparatus according to

claim 12

further comprising a contact plate including circuitry configured to provide electrical connection with the conductive column.

14. An electronic device workpiece processing intermediate member adapted to receive an electronic device workpiece having an electrical coupling and couple with a chuck having an electrical coupling, the intermediate member comprising:

an electrical interconnect configured to electrically connect the electrical coupling of the electronic device workpiece with the electrical coupling of the chuck.

15. The electronic device workpiece processing intermediate member according to

claim 14

wherein the intermediate member includes a plurality of electrical interconnects configured to electrically connect a plurality of electrical couplings of an electronic device workpiece and a chuck.

16. The electronic device workpiece processing intermediate member according to

claim 14

wherein the electrical interconnect comprises a pogo pin.

17. The electronic device workpiece processing intermediate member according to

claim 14

wherein the electrical interconnect comprises a wire.

18. An electronic device workpiece processing apparatus comprising a workpiece holder adapted to receive an electronic device workpiece and the workpiece holder having circuitry configured to communicate a process signal received from a received electronic device workpiece and the process signal containing information regarding processing of the received electronic device workpiece.

19. An electronic device workpiece processing apparatus comprising:

a chuck including a surface, an electrical coupling adjacent the surface, and electrical interconnect configured to connect with the electrical coupling of the chuck and conduct a signal within the chuck;

an intermediate member having a first surface and a second surface and the intermediate member including;

an electrical coupling adjacent the first surface and configured to couple with the electrical coupling of the chuck;

an electrical coupling adjacent the second surface; and

an electrical interconnect configured to connect the electrical coupling adjacent the first surface and the electrical coupling adjacent the second surface; and

an electronic device workpiece configured to couple with the second surface of the intermediate member, the electronic device workpiece including a sensor and an electrical coupling configured to provide electrical connection of the sensor with the electrical coupling of the second surface of the intermediate member.

20. The electronic device workpiece processing apparatus according to

claim 19

further comprising a data gathering device coupled with the electrical coupling of the chuck and configured to receive the signal.

21. The electronic device workpiece processing apparatus according to

claim 20

further comprising a contact plate configured to communicate the signal intermediate the chuck and the data gathering device.

22. The electronic device workpiece processing apparatus according to

claim 19

wherein the sensor comprises a resistance temperature device.

23. The electronic device workpiece processing apparatus according to

claim 19

wherein the electronic device workpiece comprises a calibration workpiece.

24. The electronic device workpiece processing apparatus according to

claim 19

wherein the electrical interconnect comprises a conductive column configured to extend outward from plural surfaces of the chuck.

25. The electronic device workpiece processing apparatus according to

claim 24

further comprising a contact plate including circuitry configured to provide electrical connection with electrical couplings of the chuck.

26. An electronic device workpiece processing apparatus comprising:

a chuck including a surface, a plurality of electrical couplings adjacent the surface, and a plurality of electrical interconnects configured to connect with respective electrical couplings of the chuck and conduct signals within the chuck;

an intermediate member having a first surface and a second surface and the intermediate member including;

a plurality of electrical couplings adjacent the first surface and configured to couple with respective electrical couplings of the chuck;

a plurality of electrical couplings adjacent the second surface; and

a plurality of electrical interconnects configured to electrically connect the electrical couplings of the first surface with respective electrical couplings of the second surface;

a calibration workpiece configured to couple with the second surface of the intermediate member, the calibration workpiece including a plurality of resistance temperature devices configured to generate process signals, and a plurality of electrical connections configured to electrically connect the resistance temperature devices with respective electrical couplings of the second surface of the intermediate member; and

a data gathering device coupled with the electrical interconnects of the chuck and configured to receive the process signals from the resistance temperature devices through the intermediate member and the chuck.

27. A method of communicating signals within an electronic device workpiece processing apparatus, the method comprising:

providing a workpiece holder adapted to couple with an electronic device workpiece; and

communicating signals through the workpiece holder.

28. The method according to

claim 27

further comprising coupling circuitry of an electronic device workpiece with circuitry of the workpiece holder.

29. The method according to

claim 28

further comprising breaking the coupled circuitry of the electronic device workpiece and the circuitry of the workpiece holder.

30. The method according to

claim 27

further comprising coupling an electronic device workpiece with the workpiece holder using a vacuum.

31. The method according to

claim 27

further comprising coupling a calibration workpiece and a production workpiece with the workpiece holder.

32. The method according to

claim 27

further comprising receiving an electronic device workpiece within the workpiece holder.

33. The method according to

claim 27

further comprising communicating the signal intermediate the workpiece holder and an electronic device workpiece using an intermediate member.

34. The method according to

claim 27

further comprising receiving the signal within the workpiece holder from an electronic device workpiece.

35. The method according to

claim 27

wherein the providing comprises providing a chuck.

36. The method according to

claim 27

further comprising:

sensing a process condition of an electronic device workpiece; and

generating the signal responsive to the sensing.

37. The method according to

claim 36

wherein the sensing comprises sensing temperature at a plurality of positions upon a surface of the electronic device workpiece.

38. A method of communicating signals within an electronic device workpiece processing apparatus, the method comprising:

providing a workpiece holder;

providing an electronic device workpiece including a sensor;

electrically coupling the sensor of the electronic device workpiece with the workpiece holder;

sensing a condition using the sensor;

generating a signal using the sensor responsive to the sensing; and

conducting the signal through the workpiece holder following the coupling.

39. The method according to

claim 38

wherein the coupling comprises coupling circuitry of the electronic device workpiece with circuitry of the workpiece holder.

40. The method according to

claim 38

further comprising breaking the coupling of the sensor and the workpiece holder.

41. The method according to

claim 38

further comprising receiving the electronic device workpiece within the workpiece holder.

42. The method according to

claim 38

wherein the coupling comprises coupling using an intermediate member.

43. The method according to

claim 38

wherein the providing a workpiece holder comprises providing a chuck configured to receive an electronic device workpiece.

44. The method according to

claim 38

wherein the sensing comprises sensing temperature.

45. A method of communicating signals within an electronic device workpiece processing apparatus, the method comprising:

providing a workpiece holder having circuitry;

providing an electronic device workpiece having circuitry; and

communicating signals intermediate the circuitry of the electronic device workpiece and the circuitry of the workpiece holder.

46. The method according to

claim 45

further comprising coupling the circuitry of the electronic device workpiece with the circuitry of the workpiece holder.

47. The method according to

claim 46

wherein the coupling comprises coupling using an intermediate member.

48. The method according to

claim 46

further comprising breaking the coupling of the circuitry of the electronic device workpiece and the circuitry of the workpiece holder.

49. The method according to

claim 45

wherein the providing a workpiece holder comprises providing a chuck configured to receive an electronic device workpiece.

50. The method according to

claim 45

further comprising receiving the electronic device workpiece within the workpiece holder.

51. The method according to

claim 45

further comprising:

sensing a process condition of the electronic device workpiece; and

generating the signal responsive to the sensing.

52. The method according to

claim 51

wherein the sensing comprises sensing temperature at a plurality of positions upon a surface of the electronic device workpiece.