A method of locking down a source of contamination in a semiconductor manufacturing process

Abstract

The present application provides a method for locking the pollution source in the semiconductor manufacturing process, comprising defining all Lots in the production process as elements a1, a2, …, a n n response to a certain Lot being contaminated, the elements corresponding to other Lots processed by the contaminated Lot are taken as sets A1, and N (N≥2) contaminated Lots will generate A1, A2, …, AN sets; mathematical intersection operation is performed on sets A1, A2, …, AN to generate a new set A; and the elements a n in set A are defined as the locked pollution source. In the semiconductor manufacturing process, each production batch (Lot) has a fixed product name and a series of processes. The present application locks the pollution source by establishing a mathematical model, i.e. defining the actual operation history of all Lots in the production system as elements a1, a2, a3, …, a n n the product name + process name, and then finding out which product and which process exist pollution on line through mathematical intersection operation method, which is simple to operate, easy to implement, and conducive to subsequent improvement treatment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor integrated circuit manufacturing, and more specifically to a method for identifying pollution sources in semiconductor manufacturing processes. Background Technology

[0002] As integrated circuit components manufactured using semiconductor processes become increasingly smaller, the performance requirements for each semiconductor device become increasingly stringent. Therefore, it is crucial to prevent contamination from external sources during the manufacturing process, as these contaminants can degrade component performance, increase circuit defect rates, and reduce reliability. Contamination is a critical issue that the semiconductor manufacturing industry must address with utmost care and significant effort.

[0003] Contamination originates not only from the manufacturing process of large-scale integrated circuits, but also from the materials supplied, and even byproducts generated during other product operations within the fab can lead to cross-contamination. For example, the resistance of semiconductor devices is affected by the concentration of N-type and P-type impurities; please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 1 and Figure 2 The linear relationship between the high-resistivity gate resistor (HRP) and the P-type source / drain resistor (RSP) formed by wet cleaning, growth of a barrier layer (SiO2), photolithography, and subsequent P-type source / drain implantation processes shifted, with the HRP being significantly higher than normal, leading to chip malfunction. This was determined to be a P-type impurity contamination issue during the wet cleaning process. Furthermore, current traditional contamination source identification methods only address contamination issues common to different equipment, offering no solution for contamination problems caused by equipment not shared by the manufacturer. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the present invention provides a method for identifying contamination sources in a semiconductor manufacturing process, for identifying contamination sources caused by byproducts generated during other product operations within a fab.

[0005] This invention provides a method for identifying contamination sources in a semiconductor manufacturing process, comprising the following steps:

[0006] Step 1: Define elements a1, a2, a3, ..., a2, a3, ..., a3, a4, a5, a6, a7, a8, a9, a1, a2, a3, ..., a4, a5, a6, a7, a8, a9 ... n ;

[0007] Step 2: In response to a Lot being contaminated, take set A1 for the elements corresponding to the multiple Lots that have been processed before the contaminated Lot on the device. If N Lots are affected, then A1, A2, ..., AN sets will be generated.

[0008] Step 3: Perform a mathematical intersection operation on the sets A1, A2, ..., AN to generate a new set A;

[0009] Step 4: Define element a in set A. n The source of pollution has been identified.

[0010] Preferably, the product name in step one is the product number to which the production batch (Lots) belongs, and the process name is the process flow number for manufacturing the product.

[0011] Preferably, N in step two is an integer and N≥2.

[0012] Preferably, the a in step four n This indicates that a certain product will contaminate other products on the production line during a certain process.

[0013] This invention defines elements a1, a2, ..., a3 by analyzing the actual big data of all Lots operations in the system using "product name + process name". n When a Lot is contaminated, a set A1 is taken from the operations preceding the contaminated batch. If N (N≥2) Lots are affected, multiple sets A1, A2, ..., AN will be generated. Each set consists of multiple elements. Then, the mathematical intersection formula is used to find A = A1∩A2∩...∩AN = {a9}. The element a9 in set A is the source of contamination. Specifically, a mathematical model is established to locate the source of contamination. That is, cross-contamination caused by byproducts generated during the operation of other products in the Fab is located through set operations. It finds out which product is contaminated in which process on the line. The operation is simple, easy to implement, and conducive to subsequent improvement and treatment. Attached Figure Description

[0014] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become clearer from the following description of embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0015] Figure 1 The diagram shows a semiconductor structure for P-type source / drain injection process.

[0016] Figure 2 This diagram illustrates the linear relationship between the high-resistance gate resistor HRP and the P-type source / drain resistor RSP.

[0017] Figure 3 The flowchart shown is a method for locating a contamination source in a semiconductor manufacturing process according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 4 The diagram shown illustrates the set mathematical intersection operation according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The present invention is described below based on embodiments, but the invention is not limited to these embodiments. In the detailed description of the invention below, certain specific details are described in detail. Those skilled in the art will fully understand the invention even without these details. To avoid obscuring the essence of the invention, well-known methods, processes, flows, elements, and circuits are not described in detail.

[0020] Furthermore, those skilled in the art should understand that the accompanying drawings provided herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0021] Unless the context explicitly requires it, words such as "including" or "contains" throughout the application should be interpreted as including rather than exclusive or exhaustive; that is, meaning "including but not limited to".

[0022] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. Furthermore, in the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0023] In semiconductor manufacturing plants, hereinafter referred to as "Fab," products are typically located in many bays. Each bay is designated for performing a specific process or step and contains the manufacturing tools, materials, and processing systems associated with that specific process or step. Fab operators usually produce products in "lots" between different bays or between different manufacturing tools within the same bay. This invention addresses the issue that contamination can originate not only from the production process of large-scale integrated circuits and the materials provided, but also from byproducts generated during other product operations within the Fab, leading to cross-contamination. It provides a method for identifying contamination sources in semiconductor manufacturing processes, specifically targeting byproducts generated during other product operations within the Fab that cause cross-contamination. The technical solution of this invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0024] Figure 3 The flowchart shown is a method for identifying contamination sources in a semiconductor manufacturing process, as an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 As shown, the method for identifying contamination sources in a semiconductor manufacturing process according to an embodiment of the present invention includes the following steps:

[0025] Step 1: Define elements a1, a2, a3, ..., a2, a3, ..., a3, a4, a5, a6, a7, a8, a9, a1, a2, a3, ..., a4, a5, a6, a7, a8, a9 ... n .

[0026] In this embodiment of the invention, the product name is the product number to which the production batch (Lots) belongs, and the process name is the process flow number for manufacturing that product. In the semiconductor manufacturing process, each production batch (Lot) has a fixed "product name" and a series of processes, which are then...

[0027] Step 2: In response to a Lot being contaminated, take set A1 for the elements corresponding to the multiple Lots that have been processed before the contaminated Lot on the device. If there are N (N≥2) affected Lots, multiple sets A1, A2, ..., AN will be generated.

[0028] In this embodiment of the invention, N is an integer and N≥2. When N Lots are contaminated, a source tracing is performed. For each contaminated Lot, sets are taken corresponding to the elements of the other Lots that were previously processed. The N Lots will generate sets A1, A2, ..., AN, each set containing at least one element. For example, A1 = {a9, a5, a...} 564 ,a 568 ,a 569 ,a3…a 564}

[0029] Step 3: Perform a mathematical intersection operation on sets A1, A2, ..., AN to generate a new set A.

[0030] In this embodiment of the invention, the mathematical intersection formula is used to find A = A1 ∩ A2 ∩ ... ∩ AN = {a n Specifically, such as Figure 4 As shown, A1 = {a9, a5, a...} 564 a 568 a 569 , a3…a 564}, A2={a3,a 564 a7, a 711 a 256 ,a9…a 564}, A3={a9,a1,a 619 a 825 a 566 …a4}, intersection A=A1∩A2∩A3.

[0031] Step 4: Define element a in set A n The source of pollution has been identified.

[0032] In embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 4 As shown, the intersection A = A1∩A2∩A3 = {a9}, where the element a9 represents the "product name + process" which is the pollution source object.

[0033] The method of this invention uses "product name + process name" as elements a1, a2, ..., a1 in the actual big data of all Lots operations in the system. n If a Lot becomes contaminated, a set A1 is created for the elements corresponding to the multiple Lots that were previously processed by the contaminated Lot. If N (N≥2) Lots are affected, multiple sets A1, A2, ..., AN will be generated, each consisting of multiple elements. Then, the mathematical intersection formula is used to find A = A1∩A2∩...∩AN = {a9}. The element a9 in set A is then the source of contamination. Specifically, a mathematical model is established to pinpoint the source of contamination. This involves using set operations to identify cross-contamination caused by byproducts generated during the processing of other products within the fab, determining which product is contaminated at which stage of the process. The process is simple, easy to implement, and beneficial for subsequent improvement and treatment.

[0034] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. For those skilled in the art, the present invention can be modified and varied in various ways. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principle of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for identifying contamination sources in a semiconductor manufacturing process, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Step one, define elements a1, a2, a3, …, a for all Lots in the process with "product name + process name" n ; Step 2: In response to a Lot being contaminated, take set A1 for the elements corresponding to the multiple Lots that have been processed before the contaminated Lot on the device. If N Lots are affected, then A1, A2, ..., AN sets will be generated. Step 3: Perform a mathematical intersection operation on the sets A1, A2, ..., AN to generate a new set A; Step four, define the elements a in the set A n Locking is a source of pollution.

2. The method for locating a pollution source in a semiconductor manufacturing process according to claim 1, characterized in that, The product name mentioned in step one is the product number to which the production batch (Lots) belongs, and the process name is the process flow number for manufacturing the product.

3. The method for locating a contamination source in a semiconductor manufacturing process according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step two, N is an integer and N≥2.

4. The method for locating a contamination source in a semiconductor manufacturing process according to claim 1, characterized in that, a n Indicates that a certain product will contaminate other products on the line at a certain process.

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