Smart Camera Board

Abstract

To provide a diagnostic substrate and a method for achieving image creation (imaging) within a chamber without needing to take the chamber offline.SOLUTION: A processing chamber includes a diagnostic substrate 250 comprising a plurality of first image sensors 215A on a baseplate 210, and the plurality of first image sensors is oriented horizontally to the baseplate 210. The diagnostic substrate further comprises a plurality of second image sensors 215B on the baseplate, and the plurality of second image sensors is oriented at a non-orthogonal angle to the baseplate. The diagnostic substrate further comprises a printed circuit board (PCB) 240 on the baseplate, and a controller 230 on the baseplate, and the controller is communicatively coupled to the plurality of first image sensors and the plurality of second image sensors by the PCB. The diagnostic substrate further comprises a diffuser lid covering the baseplate, the PCB, and the controller.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2A

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority from U.S. Non-provisional Application No. 17 / 021,992, filed September 15, 2020, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to the field of semiconductor processing, and more particularly to a smart camera board capable of providing imaging within a chamber without the need to take the chamber offline. [Background technology]

[0003] When a semiconductor manufacturing tool processes many wafers during operation, the tool may experience process drift, which can result in non-uniform results across wafers even when using the same processing parameters (e.g., pressure, temperature, gas flow rates, power, etc.). This process drift may be due, at least in part, to deposits on the interior surfaces of the tool's chamber and degradation of the tool hardware.

[0004] However, currently, visual inspection of the chamber interior is not possible without taking the chamber offline. Furthermore, even if a camera or other sensor could be installed inside the chamber, there is typically no light source inside the chamber, so the camera cannot capture images of the chamber interior. Therefore, the chamber cannot be inspected without breaking the vacuum and opening the chamber. This would result in significant downtime for the tool, which is undesirable. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Embodiments of the present disclosure include diagnostic substrates for chamber monitoring and methods of using the diagnostic substrates.

[0006] In one embodiment, a diagnostic board is disclosed. The diagnostic board can include a base plate and a plurality of image sensors on the base plate. In one embodiment, the diagnostic board can further include a printed circuit board (PCB) on the base plate and a controller on the base plate. In one embodiment, the PCB electrically couples the controller to the plurality of image sensors.

[0007] In one embodiment, a method of using a diagnostic substrate for imaging the interior of a chamber is described. The method of imaging the interior of a chamber includes providing a diagnostic substrate with a plurality of image sensors and a light source, and inserting the diagnostic substrate into a chamber, the chamber being maintained at a sub-atmospheric pressure. In one embodiment, the method further includes turning on the light source and acquiring images of the interior of the chamber with the plurality of image sensors.

[0008] Additional embodiments disclosed herein include a diagnostic board including a base plate and a first plurality of image sensors on the base plate, the first plurality of image sensors oriented horizontally relative to the base plate. In one embodiment, the diagnostic board further includes a second plurality of image sensors on the base plate, the second plurality of image sensors oriented at a non-orthogonal angle relative to the base plate. In one embodiment, the diagnostic board further includes a printed circuit board (PCB) on the base plate and a controller on the base plate, the controller communicatively coupled to the first plurality of image sensors and the second plurality of image sensors by the PCB. In one embodiment, the diagnostic board further includes a diffuser lid covering the base plate, the PCB, and the controller. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1A] 1 is a diagram of a processing chamber having a diagnostic substrate therein according to embodiments disclosed herein. [Figure 1B] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of components of a diagnostic board according to embodiments disclosed herein. [Figure 2A] FIG. 1 is a diagram of a diagnostic board with the lid removed, according to an embodiment disclosed herein. [Figure 2B] FIG. 1 is a diagram of a diagnostic board including a lid according to embodiments disclosed herein. [Figure 2C] FIG. 1 is a diagram of a diagnostic board with a sealed battery and multiple light emitting diodes (LEDs) across a printed circuit board (PCB) according to embodiments disclosed herein. [Figure 2D] 1 illustrates packaging of a battery module on a diagnostic board according to embodiments disclosed herein. [Figure 3A] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a diagnostic board according to an embodiment disclosed herein. [Figure 3B] FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a power management module of a diagnostic board according to an embodiment disclosed herein. [Figure 3C] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a multiplexer for individually selecting image sensors according to embodiments disclosed herein. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a system level block diagram of a processing tool utilizing a diagnostic board according to embodiments disclosed herein. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of a method of using a diagnostic board according to embodiments disclosed herein. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary computer system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] A smart camera wafer is described that can provide imaging within a chamber without requiring the chamber to be taken offline. Numerous specific details of a diagnostic board having an imaging sensor and a light source are presented below to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that embodiments of the present disclosure may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known aspects, such as integrated circuit fabrication, have not been described in detail in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring embodiments of the present disclosure. Furthermore, it should be understood that the various embodiments illustrated in the figures are illustrative representations and are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0011] As mentioned above, chamber drift can be caused by changes in conditions within the chamber. For example, deposition of by-products on chamber surfaces (such as the liner or lid) can alter the performance of the process being performed in the chamber, resulting in wafer non-uniformity. However, currently, no diagnostic tools exist to visually monitor changing chamber conditions without taking the chamber offline and opening it.

[0012] Accordingly, embodiments disclosed herein include a diagnostics board that can be inserted into a chamber of a processing tool. The diagnostics board can include multiple cameras to image the interior of the chamber. One or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs) can also be provided on the diagnostics board to provide a light source. The LEDs can also be provided below an optical diffuser to reduce reflections and provide a higher quality image. In embodiments where multiple cameras are used, the individual images can be stitched together to provide a single image of the interior of the chamber. Thus, a simple review of the images can determine if the tool needs maintenance.

[0013] In one embodiment, the diagnostic substrate may have a form factor compatible with semiconductor wafer handling equipment. Therefore, the diagnostic substrate may be delivered to the chamber through a factory interface and mainframe. This eliminates the need to take the tool completely offline to provide an image of the chamber's interior. For example, the diagnostic substrate may have a form factor similar to that of a wafer (e.g., 300 mm, 450 mm, etc.). However, it should be understood that the diagnostic substrate may include form factors other than typical wafer form factors. This allows diagnostics to be completed more frequently without significant chamber downtime. The ability to inspect the chamber's interior more frequently may also allow for extended periods between planned maintenance (PM), thereby more fully utilizing the tool's throughput. Furthermore, the ability to transport the diagnostic substrate between chambers reduces overhead costs compared to requiring dedicated sensors for each chamber.

[0014] 1A, a diagram of a processing tool 100 according to an embodiment is shown. In one embodiment, the processing tool 100 can include a chamber liner 161 and a lid 162 for sealing the chamber 161. The disclosed embodiment includes a diagnostic substrate 150 supported on lift pins (not shown) below the lid 162. The diagnostic substrate 150 can have a form factor that allows the diagnostic substrate 150 to be inserted through the slit valve 149. Thus, removing the chamber lid 162 (and breaking the vacuum) is not required to perform diagnostics using the diagnostic substrate 150. For example, the diagnostic substrate 150 can have a thickness of less than about 10 mm. The diameter of the diagnostic substrate 150 can be similar to that of wafers processed in the processing tool 100 (e.g., 300 mm, 450 mm, etc.).

[0015] In one embodiment, the diagnostic board 150 includes a plurality of image sensors and a light source. The light sources illuminate the interior of the chamber 161, and the image sensors provide images of the surfaces of the chamber 161 and lid 162. Thus, the condition of the chamber can be determined without having to take the chamber completely offline. A more detailed description of the image sensors and light sources is provided below.

[0016] 1B, a block diagram of a diagnostic board 150 according to one embodiment is shown. In one embodiment, the diagnostic board 150 may include a microcontroller 130. The microcontroller 130 may be any suitable integrated circuit die that can be programmed to perform image capture using an image sensor. In one embodiment, the microcontroller 130 is coupled to multiple image sensors 115 via a multiplexer board 140. The multiplexer board 140 allows for individual control of the image sensors 115 to acquire images sequentially from each image sensor 115. That is, in some embodiments, a single image sensor 115 is utilized at a time. However, embodiments are not limited to this configuration, and multiple image sensors 115 may be utilized simultaneously if the microcontroller 130 is configured to accept multiple inputs simultaneously.

[0017] Referring now to FIG. 2A, a perspective view of a diagnostic board 250 according to one embodiment is shown. In the view of FIG. 2A, the lid of the diagnostic board 250 has been omitted to reveal the internal components of the diagnostic board 250. As discussed above, the diagnostic board 250 may have a form factor suitable for handling by an automated handling system (e.g., a factory interface or mainframe form factor). For example, the diagnostic board 250 may have a thickness of less than about 10 mm and a diameter that substantially matches the diameter of a device wafer (e.g., 300 mm or 450 mm).

[0018] In one embodiment, diagnostic board 250 may include base plate 210. Base plate 210 may be a frame for holding various components of diagnostic board 250. In one embodiment, base plate 210 includes ridge 211 and wall 212. Ridge 211 and wall 212 may have a substantially circular shape and be located proximate an edge of base plate 210. However, as shown in FIG. 2A , ridge 211 and wall 212 do not have to be perfectly circular. For example, openings may be provided to provide access to charging port 206 and power switch 207 on printed circuit board (PCB) 240.

[0019] In one embodiment, a plurality of image sensors 215 are provided around the periphery of the base plate 210. In one embodiment, the image sensors 215 are positioned adjacent to the wall 211 on the ridge 211. For example, the horizontal image sensor 215 A is provided on the ridge 211. In one embodiment, the angled image sensor 215 B is mounted relative to the wall 212. This angled image sensor 215 B is shown disposed within a recess in the ridge 211. However, in some embodiments, the angled image sensor 215 B It should be understood that the additional horizontal image sensor 215 may be located on top of the ridge 211. In one embodiment, the additional horizontal image sensor 215 A may be provided at other locations on the base plate 210 away from the ridge 211 and the wall 212. For example, a pair of horizontal image sensors 215 A is provided near the center of the base plate of FIG. 2A.

[0020] In one embodiment, the horizontal image sensor 215 A An angled image sensor 215 is provided to capture an image of the chamber lid. B is provided to capture an image of the sidewall of the chamber or chamber liner. A may be oriented substantially horizontally relative to the base plate 210. That is, the horizontal image sensor 215A The field of view (FOV) of the angled image sensor 215 faces away from the base plate 210. B may be oriented at a non-orthogonal angle relative to the base plate. In certain embodiments, the angled image sensor 215 B is at an angle between 0° and 20° from the normal to the base plate. B The FOV is directed toward the axial center of the baseplate.

[0021] In one embodiment, the number and location of image sensors 215 are determined by the FOV of the image sensors 215 and the shape of the chamber being investigated. In some embodiments, the image sensors 215 are oriented to overlap the FOV of adjacent image sensors 215. For example, this overlap may be approximately 20% overlap between adjacent sensors 215. This allows for the generation of a stitched image of the entire interior surface of the chamber. In the particular embodiment shown in FIG. 2A, six angled image sensors 215 B , and 10 horizontal image sensors 215 A There is.

[0022] In one embodiment, image sensor 215 may include an image sensor for capturing the visible spectrum of light. In other embodiments, image sensor 215 may be suitable for capturing thermal radiation. In some embodiments, image sensor 215 may be suitable for capturing thermal radiation and visible light. In a particular embodiment, image sensor 215 is an 8 megapixel camera. However, it should be understood that the resolution of the camera may vary depending on the resolution of the image needed to provide a diagnosis.

[0023] In one embodiment, image sensor 215 is electrically coupled to PCB 240 by cable 214. Cable 214 may be a flex cable or any other suitable interconnect architecture. In one embodiment, PCB 240 may provide an electrical connection from cable 214 to controller 230. PCB 240 may include multiplexing / demultiplexing capabilities so that image sensor 215 can be individually addressed by controller 230.

[0024] In one embodiment, the diagnostic board 250 may be powered by one or more batteries 257. In the illustrated embodiment, the batteries are shown exposed to the atmosphere. However, it should be understood that in other embodiments, the batteries are within a sealed chamber. Such embodiments are described in more detail below. Sealing the batteries 257 allows the diagnostic board to operate in a sub-atmospheric pressure environment. As such, it is not necessary to lose vacuum within the chamber to enable imaging of the interior of the chamber. In a particular embodiment, the batteries may have a voltage of 3.7 V, although embodiments are not limited to such a voltage.

[0025] In one embodiment, the diagnostic board 250 may further include a light source. For example, the light source may include a light emitting diode (LED) strip 255. The LED strip 255 may surround the periphery of the diagnostic board 250. For example, the LED strip 255 may be wrapped around the exterior surface of the wall 212. In one embodiment, the LED strip 255 may include a diffuser to emit diffused light within the chamber, thereby avoiding reflections within the chamber and improving image quality. In other embodiments, the diffuser may be incorporated as part of the lid, as described in more detail below.

[0026] 2B, a perspective view of diagnostic board 250 with lid 270 attached is shown, according to an embodiment. In one embodiment, lid 270 may have an opening that allows the image sensor to "see" through lid 270. Horizontal image sensor 215 A The upper opening of the horizontal image sensor 215 A The angled image sensor 215 may be formed to have dimensions that substantially match the dimensions of the lens of the B The aperture 271 of the angled image sensor 215 may be elongated. B The elongated aperture is necessary to allow the full FOV of the image sensor 215 to pass through the lid 270. The length dimension of the aperture 271 is B FOV and Image Sensor 215 B The lid 270 may be defined by an angle relative to the base plate 210. In one embodiment, the lid 270 may be translucent. The translucent lid 270 may facilitate diffusing the light from the light source 255. For example, the lid 270 may be 70% white (i.e., the lid 270 may transmit 30% of the light).

[0027] Referring now to FIG. 2C, a perspective view of a diagnostic board 250 according to an additional embodiment is shown. The diagnostic board 250 of FIG. 2C may be substantially similar to the diagnostic board 250 of FIG. 2A, except that it includes an additional LED 256 and a sealed battery module 258. The diagnostic board 250 of FIG. 2C further illustrates the inclusion of additional sensors, such as a temperature sensor 253 and a vibration sensor 252. Such sensors may be used to monitor temperature and vibration to ensure that limits for safe operation of the diagnostic board 250 are not exceeded.

[0028] In one embodiment, the additional LEDs 256 may be surface mounted devices (SMDs) mounted on the PCB 240. The LEDs 256 may be distributed across the PCB 240. In one embodiment, the LEDs 256 provide additional light to the interior of the chamber during operation. In additional embodiments, the LED strip 255 may be omitted. That is, substantially all of the light used during imaging may be provided by the SMD LEDs 256. Point source illumination may be more susceptible to reflections. As such, the lid 270 provides diffusion to minimize reflections within the chamber. In one embodiment, the SMD LEDs 256 and / or LED strip 255 may be individually controllable (or controllable in groups) to allow for improved lighting control. By selectively turning on and off individual or groups of the SMD LEDs and / or LED strips, images can be captured by the image sensor 215 while limiting specular reflections.

[0029] In one embodiment, the battery module 258 is sealed, i.e., the pressure within the battery module 258 is maintained even as the external pressure changes. Thus, even if the diagnostic board 250 is exposed to vacuum pressure within the chamber, the battery or batteries within the battery module can remain at substantially atmospheric pressure.

[0030] Referring now to FIG. 2D , a perspective view of the battery module 258 is shown in greater detail. In FIG. 2D , the lid of the battery module 258 has been removed, exposing the internal features of the battery module 258. As shown, the battery module 258 includes an enclosure 272 that surrounds the battery 257. A gasket 274 may be provided along the inner surface of the enclosure 272. When a lid (not shown) is attached to the enclosure 272, the gasket 274 compresses to create a seal. In one embodiment, the battery module 258 remains sealed when the external pressure is approximately 15 mTorr or less. In one embodiment, the battery module 258 may further include one or more sensors 273, such as a pressure sensor and a VOC sensor. The pressure sensor provides feedback on the airtightness of the battery module 258. The VOC sensor indicates when the battery 257 has been compromised due to heat or other reasons. The temperature sensor can be monitored any time the diagnostic board 250 is in the chamber and a non-volatile log indicating the health of the battery can be logged. A decision can be made to continue using or discard the battery 257 based on the temperature and time of exposure, as well as other electrical characteristics of the battery.

[0031] Referring now to Figure 3A, a control block diagram of the components of a diagnostics board 350 is shown, according to an embodiment. In one embodiment, the system includes a microcontroller 330 and a host board (e.g., PCB) 340. Figure 3A illustrates how the various components interact to perform chamber monitoring on the diagnostics board 350.

[0032] In one embodiment, diagnostic board 350 includes a microcontroller 330. Microcontroller 330 is communicatively coupled to memory (e.g., an SD card) and / or a wireless communication interface (e.g., WiFi, Bluetooth, etc.). In one embodiment, the memory may be local to microcontroller 330. In such an embodiment, image data is stored locally on diagnostic board 350. In other embodiments, the wireless communication interface may allow for wireless transmission of image data to an external device.

[0033] In one embodiment, host board 340 includes power management circuitry 381 and multiplexing / demultiplexing circuitry 382. Host board 340 further provides features for on / off switching, USB interconnection, and GPIO. In one embodiment, host board 340 provides routing for transmitting data from various sensors to the microcontroller. While image sensor 315 is described in more detail above, it will be appreciated that other sensors may be included to provide enhanced functionality. For example, vibration sensor 353, temperature sensor 352, and total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) sensor 316 may be included. Sensors 315, 316, 352, and 353 may utilize any suitable communication protocol. In a particular embodiment, communication is implemented using the I2C communication protocol.

[0034] 3B, a block diagram of a power management circuit 381 according to an embodiment is shown. In one embodiment, the power management circuit 381 includes a charge controller 341. The charge controller 381 may be coupled to a battery 357. A charge input (e.g., a 5V power supply) may be used to charge the battery 357 via wired or wireless charging. A first LED 344 connected to the charge controller 341 may be an indicator for charging, and a second LED 345 connected to the charge controller 341 may be an indicator that charging is complete.

[0035] In one embodiment, the charge controller 341 is coupled to the boost converter and on / off control block 342. In one embodiment, a third LED 348 may be connected to the boost converter 342 to indicate low battery power. An on / off switch or button may be connected to the boost converter 342. A fourth LED 346 may provide an on / off indicator. In one embodiment, the boost converter upconverts the low battery voltage to a high voltage (e.g., 5V) to power the diagnostic board components.

[0036] 3C, a schematic diagram of a multiplexing / demultiplexing circuit 382 is shown, according to an embodiment. In one embodiment, the controller is connected to each of the image sensors 315 through a branching network that includes multiple switches 305. The sensors 315 can be individually activated by activating a series of switches. Thus, a multiple output, single input architecture is all that is needed to utilize multiple image sensors 315.

[0037] Referring now to FIG. 4, a system level diagram in FIG. 410 is shown illustrating how the diagnostic board 450 functions with the offline analyzer 400. As shown, the diagnostic board 450 includes mechanical packaging and a control unit 461. The mechanical packaging is similar to the architecture described above. The control unit 461 includes a microcontroller, a host board, and an image sensor. LEDs (for indicating various states such as charging, fully charged, low power, and on / off) and a power management block may be connected to the host board. A power signal conditioning block may control the voltage supplied to the image sensor, which is further connected to the host board.

[0038] In one embodiment, memory (e.g., an S / D card) may be coupled to the microcontroller for storing data. The memory may be removed from the diagnostic board 450 and sent to the offline analyzer 400 for analysis. Additionally (or alternatively), a wireless communication block (e.g., a WiFi host block) may be connected to the microcontroller for wirelessly transmitting data from the diagnostic board to the server block 463 and ultimately to the offline analyzer 400. The server block 463 may include a communication unit / transceiver and a cloud data / web server.

[0039] In one embodiment, the microcontroller may also have access to software blocks 462. The software blocks 462 may include application algorithms and a graphical user interface (GUI). The software blocks 462 may be remote from the diagnostics board 450 or may be stored on the diagnostics board 450 (e.g., in local memory).

[0040] 5, a flow diagram illustrating a process 590 for monitoring a chamber, according to an embodiment, is shown. In one embodiment, chamber monitoring can include obtaining an image of the interior of the chamber using a diagnostic substrate. Notably, process 590 is performed without releasing the vacuum inside the chamber or cooling the chamber body. In one embodiment, the chamber can be any chamber used in a semiconductor manufacturing process. For example, the chamber can be a plasma chamber used for material deposition or etching, although embodiments are not limited to such chambers.

[0041] Process 590 may begin with operation 591, which includes providing a diagnostic board having multiple image sensors and light sources. The diagnostic board may be similar to the diagnostic boards described above. For example, the image sensors may include a horizontal image sensor oriented to provide an image of the chamber lid and an angled image sensor oriented to provide an image of the sidewalls of the chamber or chamber liner. In one embodiment, the image sensors may include visible spectrum imaging and / or thermal imaging. In one embodiment, the light sources may include LED strips and / or discrete surface-mounted LEDs. To minimize reflections within the chamber, a diffuser plate may be provided as a lid on the diagnostic board.

[0042] Process 590 may continue with operation 592. Operation 592 includes inserting a diagnostic substrate into the chamber. In one embodiment, the diagnostic substrate is inserted into the chamber while a sub-atmospheric pressure (e.g., vacuum pressure) is maintained in the chamber. For example, the sub-atmospheric pressure may be about 15 mTorr or less. In one embodiment, the diagnostic substrate is inserted into the chamber using an automated substrate handling device. For example, the diagnostic substrate may be removed from a cassette by a factory interface (FI). The FI may then insert the diagnostic substrate into a load lock, and a mainframe robot may remove the diagnostic substrate from the load lock and insert the diagnostic substrate into the chamber through a slit valve.

[0043] Process 590 may continue with operation 593. Operation 593 includes turning on a light source. In one embodiment, the light source illuminates the interior of the chamber, which is dark when not illuminated. The light source may include a diffuser to reduce reflections within the chamber that reduce image quality. In one embodiment, the light source may be turned on when the diagnostic substrate is in the chamber, or may be turned on before the diagnostic substrate enters the chamber. In one embodiment, the light source may include individually controllable (or group-controllable) LEDs to allow for improved lighting control. By selectively turning on and off individual or groups of LEDs, images can be captured with an image sensor while limiting specular reflections.

[0044] Process 590 may continue at operation 594. Operation 594 includes acquiring images of the interior of the chamber with multiple image sensors. In one embodiment, the multiple image sensors are activated sequentially using multiplexing / demultiplexing circuitry on the diagnostics board host board. In one embodiment, the fields of view of the image sensors may have a degree of overlap. For example, the fields of view of the image sensors may have approximately 20% overlap. This overlap allows the multiple images to be stitched together into a single image for easier analysis.

[0045] In one embodiment, the image data may be stored in memory included in the diagnostic board. For example, the images may be saved to an SD card, etc. In other embodiments, the image data may be transmitted wirelessly to an external device using a wireless communication protocol such as, but not limited to, WiFi or Bluetooth.

[0046] After acquiring the images, the diagnostic board is removed from the chamber. For example, the mainframe robot and FI can coordinate to transport the diagnostic board from the chamber back to a cassette or other storage device. In embodiments where the image data is stored locally on the diagnostic board, the image data may then be downloaded (or the SD card removed) and the image data transferred to an external device.

[0047] In one embodiment, the external device may include a GUI for easily displaying and analyzing the image data. A single stitched image may be displayed, and / or the operator may have the ability to review individual images from the image sensor. Additionally, the image data may be automatically analyzed. Automated analysis may include using machine learning techniques to predict process tool performance, indicate preventative maintenance, determine whether an in-chamber cleaning (ICC) process is required, and / or perform other monitoring / diagnostic procedures.

[0048] As noted above, the use of a diagnostics board as described herein offers many advantages. One advantage is that the chamber does not need to be taken completely offline. In particular, the diagnostics board has a form factor suitable for handling by automated handling equipment and is vacuum compatible (e.g., with a sealed enclosure around the battery). Therefore, imaging of the interior of the chamber can be performed more frequently, since there is no need to release the vacuum or cool it down, as long as wafer time in the chamber is managed and monitored. For example, if the wafer becomes too hot, a warning or automatic backout message can be transmitted to the wafer handling device. Because diagnostics can be performed more frequently, the intervals between planned maintenance (PM) events may be extended, thereby allowing for more efficient use of the processing tool. Furthermore, a diagnostics board as described herein offers a relatively low-cost solution. While dedicated sensors in the chamber would require every chamber to have its own unique set of sensors, the use of a diagnostics board allows multiple chambers to share a single diagnostics tool.

[0049] 6 illustrates a schematic diagram of an exemplary form of a machine, computer system 600, within which a set of instructions may be executed to cause the machine to perform any one or more of the methods described herein. In alternative embodiments, the machine may be connected (e.g., networked) to other machines in a local area network (LAN), an intranet, an extranet, or the Internet. The machine may operate in the capacity of a server or a client machine in a client / server network environment, or as a peer machine in a peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment. The machine may be a personal computer (PC), a tablet PC, a set-top box (STB), a personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile phone, a web appliance, a server, a network router, switch, or bridge, or any machine capable of executing a set of instructions (sequentially or otherwise) that specify operations to be performed by the machine. Furthermore, although a single machine is shown, the term "machine" may be interpreted to include any collection of machines (e.g., computers) that individually or together execute a set (or sets) of instructions to perform any one or more of the methods described herein.

[0050] The exemplary computer system 600 includes a processor 602, a main memory 604 (e.g., read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, dynamic random access memory (DRAM) (such as synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) or Rambus DRAM (RDRAM))), a static memory 606 (e.g., flash memory, static random access memory (SRAM), MRAM, etc.), and a secondary memory 618 (e.g., a data storage device), which communicate with each other via a bus 630.

[0051] Processor 602 represents one or more general-purpose processing devices, such as a microprocessor, a central processing unit, or the like. More specifically, processor 602 may be a complex instruction set computing (CISC) microprocessor, a reduced instruction set computing (RISC) microprocessor, a very long instruction word (VLIW) microprocessor, a processor implementing other instruction sets, or a processor implementing a combination of instruction sets. Furthermore, processor 602 may 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), a network processor, or the like. Processor 602 is configured to execute processing logic 626 to perform the operations described herein. Computer system 600 may further include a network interface device 608. Additionally, computer system 600 may also include a video display unit 610 (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light emitting diode display (LED), 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 a signal generation device 616 (e.g., a speaker).

[0052] The secondary memory 618 may include a machine-accessible storage medium (or, more specifically, a computer-readable storage medium) 632 having stored thereon one or more sets of instructions (e.g., software 622) that embody any one or more of the methods or functions described herein. The software 622 may reside, completely or at least partially, within the main memory 604 and / or the processor 602 during execution by the computer system 600. The main memory 604 and the processor 602 also constitute machine-readable storage media. Additionally, the software 622 may be transmitted or received over the network 620 via the network interface device 608.

[0053] While the exemplary embodiment depicts machine-accessible storage medium 632 as a single medium, the term "machine-readable storage medium" should be interpreted to include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, and / or associated caches and servers) that store one or more sets of instructions. Furthermore, the term "machine-readable storage medium" should be interpreted to include any medium capable of storing or encoding a set of instructions that are executed by a machine and cause the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the term "machine-readable storage medium" should be interpreted to include, but is not limited to, solid-state memory, optical media, and magnetic media.

[0054] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a machine-accessible storage medium stores instructions that cause a data processing system to execute a method for monitoring conditions within a chamber. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a diagnostic board having multiple image sensors and a light source. In one embodiment, the method continues with inserting the diagnostic board into the chamber. The chamber can be maintained at vacuum pressure, eliminating the need to take it offline. Notably, the diagnostic board is vacuum compatible, and its form factor is similar to that of a device wafer. Thus, a FI or mainframe machine handling robot can be used to insert the diagnostic board into the chamber. In one embodiment, the method can further include turning on the light source. In one embodiment, the method can further include capturing images of the interior of the chamber with the multiple image sensors.

[0055] Thus, a diagnostic substrate for imaging the interior of a vacuum chamber and a process for acquiring the images is disclosed.

Claims

1. Base plate, a plurality of image sensors on the base plate having a reference surface; a plurality of image sensors on the base plate, the plurality of image sensors including first image sensors and second image sensors arranged alternately on a circumference, each of the first image sensors having a field of view oriented at a first angle with respect to the reference surface of the base plate, and each of the second image sensors having a field of view oriented at a second angle with respect to the reference surface of the base plate, the second angle being different from the first angle; A diagnostic board comprising:

2. A diagnostic board as described in claim 1, further comprising a printed circuit board (PCB) on the base plate.

3. A diagnostic board as described in claim 2, further comprising a controller on the base plate, the PCB electrically coupling the controller to the plurality of image sensors.

4. The diagnostic board of claim 1 further comprising a light source.

5. The diagnostic board of claim 4 , wherein the light source comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs).

6. The diagnostic board of claim 5 , wherein said plurality of LEDs are independently or collectively controllable.

7. The diagnostic board of claim 1 further comprising a battery.

8. The diagnostic board of claim 7 wherein the battery is housed in a sealed enclosure.

9. The diagnostic board of claim 8 further comprising a pressure sensor and / or a volatile organic compound (VOC) sensor within the sealed enclosure.

10. The diagnostic board of claim 1 further comprising a temperature sensor and / or a vibration sensor.

11. The diagnostic board of claim 3 further comprising a diffuser cover covering said base plate, said PCB, and said controller.

12. The diagnostic board of claim 1 , wherein the diagnostic board has a thickness of less than 10 mm.

13. The diagnostic board of claim 1 , wherein the image sensor enables imaging in the visible spectrum and thermal imaging.

14. 1. A method for imaging the interior of a chamber, comprising: providing a diagnostic board including a plurality of image sensors and a light source, the plurality of image sensors being on a base plate having a reference surface, the plurality of image sensors including first image sensors and second image sensors arranged alternately around a circumference, each of the first image sensors having a field of view oriented at a first angle relative to the reference surface of the base plate, and each of the second image sensors having a field of view oriented at a second angle relative to the reference surface of the base plate, the second angle being different from the first angle; inserting the diagnostic board into the chamber, the chamber being maintained at a sub-atmospheric pressure; turning on the light source; acquiring images of the interior of the chamber with the plurality of image sensors; A method comprising:

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein a multiplexer architecture is used to acquire images from each of the image sensors.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising stitching two or more of the acquired images together to provide a stitched image.

17. 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising logging temperature levels at a given point in time to predict battery failure or predict conditions that would trigger battery replacement.

18. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein machine learning is applied to image data from the interior of the chamber to recognize chamber drift over time and / or to trigger cleaning or other maintenance issues.

19. A base plate having a reference surface; a plurality of image sensors on the base plate, the plurality of image sensors including first image sensors and second image sensors arranged alternately on a circumference, each of the first image sensors having a field of view oriented in a direction at an angle of 0 degrees relative to the reference surface of the base plate, and each of the second image sensors having a field of view oriented in a direction at an angle of non-0 degrees relative to the reference surface of the base plate; A diagnostic board comprising:

20. The diagnostic board of claim 19, further comprising a printed circuit board (PCB) on the base plate.

21. The diagnostic board of claim 20, further comprising a controller on the base plate, the PCB electrically coupling the controller to the plurality of image sensors.

22. The diagnostic board of claim 19, further comprising a light source.

23. The diagnostic board of claim 22, wherein the light source includes a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

24. A diagnostic board as described in claim 23, wherein the multiple LEDs can be controlled independently or collectively.

25. The diagnostic board of claim 19, further comprising a battery.

26. The diagnostic board of claim 25, wherein the battery is housed within a sealed enclosure.

27. The diagnostic board of claim 26, further comprising a pressure sensor or a volatile organic compound (VOC) sensor within the sealed enclosure.

28. The diagnostic board of claim 19, further comprising a temperature sensor or a vibration sensor.

29. The diagnostic board of claim 21, further comprising a diffuser cover covering the base plate, the PCB, and the controller.

30. A diagnostic board as described in claim 19, wherein the thickness of the diagnostic board is less than 10 mm.

31. A diagnostic board as described in claim 19, wherein the image sensor enables imaging in the visible spectrum and thermal imaging.

32. A method for imaging the interior of a chamber, comprising: a diagnostic board including a plurality of image sensors and a light source, the plurality of image sensors being on a base plate having a reference surface, the plurality of image sensors including first and second image sensors arranged alternately on a circumference, each of the first image sensors having a field of view oriented in a direction at an angle of 0 degrees relative to the reference surface of the base plate, and each of the second image sensors having a field of view oriented in a direction at an angle other than 0 degrees relative to the reference surface of the base plate; inserting the diagnostic board into the chamber, the chamber being maintained at a sub-atmospheric pressure; turning on the light source; acquiring images of the interior of the chamber with the plurality of image sensors; A method comprising:

33. The method of claim 32, wherein a multiplexer architecture is used to acquire images from each of the image sensors.

34. The method of claim 32, further comprising stitching two or more of the acquired images together to provide a stitched image.

35. The method of claim 32, further comprising logging temperature levels at given times to predict battery failure or predict conditions that would trigger battery replacement.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein machine learning is applied to image data from the interior of the chamber to recognize chamber drift over time and / or trigger cleaning or other maintenance items.

37. A base plate, a plurality of image sensors on the base plate; a lid covering the plurality of image sensors and coupled to the base plate, the lid having a plurality of openings therein, each opening covering a corresponding one of the image sensors; A diagnostic board comprising:

38. The diagnostic board of claim 37, further comprising a printed circuit board (PCB) on the base plate and below the lid.

39. A diagnostic board as described in claim 38, further comprising a controller on the base plate and under the lid, the PCB electrically coupling the controller to the plurality of image sensors.

40. The diagnostic board of claim 37, further comprising a light source.

41. The diagnostic board of claim 40, wherein the light source includes a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

42. A diagnostic board as described in claim 41, wherein the multiple LEDs can be controlled independently or collectively.

43. A diagnostic board as described in claim 37, further comprising a battery.

44. The diagnostic board of claim 43, wherein the battery is housed within a sealed enclosure.

45. The diagnostic board of claim 44, further comprising a pressure sensor or a volatile organic compound (VOC) sensor within the sealed enclosure.

46. A diagnostic board as described in claim 37, further comprising a temperature sensor or a vibration sensor.

47. A diagnostic board as described in claim 37, wherein the thickness of the diagnostic board is less than 10 mm.

48. A diagnostic board as described in claim 37, wherein the image sensor enables imaging in the visible spectrum and thermal imaging.

49. A method for imaging the interior of a chamber, comprising: providing a diagnostic board including a plurality of image sensors and a light source, the plurality of image sensors being on a base plate, the diagnostic board having a lid coupled to the base plate and covering the plurality of image sensors, the lid having a plurality of openings therein, each of the plurality of openings covering a corresponding one of the image sensors; inserting the diagnostic board into the chamber, the chamber being maintained at a sub-atmospheric pressure; turning on the light source; acquiring images of the interior of the chamber with the plurality of image sensors; A method comprising:

50. The method of claim 49, wherein a multiplexer architecture is used to acquire images from each of the image sensors.

51. The method of claim 49, further comprising stitching two or more of the acquired images together to provide a stitched image.

52. The method of claim 49, further comprising logging temperature levels at given times to predict battery failure or predict conditions that would trigger battery replacement.

53. The method of claim 49, wherein machine learning is applied to image data from the interior of the chamber to recognize drift in the chamber over time and / or to trigger cleaning or other maintenance tasks.

54. A method for manufacturing a diagnostic board, comprising: providing a base plate; coupling a plurality of image sensors to the base plate; coupling a lid to the base plate; Including, the lid covers the plurality of image sensors, the lid has a plurality of openings therein, each of the plurality of openings covering a corresponding one of the image sensors; method.

55. The diagnostic board of claim 54, further comprising coupling a printed circuit board (PCB) to the base plate.

56. The diagnostic board of claim 55, further comprising coupling a controller onto the base plate, the PCB electrically coupling the controller to the plurality of image sensors.

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