Vibration detection in substrate processing systems

Abstract

The method includes receiving position error data from one or more motors of a process chamber by a processing device. The method further includes performing preprocessing on the position error data. The method further includes converting the position error data to the frequency domain. The method further includes determining, based on the frequency domain position error data, that a vibration disturbance has occurred in relation to the process chamber. The method further includes taking corrective action in consideration of the vibration disturbance.

Description

Technical Field

[0004]

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to the determination of vibrations. Specifically, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to the determination of vibrations in a substrate processing system.

Background Art

[0002] Chambers are used in many types of processing systems. Examples of chambers include etching chambers, deposition chambers, annealing chambers, measurement chambers, and the like. Typically, a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer is placed on a substrate support within the chamber, and operations for advancing the processing of the substrate are performed. Through a detailed understanding of the processing conditions, the effects of conditions on the substrate, and the temporal changes in these parameters, strict management of product characteristics becomes possible. By measuring one or more characteristics of the substrate (for example, performing a measurement operation), decisions or measures related to updating or maintaining the processing conditions of the substrate can be notified. The measurement of the substrate and the processing of the substrate may be affected by chamber conditions including chamber vibrations.

Summary of the Invention

[0003] The following is a simplified summary of the present disclosure to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the present disclosure. This summary is not an extensive overview of the present disclosure. It is not intended to identify key or critical elements of the present disclosure nor to delineate the scope of particular embodiments of the present disclosure or the scope of the claims. The sole purpose of this summary is to present some concepts of the present disclosure in a simplified form as a prelude to a more detailed description that will be presented later.

[0004] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the method includes receiving position error data from one or more motors of a process chamber by a processing device. The method further includes performing preprocessing on the position error data. The method further includes converting the position error data to the frequency domain. The method further includes determining, based on the frequency domain position error data, that a vibration disturbance has occurred in relation to the process chamber. The method further includes taking corrective action in consideration of the vibration disturbance.

[0005] In another aspect of this disclosure, a non-temporary machine-readable storage medium stores instructions that cause a processing device to perform an action at runtime. These actions include receiving position error data from one or more motors of a process chamber. These actions further include preprocessing the position error data. These actions further include converting the position error data to the frequency domain. These actions further include determining, based on the frequency domain position error data, that a vibration disturbance has occurred in relation to the process chamber. These actions further include taking corrective action in consideration of the vibration disturbance.

[0006] In another aspect of this disclosure, the system includes a memory and a processing device coupled to the memory. The processing device is configured to receive position error data from one or more motors of a process chamber. The processing device is further configured to perform preprocessing of the position error data. The processing device is further configured to convert the position error data into the frequency domain. The processing device further determines, based on the frequency domain position error data, that a vibration disturbance has occurred in relation to the process chamber. The processing device further implements corrective actions in consideration of the vibration disturbance.

[0007] Numerous other features are provided by these and other aspects of the Disclosure. Other features and aspects of the Disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description, claims, and accompanying drawings.

[0008] This disclosure is presented as an example, not an limitation, and in the figures of the accompanying drawings, similar references indicate similar elements. Note that different references to “an embodiment” or “one embodiment” in this disclosure do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a schematic top view of an exemplary processing system according to several embodiments. [Figure 2] This figure shows a measurement system for a substrate manufacturing system according to several embodiments. [Figure 3] This block diagram shows the data flow for implementing corrective measures based on vibration detection according to several embodiments. [Figure 4] This figure shows the effect of exemplary filtering procedures for generating filtered representations from transformed position error data according to several embodiments. [Figure 5A] This is a flowchart illustrating a method for implementing corrective measures considering chamber vibration in several embodiments. [Figure 5B] This is a flowchart illustrating a method for determining vibration problems and implementing corrective measures according to several embodiments. [Figure 6] This is a block diagram of an exemplary computing device in several embodiments. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Methods, systems, and devices relating to performing measurements of substrate processing systems in a controlled environment are described herein. The methods, systems, and devices of this disclosure can be used to determine vibrations in process chambers, load locks, aligner stations, transfer chambers, factory interfaces, in-situ measuring devices, ex-situ measuring devices, etc. This disclosure can enable adjustment of the operation of the substrate manufacturing system in consideration of detected vibrations. For example, the methods, systems, and devices of this disclosure may relate to performing measurements of substrates in a vacuum, measurements of throughput on substrates during and / or before and / or after processing, and measurements of substrates in an environmentally controlled chamber that indicates processing conditions associated with the substrate.

[0011] The substrate is processed and / or manufactured in one or more processing chambers. The processing chamber can isolate the processing environment (e.g., the spatial area in which the substrate is processed) from the surrounding conditions. For example, the substrate processing can be carried out under controlled gas pressure, a controlled gas mixture, or a vacuum.

[0012] The substrate can be processed to meet target conditions, target performance criteria, target substrate characteristics, etc. Measurements can be performed during, before, and / or after processing to determine whether the substrate achieves the target performance threshold. Based on the measurements, actions such as initiating maintenance, updating process strategies, interrupting process actions, and modifying downstream process actions can be taken. The accuracy, resolution, and reliability of the measurement technique can significantly impact the efficiency, agility, and certainty of the actions taken in response to the measured substrate characteristics.

[0013] In some systems, measurement can be performed in a standalone measurement facility, for example, separated from the process chamber. Standalone measurement offers advantages over integrated or in-line measurement systems, such as increased accuracy, a larger available equipment footprint, less interference from the substrate processing system, and greater user control over the measurement. In some systems, measurement can be performed within the process chamber, within process tools, under process (e.g., vacuum) conditions, or within the process environment. In some systems, measurement can be performed within a measurement device that can be connected to or located within a transfer chamber or factory interface, and the chamber can also be connected to the transfer chamber or factory interface. Chambers connected to the manufacturing system may include process chambers, deposition chambers, etching chambers, annealing chambers, measurement chambers, and multipurpose chambers. Measurement techniques may assume, rely on, or be enhanced by a static environment, such as a vibration-free environment. Such an environment can be realized within a standalone measurement facility, but may be difficult to realize within the processing system for in-line or integrated measurement systems.

[0014] In some systems, in-line or integrated measurement systems may be subject to interference from components of the processing system. For example, various pumps, motors, valves, and actuators can generate vibrations, which may interfere with one or more measurements of substrate characteristics. Furthermore, external influences such as objects colliding with the process system, or influences from other process systems or other elements of the structure housing the process system, may induce motions that interfere with measurement.

[0015] Aspects of this disclosure can address one or more of the shortcomings of conventional systems. This disclosure enables a method for monitoring and / or compensating for vibrations in a substrate manufacturing system. Aspects of this disclosure can be used in connection with one or more measuring devices. Aspects of this disclosure can be used in connection with one or more components of a manufacturing system. Aspects of this disclosure can be used with mechanical components of a manufacturing system.

[0016] Many manufacturing systems (e.g., substrate processing tools, substrate measurement tools, robots, etc.) include motors to move substrate support stages. For example, a stage can be used to support a substrate within an integrated measurement system and move various target locations on the substrate within the field of view of the measurement device. The stage can also move vertically for handoff to and from a robot and / or may include lift pins to move the substrate supported by the stage vertically. The robot can further move the substrate between chambers of the manufacturing tool, to various locations within the chambers of the processing system, and in and out of the manufacturing tool.

[0017] Motors in a manufacturing system (e.g., stage motors) may include position monitoring capabilities. For example, a motor may provide data indicating the difference in position between a setpoint position and a measured position, such as position error data. In some embodiments, the manufacturing system may use the position error data to determine whether the manufacturing system is subjected to motion. The manufacturing system may use the position error data to determine whether the system is subjected to vibration. The manufacturing system may use the position error data to determine whether the system is subjected to vibration during substrate processing, substrate movement, measurement, or imaging operations, etc. The manufacturing system may use the position error data to determine the degree of vibration experienced during operation. The manufacturing system may use the position error data to determine the degree of vibration experienced during measurement operations.

[0018] In some embodiments, a vibration monitoring module can receive position error data from one or more motors in a manufacturing system (for example, a stage, robot, lift pin, slit valve, port, door, etc.). The motors can be associated with a stage for repositioning substrates, wafers, semiconductors, etc. The vibration monitoring module can further receive position reference data associated with one or more motors. The position reference data may include position setting points, motor routing, stage positioning targets, etc.

[0019] In some embodiments, the vibration monitoring module can perform preprocessing on the position error data. The module can perform preprocessing to remove artifacts from the position error data, for example, to remove erroneous signals generated by irrelevant sources. For example, large erroneous position error data may be generated during stage motion. By utilizing position reference data, portions of the position error data associated with motor motion can be excluded from vibration analysis, corrected for stage motion, given smaller weights, or provided with different threshold conditions, or analyzed through different methods or by different analysis parameters. In some embodiments, time frames of position error data corresponding to the motion of the position reference data (e.g., when the gradient of the position reference data is not zero) can be excluded from vibration analysis. In some embodiments, time frames of position error data for a target period after the time frame corresponding to the motion can be excluded from vibration analysis (e.g., to compensate for motion stabilization).

[0020] In some embodiments, a transfer function can be used for preprocessed position error data. In some embodiments, the transfer function can be used to represent the position error data in different domains. The transfer function can represent the position error function in the frequency domain. The transfer function can be a Fourier transform, or may include a Fourier transform.

[0021] In some embodiments, the transmitted position error data (e.g., frequency domain position error data) can be filtered. Filtering the data can include suppressing one or more frequency components. Filtering the data can include enhancing one or more frequency components. Filtering the data can include applying a filtering function to the frequency domain position error data.

[0022] In some embodiments, the filter can be designed to relate the position error data to system vibrations. The filter can be designed by measuring the vibrations of the system and comparing the measured vibrations with the position error data. Designing the filter can include measuring the vibrations of the device via a separate measurement device, such as by fixing one or more accelerometers to the manufacturing system. Designing the filter can include inducing the vibrations of the manufacturing system at multiple different frequencies that potentially correspond to potential vibrations that may be experienced during substrate processing operations, substrate measurement, or imaging operations. Designing the filter can include designing a function that converts the amplitude of the measured vibrations at the drive frequency measured by the position error data to the amplitude measured by a separate vibration measurement tool, such as one or more accelerometers. The filter can approximate the measured vibrations when applied to the motor position error data.

[0023] In some embodiments, the filtered data can be used in making a fault determination. The fault determination can be a determination of whether vibrations received by components, devices, chambers, etc. of the substrate manufacturing system are sufficient to interfere with one or more processes, measurements, etc. of the substrate manufacturing system. The fault determination can include determining whether vibrations measured via position error data satisfy one or more threshold conditions. The fault determination can include determining whether the amplitude of the vibrations satisfies the threshold conditions, whether the duration of the vibrations satisfies the threshold conditions, etc. The fault determination can include determining whether the amplitude of the vibrations at a target frequency or target frequency range satisfies the threshold conditions.

[0024] In some embodiments, corrective actions can be taken in consideration of the fault determination. The corrective actions can include flagging the operation of the processing system as potentially problematic. The corrective actions can include flagging the measurements. The corrective actions can include repeating the measurements. The corrective actions can include adjusting the operation of the mechanical components of the system. For example, changes, decelerations, delays, stops, etc. of the operation of one or more mechanical parts of the system that induce vibrations can be performed. The corrective actions can include providing a warning to the user. The corrective actions can include recommending maintenance if vibrations that may indicate a fault in components such as pumps, actuators, etc. are detected.

[0025] The methods and systems of this disclosure offer technical advantages over conventional systems. By measuring vibrations of a manufacturing system using positional error data, vibration measurements can be performed without adding additional hardware to the manufacturing system. By measuring vibrations of a manufacturing system and correlating the vibration time with the timing of one or more operations of the manufacturing system, faulty or unreliable operations can be avoided, repeated, or detected. By measuring vibrations of a manufacturing system, costly measures taken to account for unreliable measurements can be avoided. By measuring vibrations of a manufacturing system and correlating the vibrations with equipment components, the system can obtain alarms regarding component failures, fluctuations, or aging. By monitoring the aging of manufacturing system components, scheduled maintenance can be performed instead of costly unplanned downtime, thereby increasing the production rate and throughput of the manufacturing system and reducing costs associated with unplanned downtime such as repair time, reseasoning time, and expedited shipment of replacement parts. By adjusting the operation of mechanical components of a manufacturing system in response to vibration measurements, delicate operations of the manufacturing system can be performed while the manufacturing system is performing other operations, thereby increasing the reliability of delicate operations and increasing tool throughput and production rate, etc.

[0026] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the method includes receiving position error data from one or more motors in a chamber of a processing system by a processing device. The chambers containing the motors may include a measurement chamber, an etching chamber, a deposition chamber, an annealing chamber, a lithography chamber, and the like. The method further includes performing preprocessing on the position error data. The method further includes converting the position error data to the frequency domain. The method further includes determining, based on the frequency domain position error data, that a vibration disturbance has occurred in relation to the chamber of the processing system. The method further includes taking corrective action in consideration of the vibration disturbance.

[0027] In another aspect of the present disclosure, a non-temporary machine-readable storage medium stores instructions that cause a processing device to perform an action at runtime. These actions include receiving position error data from one or more motors of a chamber in the processing system. These actions further include preprocessing the position error data. These actions further include converting the position error data to the frequency domain. These actions further include determining, based on the frequency domain position error data, that a vibration disturbance has occurred in relation to the chamber in the processing system. These actions further include taking corrective action in consideration of the vibration disturbance.

[0028] In another aspect of this disclosure, the system includes a memory and a processing device coupled to the memory. The processing device is configured to receive position error data from one or more motors of the chamber of the processing system. The processing device is further configured to perform preprocessing of the position error data. The processing device is further configured to convert the position error data into the frequency domain. The processing device further determines, based on the frequency domain position error data, that a vibration disturbance has occurred in relation to the chamber of the processing system. The processing device further implements corrective actions in consideration of the vibration disturbance.

[0029] Figure 1 is a schematic top view of an exemplary processing system 100 according to several embodiments. The processing system 100 may be a substrate processing system. The processing system 100 includes a substrate processing apparatus (e.g., substrate processing tools, physical components for substrate processing operations) and one or more computing devices (e.g., processing devices). The processing system 100 includes a transfer chamber robot 101 and a factory interface robot 121, each of which is adapted to lift and position a substrate 110 (sometimes referred to as a “wafer” or “semiconductor wafer”) from or to a destination within an electronic device processing system such as the processing system 100 shown in Figure 1. However, the robots disclosed may transport and transfer any type of electronic device substrate, mask, or other silica-containing substrate (generally referred to herein as “substrate”). For example, the destination of the substrate 110 may be one or more of one or more chambers 103 and / or load lock devices 107A, 107B that can be dispersed around the transfer chamber 114 and coupled to the transfer chamber 114. As shown, the substrate can be transported, for example, through the slit valve 111. The chamber 103 may include a process chamber, a measurement chamber, a lithography chamber, and so on.

[0030] The processing system 100 may further include a main frame 102 containing a transfer chamber 114 and a plurality of chambers 103. The housing of the main frame 102 contains the transfer chamber 114 therein. The transfer chamber 114 may include a top wall (not shown), a bottom wall (floor) 139, and side walls, and may include a controlled environment. The controlled environment may include vacuum conditions, a controlled pressure (e.g., different from ambient atmospheric pressure), a controlled gas environment (e.g., an inert gas such as argon or nitrogen gas or a gas mixture), etc. In the embodiment shown, the transfer chamber robot 101 is mounted on the bottom wall (floor) 139. However, the transfer chamber robot 101 may also be mounted in other locations, such as the top wall.

[0031] In various embodiments, the chamber 103 can be adapted to perform any number of processes on the substrate 110. These processes may include deposition, oxidation, nitration, etching, polishing, cleaning, lithography, and measurement (e.g., integrated measurement). Other processes can also be performed. The load lock devices 107A and 107B can be adapted to interact with the factory interface 117 or other system components, which can receive the substrate 110 from a substrate carrier 119 (e.g., a forward-opening unified pod (FOUP)) that can be connected to the load port of the factory interface 117. The substrate 110 can be transferred between the substrate carrier 119 and each load lock device 107A and 107B using the factory interface robot 121 (shown by a dashed line). The transfer of the substrate 110 can be performed in any order or direction. In some embodiments, the factory interface robot 121 may be identical (or similar) to the transfer chamber robot 101, but may further include a mechanism to allow the factory interface robot to move laterally in any direction indicated by arrow 123. Any other suitable robot can be used as the factory interface robot 121. In some embodiments, the system 100 may be coupled (e.g., linked) to a measurement system, such as an integrated measurement system, an in-line measurement system, etc.

[0032] The processing system 100 may include an integrated measurement and / or imaging system. This integrated measurement or imaging system could be, for example, a reflectance measurement (IR) system. Reflectance measurement is a measurement technique that uses measured changes in light reflected from an object to determine the geometry and / or material properties of that object. A reflectance spectrometer measures the intensity of reflected light in a given wavelength range. In the case of dielectric films, these intensity variations can be used to determine the thickness of the film. In addition, reflectance measurement can be used to detect CD, CD bias, and other physical parameters related to the substrate processing results.

[0033] An integrated measurement and / or imaging system can be connected to the factory interface 117. Alternatively, the measurement and / or imaging system can be connected to a transfer chamber (for example, one of the chambers 103 shown). Alternatively, the measurement and / or imaging system can be positioned inside the factory interface 117 or the transfer chamber 114. The measurement and / or imaging system can also be a standalone system not connected to the processing system 100. To protect the measurement and / or imaging system from external vibrations, the measurement and / or imaging system can be mechanically isolated from the factory interface 117 and the external environment. In some embodiments, the measurement and / or imaging system and its components can provide analytical measurements (e.g., thickness measurements), which can provide profiles on the surface of the substrate, such as thickness uniformity profiles, particle number profiles, CD profiles, CD uniformity profiles, optical constant profiles, material property profiles, etc. The measurement and / or imaging system can provide feedback to the user regarding the uniformity profile. The measurement and / or imaging system can be an assembly capable of measuring film thickness, CD, CD bias, optical properties, particle count, material properties, surface roughness, etc., across the entire substrate after processing in the chamber. Such measurements can be used to monitor process variations for etching, deposition, and / or other processes, as well as out-of-spec film thickness, out-of-spec CD, CD bias, etc. The measurement results can be used to quickly correct or adjust process parameters of one or more process strategies performed on one or more process chambers to compensate for the determined process variations. In addition, the measurement results can be used to determine when maintenance should be performed on the process chamber, when further testing should be performed on the substrate, when the substrate should be flagged as out of specification, etc. In some embodiments, one or more motors of the integrated measurement system can be used to perform vibration determination based on position error data of one or more motors.

[0034] In embodiments, as illustrated in the description relating to the robot, the transfer chamber robot 101 includes at least one arm 113 (e.g., a robotic arm) and at least one end effector 115 coupled to the arm 113. The end effector 115 is controllable by the transfer chamber robot 101 to lift the substrate 110 from the load locking device 107A or 107B, guide the substrate 110 through one of the slit valves 111 of the chamber 103, and precisely position the substrate 110 on the substrate support of the chamber 103. In some embodiments, the end effector 115 may include blades for supporting the substrate 110. In some embodiments, the end effector 115 may support a first portion of the substrate 110, which may be, for example, ring-shaped, thereby allowing a portion of the substrate 110 to be visible from the bottom when the substrate 110 is supported by the end effector 115.

[0035] A substrate transfer system (e.g., a robot) may include one or more motors to move at least a portion of the transfer system. For example, motors can be used to extend one or more arms for transferring substrates in and out of various process chambers, measurement chambers, load lock chambers, etc. Motors can also be used to enable a factory interface robot 121 to move linearly between various substrate carriers 119.

[0036] In some embodiments, an additional robot may be present in one or more of the chambers 103. For example, a chamber containing one or more measuring devices may include a stage for moving a substrate within the measuring device. The stage can be used to adjust the portion of the substrate that is within the field of view of the measuring device. In some embodiments, one or more motors may be associated with the stage. One or more motors associated with the stage may be linear motors. For example, the measuring system may include a stage having one linear motor for generating linear motion of the substrate and one rotary motor for generating rotational motion of the substrate.

[0037] In some embodiments, the motor can be provided with target position data. This target position data can be associated with the intended path of a substrate, the intended path of a substrate support or stage, the intended path of a robot, and so on. In some embodiments, the motor can provide position reference data related to the motor's target path. In some embodiments, the position reference data can be derived from or identical to the target position data. The motor can provide position error data. This position error data can be associated with the difference between the target motor position and the actual motor position. The position error data can be a time trace demonstrating the difference between the intended path of the motor position and the measured path of the motor position. In some embodiments, the position error data provided by the motor can be used to determine the vibrations experienced by the chamber.

[0038] In various embodiments, one or more of the chambers 103 may contain a probe 120 (e.g., a device for collecting electromagnetic radiation), and at least a portion of the probe 120 is located within the chambers of the processing system 100. In some embodiments, the probe 120 may be located within the chambers 103 (as shown). In some embodiments, the probe 120 may be located within the transfer chamber 114. In some embodiments, the probe 120 may be located within a slit valve assembly including a slit valve 111. In some embodiments, the probe 120 may be located within load locks 107A-B. In some embodiments, the probe 120 may be located within the factory interface 117. In some embodiments, the probe 120 may include optical components designed to combine radiation collected from within the chambers of the processing system 100 and combine that radiation into one or more optical fiber cables / cores. In some embodiments, the probe 120 may be positioned on a substrate path (e.g., suspended from the top wall of the processing system 100, or embedded within the top wall of the processing system 100). In some embodiments, the probe 120 can be positioned below the substrate path. In some embodiments, the processing system 100, chamber 103, transfer chamber 114, etc., may also include multiple probes.

[0039] In some embodiments, the probe's field of view (e.g., the spatial region from which the probe receives electromagnetic radiation) may intersect with the path of the substrate 110, the path of the end effector 115, or be close to couplings between chambers (e.g., close to the slit valve 111). In some embodiments, the probe 120 may be configured to receive radiation reflected from the surface of the substrate. In some embodiments, the probe 120 may be configured to receive radiation transmitted through the substrate. In some embodiments, the probe 120 may be configured to receive radiation emitted by the substrate. In some embodiments, the probe 120 may include arrays of devices, such as devices with different fields of view (e.g., overlapping fields of view, non-overlapping fields of view), or devices with different functions (e.g., devices that receive radiation from different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum, or devices configured to receive reflected, emitted, or transmitted light).

[0040] In some embodiments, the probe 120 can be configured to receive radiation from the substrate 110 when the substrate 110 is supported by a motorized stage, a support, or the like. The probe 120 can also be configured to take measurements of the substrate when the substrate is stationary; for example, the probe 120 can be configured to receive radiation from the substrate 110 during the movement of one or more motors of the motorized stage. The data generated by the probe 120 may be affected by unintended movement or vibration of the substrate 110. For example, vibration of the processing system 100 may cause the measurements of the probe 120 to become inaccurate, unreliable, or useless.

[0041] In some embodiments, the probe 120 can be configured to receive radiation from the substrate 110 when the substrate 110 is being transferred from a first part of the processing system 100 to a second part of the processing system 100. For example, the probe 120 can be positioned so that its field of view intersects with the path through which the transfer arm 113 can transmit the substrate 110. The probe 120 can receive radiation from the substrate 110 when the substrate 110 is being transferred from the transfer chamber 114 to the chamber 103. The probe 120 can receive radiation from the substrate 110 when the substrate 110 is being transferred from the chamber 103 to the transfer chamber 114.

[0042] In some embodiments, radiation or light received by the probe 120 can be directed to a spectrometer 125 for analysis. The light received by the probe 120 can be focused into an optical fiber cable coupled to the spectrometer 125 for analysis, such as spectral analysis. The spectrometer 125 can perform operations to determine one or more spectra of light that can be used to determine at least one property of the substrate (for example, the spectrometer 125 may include or be coupled to a processing device). In some embodiments, radiation / light is received from the substrate before substrate processing. In some embodiments, light is received from the substrate after substrate processing. In some embodiments, light is received from the substrate between processing operations. The probe 120 and spectrometer 125 may include optical sensors associated with the chamber 103, transfer chamber 114, processing system 100, etc. The probe 120 and spectrometer 125 may include a measurement system that operates in a controlled environment. The probe 120 and spectrometer 125 may include a vacuum measurement system. The optical sensor can detect at least one material property of the substrate 110. In some embodiments, thin-film optical calculations by a processing device (e.g., processing device 130) can provide sensor data indicating the thickness of the material of the substrate 110. For example, the optical sensor can be used to determine the thickness of the most recent film added to the substrate 110, the most recent exposed film on the substrate 110 (e.g., after an etching operation), etc. The optical sensor can be used to determine the total thickness of the substrate. The optical sensor can be used to determine additional properties of the substrate. The optical sensor can be used to determine the shape dimensions of the substrate (e.g., measurement of one or more dimensions of the substrate). The optical sensor can be used to determine the chemical or physical composition of the substrate or a portion of the substrate. The optical sensor can be used to classify, analyze, and / or characterize the pattern of a patterned substrate.

[0043] In some embodiments, the processing system 100 may further include an electromagnetic radiation source optically coupled to, for example, a probe 120 (for example, the probe 120 is configured to receive radiation generated by the light source). In some embodiments, the light received by the probe 120 can be reflected from the substrate 110. In some embodiments, radiation can be provided to the substrate 110 from a location near the probe 120, from a fiber core bundled with the fiber cord of the probe 120, or from the same side of the substrate 110 as the probe 120 (e.g., the top side, the bottom side, etc.). Radiation can be provided to the substrate 110 by a radiation coupling device, which can be embedded in the chamber wall, supported by the bottom wall of the chamber (e.g., the bottom wall 139), or suspended from the top wall of the chamber. The light received by the probe 120 can be transmitted through the substrate 110. Radiation can be provided to the substrate 110 from a location located opposite the probe 120 (for example, relative to the substrate 110). For example, the probe 120 can be suspended from the top wall and / or vicinity of the processing system 100 and can provide radiation from near the bottom wall 139. In some embodiments, the system may include multiple probes, one or more arrays of probes, or probes positioned on and / or below the substrate.

[0044] The controller 109 (for example, a tool and equipment controller) can control various aspects of the processing system 100, such as the gas pressure in the chamber 103, individual gas flow rates, space flow ratios, temperatures of various chamber components, and the radio frequency (RF) or electrical state of the chamber 103. The controller 109 can receive signals from the factory interface robot 121, the transfer chamber robot 101, one or more sensors, and / or other processing components of the processing system 100, and send commands to them. Thus, the controller 109 can control the start and stop of processing, adjust the deposition rate, type, or mixing of the deposited composition, etc. The controller 109 can further receive and process sensing data from various sensors, such as sensors associated with the processing system 100, sensors on various motors that generate position error data, etc.

[0045] The processing device 130 can perform various operations for vibration detection and / or estimation. The processing device 130 can perform vibration detection operations based on data received from one or more motors of the processing system 100. The processing device 130 can perform vibration detection operations based on position error data received from one or more motors. The processing device 130 can perform vibration detection operations based on data received from one or more linear motors.

[0046] The controller 109 and / or processing device 130 may be a computing device such as a personal computer, a server computer, a programmable logic control unit (PLC), or a microcontroller, and / or may include such a computing device. The controller 109 and / or processing device 130 may include (or be composed of) one or more processing devices, such processing devices may be general-purpose processing devices such as a microprocessor or a central processing unit. More specifically, the processing device may be a composite instruction set computing (CISC) microprocessor, a reduced instruction set computing (RISC) microprocessor, a very long instruction word (VLIW) microprocessor, or a processor that implements other instruction sets, or a processor that implements a combination of instruction sets. The processing device may also be one or more special-purpose processing devices such as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a digital signal processor (DSP), or a network processor. The controller 109 and / or processing device 130 may include data storage devices (e.g., one or more disk drives and / or solid-state drives), main memory, static memory, a network interface, and / or other components. The processing device 130 can execute instructions to perform one or more of the techniques and / or embodiments described herein. These instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, which may include main memory, static memory, secondary storage and / or the processing device (during instruction execution).

[0047] Figure 2 shows a measurement system 200 of a substrate manufacturing system according to several embodiments. The measurement system 200 can be contained within a chamber of a processing system, such as one of the chambers 103 in Figure 1. The measurement system 200 includes a measurement device 202. The measurement device 202 can be a probe for measuring or monitoring one or more properties of the substrate 206, or may include such a probe. The measurement device 202 can be associated with a field of view 204. The measurement device 202 may include one or more electromagnetic radiation sensors. The measurement device 202 may include one or more optical sensors, IR sensors, etc. The measurement device 202 can measure one or more properties of the substrate 206. The measurement device 202 may include devices for measuring the thickness of the substrate, optical properties, material properties, electrical properties, etc. The measurement device 202 may include a reflectance measuring device. The measurement device 202 can be an interferometer device, or may include an interferometer device. The measurement device 202 can be further coupled with a spectrometer, analyzer, computer, or processing device, etc.

[0048] The measuring device 202 can be any device that benefits from a stationary, static, or vibration-free environment, such as a tool for measuring the placement of a substrate. One or more measuring operations may be affected by vibrations of the substrate 206 relative to the measuring device 202. For example, a measurement can be made by averaging the signals received by the measuring device 202 over a certain duration. Due to the movement of the substrate during that duration, the measuring device 202 may produce data with lower accuracy, reliability, and applicability than if the system remained stationary and there were no vibrations in the substrate 206. Vibrations can be caused by components of the manufacturing system (e.g., moving parts of the system that cause vibrations), components associated with the manufacturing system (e.g., off-tool pumps, motors, or other parts), or external interference (e.g., a user bumping into the tool).

[0049] The measurement system 200 further includes a substrate support 208. The substrate support 208 may include a stage 210 and a pedestal 212. The substrate support 208 may include devices for holding the substrate, such as a vacuum chuck, an electrostatic chuck, a mechanical chuck, or a magnetic chuck. The substrate support 208 may include a plate or other surface having a set of pins surrounding a pocket or substrate placement section in the shape of the substrate to fix the position of the substrate on the substrate support 208. The measurement system 200 further includes a stage motor 214. The stage motor 214 is used when repositioning the substrate 206. The stage motor 214 can be coupled to the substrate support 208 (for example, moving with it), or the stage motor 214 can remain stationary and drive the substrate support 208, etc.

[0050] In some embodiments, the substrate support 208 can be configured to move in multiple dimensions. The substrate support 208 may include multiple stage motors (e.g., actuators) configured to move the substrate support 208. Throughout this disclosure, the word “motor” is used to describe means for performing substrate repositioning, but the methods of this disclosure may be applicable to other means for repositioning a substrate. The substrate support 208 can adjust the position of the substrate 206 so that a target portion of the substrate 206 is placed in the field of view 204 of the measuring device 202. The substrate support 208 can adjust the position of the substrate 206 so that measurements are taken at multiple locations on the surface of the substrate 206, for example. In some embodiments, each motor may be configured to generate motion in one dimension. For example, a first motor may generate motion of the substrate support 208 in the “x” dimension, and a second motor may generate motion of the substrate support 208 in the “y” dimension. In another example, the first motor can generate motion of the substrate support 208 in a first linear dimension, and the second motor can generate rotational motion of the substrate support 208. The first actuator can be a linear actuator, and the second actuator can be a rotary actuator.

[0051] The stage motor 214 can receive target position data. Target position data can be received from a substrate processing system, a control system, etc. The target position data can indicate the position setting point and position path relative to the stage motor 214. The target position data can indicate the intended path for the substrate support 208 to move. The target position data can indicate the intended path for measuring multiple locations on the substrate 206. The stage motor 214 can generate position error data. The stage motor 214 can provide position error data to a processing device or control system, for example. The position error data can indicate the difference between the target position data and the measured motor position data, measured stage position data, etc. The stage motor 214 can provide measured position data, and the processing device can determine the position error data based on the measured position data and the target position data. Vibrations exposed to the measurement system 200 can be reflected in the position error data. Vibrations can be observed as fluctuations in the position error data.

[0052] Position error data can be used for identifying vibrations of the measurement system 200, characterizing vibrations of the measurement system 200, and measuring vibrations of the measurement system 200. In some embodiments, systems other than the measurement system may also be affected by vibrations. Systems other than the measurement system can use motor position error data to identify and / or characterize vibrations of manufacturing systems, process tools, etc. Methods for using position error data will be discussed in relation to Figures 5A and 5B.

[0053] In some embodiments, the vibration monitoring system can be calibrated. Calibrating the vibration monitoring system may involve relating the vibration of the substrate processing tool to the variation in position error data. Calibration of the vibration monitoring system may involve utilizing vibration monitoring devices for calibration, such as one or more accelerometers. Calibration of the vibration monitoring system may involve inducing vibration in the measurement system 200, for example, by an external vibration induction device. Calibration of the vibration monitoring system may involve comparing the response of the vibration monitoring device (e.g., an accelerometer) with the position error data at various frequencies of interest, various drive frequencies, etc. For calibration purposes, one or more vibration monitoring devices may be mounted on one or more components that are close to a location on the substrate during the operation of the substrate manufacturing system. For example, an accelerometer may be placed on the substrate support 208, near the measurement device 202, etc. Calibration of the vibration monitoring system will be discussed in relation to Figure 4.

[0054] The measurement system 200 can be contained within a measurement chamber. The measurement system 200 can be part of a measurement chamber coupled to a substrate processing tool. The measurement system 200 can be part of an integrated measurement system. The measurement system 200 can be part of a chamber that is not a dedicated measurement chamber, such as a transfer chamber or a process chamber. The measurement system 200 can be part of an in-line measurement system. Position error data can be used to assist in the measurement operation of the measurement system 200. Position error data can be used to implement and / or recommend corrective actions related to the measurement system 200.

[0055] Position error data can be used when implementing and / or recommending corrective actions related to the manufacturing system. Position error data can be used to determine the reliability of measurements based on chamber vibration. Position error data can be used to flag measurements as unreliable, faulty, etc. Position error data can be used to determine whether it is worthwhile to repeat measurements that may be unreliable due to vibration. Position error data can be used to adjust the operation of one or more components that may be causing chamber vibration, such as pumps, motors, and actuators. Mechanical components that cause vibration can be slowed down, stopped, or have their timing or operation adjusted to reduce vibration. Position error data can be used, for example, to recommend maintenance of one or more components that may be causing vibration. For example, pumps, actuators, valves, and motors may generate additional vibration due to aging, damage, or failure. By mitigating the adverse effects of vibration from aging components, the vibration monitoring system can reduce the need to replace the component that initiates the vibration, thereby extending the service life of the mechanical component. Position error data can be used to provide users with one or more warnings regarding vibration conditions in the substrate processing system.

[0056] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the data flow 300 for implementing corrective actions based on vibration detection according to several embodiments. The flow 300 begins with position error data 302. Position error data 302 can be associated with the motor of a substrate processing tool. Position error data 302 can be associated with the motor of a substrate stage for positioning a substrate within the substrate processing tool. Position error data 302 can be associated with the linear motor of a substrate processing tool. Position error data 302 can be based on the difference between the intended position of the motor of the substrate processing tool and the measured position of the motor. Position error data 302 can be calculated by a processing device, for example, when position data is received from the motor. Position error data 302 can be provided by the motor.

[0057] Position error data 302 is provided to a module for data processing 304. Data processing 304 may include operations to adjust the position error data for vibration determination, such as vibration detection, vibration characterization, and vibration measurement. Data processing 304 may also include operations to adjust the position error time trace data. Data processing 304 may also include operations to remove portions of the position error data that may not be useful for vibration determination.

[0058] Data processing 304 may include excluding certain portions of the position error data. The position error data may be time trace data showing the difference between the target motor position and the measured motor position, or may include such time trace data. The target motor position may be represented by position reference data. The motor may be moving during certain time frames, and this may be reflected in the target motor position data. For example, the gradient of the target motor position data may be different from zero, which may indicate an instruction for the motor to move the stage supporting the substrate. The portion of the position error data corresponding to the motor movement may not reflect tool or chamber vibrations. For example, the portion of the position error data associated with the time the motor is moving may be interfered with by motor motion and may not be clearly related to external tool vibrations.

[0059] One or more timeframes of position error data can be excluded or weighted down to their lesser importance based on the target motor position data. Timeframes during motor movement (e.g., timeframes where the gradient of the target motor position data is not zero) can be excluded from the vibration analysis of position error data. Additional timeframes of position error data can be further excluded from the vibration analysis. For example, periods before motor movement can be excluded to compensate for time mismatches. For example, periods after motor movement can be excluded to allow time for motor stabilization. Periods before and / or after motor movement can be selected based on motor characteristics, tool or chamber characteristics, the intended operation of the chamber containing the motor, etc. For example, shorter motor movements can be selected for shorter stabilization times. For procedures where the motor moves repeatedly, shorter stabilization times can be selected, for example, to avoid the portion of position error data to be excluded to produce meaningful results becoming too large.

[0060] The data processing 304 may include applying one or more transfer functions to position error data, for example, position error data from which the portion associated with motor motion has been excluded. One or more transfer functions may be able to transition a time-domain signal to a frequency-domain signal. The transfer functions may include one or more Fourier transform algorithms.

[0061] The processed data is provided to the filtering module 306. The filtering module 306 can perform several operations aimed at adjusting the position error data to more accurately predict external chamber vibrations. The filtering module 306 can act on the frequency domain data to improve the predictive power of the data. The filtering module 306 can apply frequency domain filters to improve the predictive power of the data. The filtering module 306 can apply one or more frequency domain filters. The filtering module 306 can apply frequency domain filters designed for use in vibration determination. The design of one or more filters for use within the filtering module 306 may include calibration operations to relate one or more vibration amplitudes experienced by the tool or chamber to vibration amplitudes measured via the position error data. Applying filters to frequency domain position error data can approximate the measured vibrations of the substrate processing apparatus. The design of frequency domain filters is discussed in relation to Figure 4.

[0062] The filtered data is provided to the fault detection module 308. The fault detection module 308 can determine whether the vibration measured by the motor position error system is likely to be sufficient to disrupt the manufacturing system's process. The fault detection module 308 can determine whether the vibration is likely to disrupt the process based on the amplitude of the vibration, one or more amplitudes at various frequencies, etc. The fault detection module 308 can determine vibration interference based on whether the vibration satisfies threshold conditions, for example, whether one or more amplitudes of the vibration meet the threshold.

[0063] Data from the fault detection module 308 is provided to the corrective action module 310. Based on the data received from the fault detection module 308, the corrective action module 310 can recommend one or more corrective actions. Based on the data received from the fault detection module 308, the corrective action module 310 can implement one or more corrective actions.

[0064] Corrective actions associated with the corrective action module 310 may include flagging the measurement performed. Flagging a measurement may include providing metadata indicating that the measurement is unreliable. Flagging a measurement may be performed in situations where vibrations that may interfere with the measurement occur during the measurement. Flagging a measurement may be performed in situations where optical, infrared, or other radiation detection measurements are performed. Flagging a measurement may be performed in situations where the position of the substrate is measured, such as in notch detection operations.

[0065] Corrective actions associated with the corrective action module 310 may include repeating measurements. For example, a measurement performed in a vibrating chamber may be repeated immediately after the measurement is performed. Measurements may be repeated to improve the reliability of measurements performed while the chamber is vibrating.

[0066] Corrective measures may include adjusting the operation of mechanical components of the substrate processing system. For example, a pump, actuator, or other moving part may be causing vibrations in the chamber that could interfere with the operation being performed inside the chamber. The operation of the mechanical components may be adjusted, slowed down, stopped, etc., to allow the operation to be performed more reliably inside the chamber.

[0067] Corrective actions may include recommending maintenance. Mechanical components of manufacturing systems, such as pumps, can induce vibration due to aging or malfunction. When recommending maintenance for one or more components of a substrate processing system, vibration signatures based on motor position error data can be used.

[0068] Corrective actions may include providing the user with one or more warnings. Warnings may include instructions associated with corrective actions, variations, aging, or failures of processing tools, variations, aging, or failures of components, external vibration sources addressed, vibration history statistics, etc.

[0069] Figure 4 shows the effect of exemplary filtering procedures for generating a filtered representation 402 from the converted position error data 404 according to several embodiments. The converted position error data 404 can be represented in the frequency domain, for example, by the frequency of the fluctuations detected in the motor position error data. The converted position error data 404 can include the amplitudes of various frequency components contained in the time trace position error data.

[0070] Chamber vibration can be associated with position error data. In some embodiments, a calibration operation can be performed to determine the relationship between the frequency components of the position error data and the frequency components of the chamber vibration. The calibration operation may include, for example, measuring the chamber vibration by attaching one or more accelerometers to the chamber components. The accelerometer data may be time trace data. The accelerometer data may be time trace data associated with the vibration of the chamber of the processing system. The accelerometer data may be converted to frequency space to determine, for example, the amplitude of the vibration at multiple frequency components.

[0071] Calibration operations may include generating chamber vibrations. For example, chamber vibrations can be induced at multiple frequencies. Inducing vibrations for calibration can improve the understanding of the relationship between position error data and vibrations (e.g., measured by one or more accelerometers).

[0072] The filter can be designed to adjust the vibration data based on position error data to more closely reflect the actual chamber vibration measured by other means (e.g., accelerometer data, driven accelerometer data, etc.). One or more parts of the position error data (e.g., frequency components) can be suppressed compared to the measured vibration data. One or more parts of the position error data can be emphasized compared to the measured vibration data. The filter can be designed to adjust the frequency components based on the position error data to increase similarity to the measured vibration. The filter can suppress frequencies that are overly represented (e.g., reduce the amplitude of frequencies in the transformed position error data that are greater than the corresponding intensity in the measured vibration data). The filter can increase the amplitude of frequencies in the transformed position error data that have a smaller amplitude than the corresponding measured vibration data. In some embodiments, the trace data can be normalized or otherwise processed to improve the consistency of the filtering.

[0073] The transformed position error data 404 and the filtered representation 402 include a first portion 406 and a second portion 408. The transformed position error data may have a different relative amplitude profile than the measured vibration data (e.g., measured by one or more accelerometers). For example, the transformed position error data 404 may have a larger amplitude (relative to other frequency components) in the frequency components of the first portion 406 than the measured vibration. The transformed position error data 404 may have a smaller amplitude (relative to other frequency components) in the frequency components of the second portion 408 than the measured vibration. A filter may be designed to adjust the transformed position error data 404 to produce data having an amplitude profile similar to the measured vibration data in frequency space. The filter associated with the transformed position error data 404 suppresses the frequency components associated with the first portion 406 and increases the amplitude of the frequency components associated with the second portion 408.

[0074] Figure 5A is a flowchart of method 500A for implementing corrective measures considering chamber vibration according to several embodiments. In block 502, the processing logic receives position error data from one or more motors of the substrate processing system. The position error data can come from the chambers of the processing system. The position error data can come from process chambers, measurement chambers, lithography chambers, etc. The motors may be associated with substrate supports, substrate stages, substrate transfer robots, etc. The motors may be linear motors. The motors may be from the substrate stage in the measurement chamber. The motors may be from the substrate support in the measurement chamber configured to receive electromagnetic radiation from the substrate, such as optical radiation and infrared radiation. One or more motors may be configured to adjust the position of the substrate, substrate support, substrate stage, etc. Position error data can be collected during processing operations. Position error data can be collected during substrate measurement. Position error data can be collected during substrate imaging operations. Position error data can be collected from a substrate placed on a stage operably coupled to one or more motors.

[0075] In block 504, the processing logic performs preprocessing of the position error data. Preprocessing may include adjusting the position error data to improve vibration determination based on the position error data. Preprocessing may include assigning different weights to portions of the position error data based on predictions of the reliability of those portions of the data when generating determinations about vibrations of the chamber of the processing system, for example. Preprocessing may include assigning different weights to portions of the position error based on how the data indicates vibrations of the substrate processing apparatus. Preprocessing may include excluding portions of the position error data.

[0076] Preprocessing may include excluding portions of position error data that may be unreliable due to motor motion. Preprocessing may include receiving position reference data, such as target motor position data. Preprocessing may include determining one or more time frames for data weighting, data exclusion, etc., based on the position reference data. The time frame for position error data may include the time when the motor is moving, which can be determined based on the position reference data. The time frame may include the time when the motor in the processing system's chamber is driven, such as when it is operating or moving. The time frame may include the time after the motor is intended to be moving, for example, to compensate for motor stabilization. The time frame may include the time before the motor is intended to be moving, for example, to compensate for timing mismatches.

[0077] In block 506, the processing logic converts the position error data to the frequency domain. The conversion may include one or more Fourier transform operations. The conversion may include performing one or more Fourier transform algorithms. The conversion may generate data showing the frequency distribution of the variations contained in the position error data.

[0078] In block 508, the processing logic determines, based on frequency domain position error data, that a vibration disturbance has occurred in relation to the substrate processing apparatus. The vibration disturbance may be related to the chamber of the substrate processing apparatus. The vibration disturbance may be related to the chamber of the substrate processing system. Determining that a vibration disturbance has occurred may include comparing one or more amplitudes of the frequency domain position error data with a threshold condition value. Determining that a vibration disturbance has occurred may include determining whether one or more amplitudes of the variation in the position error data satisfy a threshold condition. Determining that a vibration disturbance has occurred may include determining whether the cumulative vibration satisfies a threshold condition, for example, whether the area under the amplitude curve of the vibration in frequency space between two target frequency values ​​satisfies a threshold condition.

[0079] In block 510, the processing logic implements corrective actions in consideration of vibration failures. These corrective actions may include providing a warning to the user; flagging a measurement as unreliable, for example; repeating a measurement; adjusting the operation of mechanical components of the substrate processing system to reduce chamber vibration during one or more process operations; or recommending maintenance based on vibrations indicating failure or aging of mechanical components of a process tool, for example.

[0080] Figure 5B is a flowchart of method 500B for determining vibration problems and implementing corrective measures according to several embodiments. The operation of method 500B may share one or more features with the operation of method 500A in Figure 5A. In block 520, the processing logic receives position error data from one or more motors of the substrate processing apparatus. The operation of block 520 may share one or more features with the operation of block 502 in Figure 5A. In block 522, the processing logic performs preprocessing of the position error data to generate preprocessed position error data. The operation of block 522 may share one or more features with the operation of block 504.

[0081] In block 524, the processing logic applies a filter to the preprocessed position error data to generate filtered position error data. The filter can act to adjust the position error data to better represent chamber vibration. The filter can be applied to time-domain data. The filter can adjust the amplitude of the vibration frequencies represented in the position error data to produce data that more closely resembles the vibration of the processing chamber. The filter can adjust the position error data to produce data that more reliably represents vibration disturbances. The filter can receive a time-domain position error signal as input and generate a time-domain output that represents chamber vibration.

[0082] In block 526, the processing logic determines, based on filtered position error data, that a vibration fault has occurred in relation to the substrate processing apparatus. The operation of block 526 may share one or more features with the operation of block 508. For example, fault detection may include comparing the amplitude of vibration to a threshold condition. Fault detection may be performed if the amplitude of a time-domain signal satisfies a threshold condition, such as a threshold distance of vibration motion (e.g., in nanometers). Fault detection may be performed if the amplitude of one or more frequency components of vibration meets or exceeds a threshold. Fault detection may be performed in the time domain and / or frequency domain. In block 528, the processing logic takes corrective action in consideration of the vibration fault. The operation of block 5258 may share one or more features with the operation of block 510.

[0083] Figure 6 shows a block diagram of an exemplary computing device 600 operating according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure. In various descriptive examples, various components of computing device 600 may represent various components of the controller 109 in Figure 1, or of another computing device configured to perform vibration detection, implement and / or recommend corrective actions based on vibration detection, etc.

[0084] The exemplary computing device 600 may connect to other computer devices in a LAN, intranet, extranet, and / or the Internet. The computing device 600 may operate as a server in a client-server network environment. The computing device 600 may be a personal computer (PC), a set-top box (STB), a server, a network router, a switch or bridge, or any device capable of executing (sequentially or otherwise) a set of instructions specifying the actions to be taken by such a device. Furthermore, although only a single exemplary computing device is shown, the term “computer” shall also be deemed to include any group of computers that individually or jointly execute a set (or more sets) of instructions to perform one or more of the methods discussed herein.

[0085] An exemplary computing device 600 may include a processing device 602 (also called a processor or CPU), main memory 604 (e.g., read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, dynamic random access memory (DRAM) such as synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), static memory 606 (e.g., flash memory, static random access memory (SRAM), etc.), and secondary memory (e.g., data storage device 618), which can communicate with each other via bus 630.

[0086] The processing device 602 represents one or more general-purpose processing devices, such as a microprocessor or a central processing unit. More specifically, the processing device 602 may be a composite instruction set computing (CISC) microprocessor, a reduced instruction set computing (RISC) microprocessor, a very long instruction word (VLIW) microprocessor, a processor that implements other instruction sets, or a processor that implements a combination of instruction sets. The processing device 602 may also be one or more special-purpose processing devices, such as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a digital signal processor (DSP), or a network processor. According to one or more aspects of this disclosure, the processing device 602 may be configured to execute instructions that implement methods 500A to B shown in Figures 5A to 5B. The processing device may include processing logic 626.

[0087] The exemplary computing device 600 may further include a network interface device 608 that can be communicatively coupled to a network 620. The exemplary computing device 600 may further include a video display 610 (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD), a touchscreen, or a cathode ray tube (CRT)), an alphanumeric input device 612 (e.g., a keyboard), a cursor control device 614 (e.g., a mouse), and an acoustic signal generating device 616 (e.g., a speaker).

[0088] The data storage device 618 may include a computer-readable storage medium (or more specifically, a non-temporary machine-readable storage medium) 628 storing one or more sets of executable instructions 622. According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the executable instructions 622 may include executable instructions associated with any of the methods disclosed herein, for example, instructions for carrying out the methods disclosed herein. Instructions 622 may include instructions for determining vibration of a process tool. Instructions 622 may include instructions for recommending corrective actions based on vibration determination. Instructions 622 may include instructions for carrying out corrective actions based on vibration determination. Executable instructions 622 may be associated with carrying out the method shown in Figure 5.

[0089] The executable instruction 622 can also reside entirely or at least partially in main memory 604 and / or processing device 602 while it is being executed by the exemplary computing device 600, and main memory 604 and processing device 602 also constitute computer-readable storage media. The executable instruction 622 can be further transmitted or received by a network via network interface device 608.

[0090] Although the computer-readable storage medium 628 is shown as a single medium in Figure 6, the term “computer-readable storage medium” shall be deemed to include a single medium or multiple mediums that store one or more sets of operational instructions (for example, a centralized or distributed database, and / or associated caches and servers). The term “computer-readable storage medium” shall also be deemed to include any medium capable of storing or encoding a set of instructions for execution by a machine, causing the machine to perform one or more of the methods described herein. Accordingly, the term “computer-readable storage medium” shall be deemed to include, but not limited to, solid memory, as well as optical and magnetic media.

[0091] Some parts of the detailed description above are presented with respect to algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on data bits in computer memory. These descriptions and representations of algorithms are means used by those skilled in the data processing technology to most effectively communicate the nature of their work to others skilled in the art. In this specification, an algorithm is generally considered to be a self-consistent set of steps that produce a desired result. These steps require the physical manipulation of physical quantities. While not usually necessary, these quantities take the form of electrical or magnetic signals that can be stored, transferred, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated. For reasons of common use, it is sometimes more convenient to refer to these signals as bits, values, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers, etc.

[0092] However, it should be noted that all these and similar terms relate to appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to those quantities. Unless otherwise specifically stated, as will be evident from the following discussion, discussions throughout this explanation using terms such as “identify,” “determine,” “memorize,” “adjust,” “trigger,” “return,” “compare,” “create,” “stop,” “load,” “copy,” “throw,” “exchange,” “implement,” “receive,” “process,” “generate,” “trigger,” and “train” will be understood to refer to actions and processes of a computer system or similar electronic computing device that manipulate and convert data represented as physical (electronic) quantities in the registers and memory of a computer system into other data similarly represented as physical quantities in computer system memory or registers or other such information storage, transmission, or display devices.

[0093] Examples of this disclosure also relate to apparatus for carrying out the methods described herein. Such apparatus may be constructed specifically for a required purpose or may be a general-purpose computer system selectively programmed by computer programs stored within the computer system. Such computer programs may be stored in computer-readable storage media such as, but are not limited to, any type of disk including optical disks, compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), and magneto-optical disks, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), magnetic disk storage media, optical storage media, flash memory devices, other types of machine-accessible storage media, or any type of media suitable for storing electronic instructions, each of which is coupled to a computer system bus.

[0094] The above description includes numerous specific details, such as examples of specific systems, components, and methods, in order to provide a full understanding of some embodiments of the Disclosure. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that at least some embodiments of the Disclosure can be carried out without these specific details. In other cases, well-known components or methods are not described in detail or are presented in the form of a simple block diagram, in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the Disclosure. Thus, the specific details described are merely illustrative. Certain embodiments may vary from these exemplary details, yet are intended to remain within the scope of the Disclosure.

[0095] Throughout this specification, any reference to “one embodiment” or “one embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in relation to that embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Therefore, instances of the phrase “in one embodiment” or “in one embodiment” appearing in various places throughout this specification do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment. In addition, the terms “or” are intended to mean inclusive “or” rather than exclusive “or.” When the terms “about” or “approximately” are used herein, this is intended to mean that the nominal values ​​presented are within a precision of ±10%.

[0096] In this specification, the operations of a method are illustrated and described in a specific order, but the order of operations of each method can be modified so that certain operations can be performed in reverse order, or so that certain operations can be performed at least partially simultaneously with other operations. In another embodiment, the instructions for individual operations or subordinate operations can be performed intermittently and / or alternately.

[0097] It should be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, not restrictive. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the above description. Therefore, the scope of this disclosure should be determined by reference to the appended claims, together with their equivalents to the full scope given thereto.

Claims

1. The processing device receives position error data from one or more motors of the substrate processing device, The process involves preprocessing the aforementioned position error data to generate preprocessed position error data, The process involves applying a filter to the pre-processed position error data to generate filtered position error data, Based on the filtered position error data, it is determined that a vibration malfunction has occurred in relation to the substrate processing apparatus. Corrective measures shall be implemented taking into consideration the aforementioned vibration disturbance. A method that includes this.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising converting the filtered position error data into the frequency domain to generate converted position error data, wherein the determination of whether a vibration disturbance has occurred is performed taking into consideration the frequency domain position error data.

3. To generate the aforementioned filter, To induce vibrations in one or more components of the substrate processing apparatus at multiple frequencies, To measure the vibration of one or more components of the substrate processing apparatus, Receiving motor position error data indicating the aforementioned vibration, The method according to claim 1, comprising designing a filter that approximates the measured vibration of one or more components of the substrate processing apparatus at the plurality of frequencies when applied to motor position error data.

4. The preprocessing of the position error data is as follows: Receiving position reference data associated with the aforementioned position error data, Determining a first time frame associated with motor motion from the aforementioned position reference data, The method according to claim 1, further comprising excluding position error data belonging to the first time frame from further analysis.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the first time frame includes a second time frame in which the motor is driven and a third time frame that occurs after the second time frame and in which the motor can be stabilized.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining that a vibration disorder has occurred includes determining whether the vibration signal of the filtered position error data satisfies a threshold vibration condition.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the position error data includes data collected during a measurement operation of a substrate placed on a stage operably coupled to one or more motors.

8. The aforementioned corrective measures are, Flagging the measurement, Repeat the measurement. Adjusting the operation of the mechanical components of the substrate processing apparatus, Providing a warning to the user, or The method according to claim 1, comprising one or more of recommending maintenance.

9. A non-temporary machine-readable storage medium that stores instructions that cause a processing device to perform an action when executed, wherein the action is Receiving position error data from one or more motors of the substrate processing device, The process involves preprocessing the aforementioned position error data to remove artifacts, thereby generating preprocessed position error data. The process involves applying a filter to the pre-processed position error data to generate filtered position error data, Based on the filtered position error data, it is determined that a vibration malfunction has occurred in relation to the substrate processing apparatus. A non-temporary machine-readable storage medium, which includes implementing corrective measures in consideration of the aforementioned vibration disturbance.

10. The non-temporary machine-readable storage medium according to claim 9, wherein the operation further includes converting the filtered position error data to the frequency domain to generate converted position error data, and the determination of whether a vibration disturbance has occurred is performed taking into consideration the frequency domain position error data.

11. To generate the aforementioned filter, Inducing vibrations of the substrate processing apparatus at multiple frequencies, To measure the vibration of the substrate processing apparatus, Receiving motor position error data indicating the aforementioned vibration, A non-temporary machine-readable storage medium according to claim 9, comprising designing a filter that approximates the measured vibrations of the substrate processing apparatus at the plurality of frequencies when applied to motor position error data.

12. The preprocessing of the position error data is as follows: Receiving position reference data associated with the aforementioned position error data, Determining a first time frame associated with motor motion from the aforementioned position reference data, A non-temporary machine-readable storage medium according to claim 9, comprising excluding position error data belonging to the first time frame from further analysis.

13. The non-temporary machine-readable storage medium according to claim 12, wherein the first time frame includes a second time frame in which the motor is driven and a third time frame that occurs after the second time frame and in which the motor can be stabilized.

14. The non-temporary machine-readable storage medium according to claim 9, wherein the one or more motors include a motor for adjusting the position of the substrate support stage.

15. The non-temporary machine-readable storage medium according to claim 9, wherein the position error data includes data collected during a measurement operation of a substrate placed on a stage operably coupled to one or more motors.

16. The aforementioned corrective measures are, Flagging the measurement, Repeat the measurement. Adjusting the operation of the mechanical components of the substrate processing apparatus, Providing a warning to the user, or A non-temporary machine-readable storage medium according to claim 9, comprising one or more of the following: recommending maintenance.

17. A system comprising memory and a processing device coupled to the memory, wherein the processing device is Position error data is received from one or more motors of the substrate processing device. The aforementioned position error data is preprocessed, A filter is applied to the pre-processed position error data to generate filtered position error data. Based on the filtered position error data, it is determined that a vibration malfunction has occurred in relation to the substrate processing apparatus. A system configured to implement corrective measures in consideration of the aforementioned vibration disturbance.

18. The preprocessing of the position error data is as follows: Receiving position reference data associated with the aforementioned position error data, Determining a first time frame associated with motor motion from the aforementioned position reference data, The system according to claim 17, further comprising excluding position error data belonging to the first time frame from further analysis.

19. The system according to claim 17, wherein the position error data includes data collected during a measurement operation of a substrate placed on a stage operably coupled to one or more motors.

20. The aforementioned corrective measures are, Flagging the measurement, Repeat the measurement. Adjusting the operation of the mechanical components of the substrate processing apparatus, Providing a warning to the user, or The system according to claim 17, comprising one or more of the following: recommending maintenance.

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