Methods of processing a workpiece, methods of communicating signals with respect to a wafer, and methods of communicating signals within a workpiece processing apparatus

• US 7,245,136 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2001
• Issued: 07/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Hembree, David R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Vinh P.
• Application Number:
  US09/827,248
• Publication Number:
  US 20010011900A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,295 Days
• Field of Search: 326/755, 326/760, 326/765, 326/754, 438/76, 438/17, 438 14- 18, 438/715, 257/498, 257/48, 439 66- 72, 269/903, 324754-765, 156/345.28, 156/345.25, 118/500, 118/728, 702/117, 279/3
• US Class Current: 324/756.01
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67248 Temperature monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67253 Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring

Abstract

An electronic device workpiece processing apparatus and method of communicating signals within an electronic device workpiece processing apparatus are provided. 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 signal within the chuck; an intermediate member having a first surface and a second surface and the intermediate member including: and 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. A method of processing a workpiece comprising:

receiving a first workpiece and a second workpiece within a workpiece processing apparatus configured to form a semiconductor device using the first workpiece;

processing the first workpiece within the workpiece processing apparatus to form the semiconductor device; and

communicating signals intermediate the second workpiece and the workpiece processing apparatus.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising electrically coupling the second workpiece and the workpiece processing apparatus.

3. The method in accordance with claim 2 wherein the coupling comprises contacting circuitry of the second workpiece and circuitry of the apparatus.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

supporting the second workpiece using a workpiece holder of the workpiece processing apparatus; and

coupling circuitry of the second workpiece and circuitry of the workpiece holder at a surface of the second workpiece and a surface of the workpiece holder.

5. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the receiving comprises receiving the first workpiece comprising a semiconductive wafer.

6. The method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising altering the processing responsive to the communicating.

7. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the comunicating comprises communicating during the processing.

8. The method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising communicating the signals using an intermediate member of the workpiece processing apparatus.

9. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the communicating comprises communicating the signals comprising information.

10. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the communicating comprises communicating the signals comprising information regarding the processing.

11. A method of communicating signals with respect to a wafer comprising:

providing a workpiece holder;

supporting a wafer using the workpiece holder;

coupling circuitry of the wafer with circuitry of the workpiece holder;

communicating signals intermaediate the circuitry of the wafer and the circuitry of the workpiece holder; and

wherein the communicating comprises communicating the signals comprising information regarding process conditions of a workpiece processing apparatus.

12. The method in accordance with claim 11 wherein the providing the wafer comprises providing a semiconductive wafer.

13. The method in accordance with claim 11 wherein the coupling comprises coupling the circuitry of the wafer and the circuitry of the workpiece holder at a surface of the wafer and a surface of the workpiece holder.

14. The method in accordance with claim 11 wherein the coupling comprises contacting the circuitry of the wafer and the circuitry of the workpiece holder.

15. The method in accordance with claim 11 wherein the communicating comprises communicating using an intermediate member.

16. A method of communicating signals within a workpiece processing apparatus comprising:

providing a workpiece processing apparatus adapted to form a semiconductor device;

providing a workpiece within the workpiece processing apparatus;

communicating signals using the workpiece;

receiving the signals within the workpiece processing apparatus from the workpiece; and

wherein the communicating comprises communicating the signals comprising process signals comprising information regarding process conditions of the workpiece processing apparatus used to form the semiconductor device.

17. The method in accordance with claim 16 further comprising coupling circuitry of the workpiece with circuitry of the workpiece processing apparatus.

18. The method in accordance with claim 17 wherein the coupling comprises contacting the circuitry of the workpiece with the circuitry of the workpiece processing apparatus.

19. The method in accordance with claim 17 further comprising breaking the coupling of the circuitry of the workpiece and the circuitry of the workpiece processing apparatus.

20. The method in accordance with claim 16 further comprising supporting the workpiece within the workpiece processing apparatus using a workpiece holder, and wherein the receiving comprises receiving using the workpiece holder.

21. The method in accordance with claim 20 further comprising coupling of the workpiece and circuitry of the workpiece holder at a surface of the workpiece and a surface of the workpiece holder.

22. The method in accordance with claim 16 further comprising supporting the workpiece within the workpiece processing apparatus using a workpiece holder and an intermediate member, and whereinn the receiving comprises receiving using the workpiece holder and the intermediate member.

23. The method in accordance with claim 16 wherein the providing the workpiece comprises providing a semiconductive wafer.

24. The method in accordance with claim 16 further comprises exposing the workpiece to process conditions configured to form the semiconductor device.

25. The method in accordance with claim 16 wherein the receiving comprises receiving the signals comprising information using circuitry of the workpiece processing apparatus.

26. The method in accordance with claim 16 wherein the communicating comprises communicating the signals comprising process signals comprising the information regarding a temperature of a surface of the workpiece.

27. The method in accordance with claim 16 wherein the communicating comprises communicating the signals comprising process signals comprising the information regarding temperature information at a plurality of different positions of a surface of the workpiece.

28. The method in accordance with claim 16 wherein the communicating comprises communicating the signals comprising process signals comprising information regrading temperature information at a plurality of different positions of a surface of the workpiece.

29. A method of communicating signals within a workpiece processing apparatus comprising:

providing a workpiece processing apparatus adapted to form a semiconductor device;

providing a workpiece within the workpiece processing apparatus;

communicating signals using the workpiece;

receiving the signals within the workpiece processing apparatus from the workpiece; and

wherein the communicating comprises communicating the signals comprising process signals comprising information regrading a temperature of a surface of the workpiece.

30. A method of communicating signals within a workpiece processing apparatus comprising:

providing a workpiece processing apparatus adapted to form a semiconductor device;

providing a workpiece within the workpiece processing apparatus;

communicating signals using the workpiece;

receiving the signals within the workpiece processing apparatus from the workpiece; and

wherein the communicating comprises communicating the signals comprising process signals comprising information regarding temperature information at a plurality of different positions of a surface of the workpiece.