Insitu Integrated Wafer Parameter Detection System

Abstract

A method and system for continuously and real-time monitoring of wafer processing results. In some embodiments, the system can comprise at least one non-active chamber having at least one feed-through access port configured to interact with a measurement device. The feed-through access port has a surface covered with a fluorine-based coating that is exposed to the internal volume of the non-active chamber. The non-active chamber has a wafer access port to one or more other chambers. The measurement device is positioned outside the non-active chamber and is oriented to detect measurement data through one of the feed-through access ports. A data collection device is connected to the measurement device and is configured to continuously receive data from the measurement device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present principle generally relate to semiconductor processing of semiconductor substrates.

Background Art

[0002] During wafer processing, important parameters may change unintentionally. To prevent the parameters from changing, wafers are often tested after processing using a stand-alone measurement system. However, interrupting the process to perform the test adds significant delays and reduces the throughput of wafer processing. Stand-alone measurement systems can accurately determine that a parameter is not within a predetermined tolerance or specification, but the timing of the information typically occurs after one or more lots of wafers have been processed. If a wafer becomes unusable due to out-of-tolerance parameters, that wafer is discarded or scrapped. The loss of wafers can be extremely costly due to the amount of wafer processing and semiconductor structures up to that point. The inventors have realized that by accurately and more timely evaluating wafers, the research and development time of the experimental plan can be shortened, the initial startup time to production can be accelerated, the recovery time from maintenance events can be improved, the wafer loss can be significantly reduced, the wafer yield can be dramatically improved, and the cost per wafer can be reduced.

[0003] Therefore, the inventors have provided methods and apparatuses for accurately and early detecting wafer parameters and reducing waste and costs during wafer processing.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] This specification provides methods, apparatuses, and systems for providing multi-channel in-situ measurement of wafer parameters.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] In some embodiments, a system for monitoring wafer processing results may comprise at least one inactive chamber having at least one feedthrough access port, the feedthrough access port being configured to interact with a measuring device, the at least one feedthrough access port having a surface covered with a fluorine-based coating exposed to the internal volume of the at least one inactive chamber, and the at least one inactive chamber having wafer access ports to one or more other chambers; a measuring device positioned outside the at least one inactive chamber and oriented to detect measurement data through one of the at least one feedthrough access ports; the at least one inactive chamber; and a data acquisition device connected to the measuring device and configured to continuously receive data from the measuring device.

[0006] In some embodiments, the system is a cleaning device connected to at least one cleaning port adjacent to one of at least one measuring devices, configured to clean a fluorine-based coating covering a surface by injecting radicals from a remote plasma source into at least one inactive chamber via one of the at least one cleaning ports, configured to supply fluorine or oxygen gas-based radicals into at least one inactive chamber, interconnected to a data acquisition device, and configured to perform cleaning when there is a defect in the data from one of the at least one measuring device, wherein one of the at least one feedthrough access ports is a viewport, and the viewport is The cleaning device is formed from a quartz material and the measuring device includes one or more of a reflectometer, an ellipsometer, and a micro-Raman spectrometer; and the measuring process device is interconnected with one or more wafer process chambers and includes a trained measuring model configured to receive data from a data acquisition device and to modify the wafer process of at least one of the one or more wafer process chambers based on the data, wherein the fluorine-based coating is a metallic fluoride-based coating or a non-metallic fluorine-based coating, and / or at least one inactive chamber is a transfer chamber, a load lock chamber, or a via chamber.

[0007] In some embodiments, a system for monitoring wafer processing results comprises an inactive chamber having a plurality of feedthrough access ports, each of which is configured to interact with one of a plurality of measuring devices, and having a surface covered with a fluorine-based coating exposed to the internal volume of the inactive chamber, the inactive chamber having wafer access ports to one or more other chambers; each of a plurality of measuring devices positioned outside the inactive chamber and oriented to detect measurement data through one of the feedthrough access ports; and a system connected to the plurality of measuring devices and configured to continuously receive data from the plurality of measuring devices. The system may include a multi-channel data acquisition device, a cleaning device connected to a plurality of cleaning ports, each of which is adjacent to one of a plurality of measurement devices, and the cleaning device is configured to inject radicals from a remote plasma source into an inactive chamber via at least one of the plurality of cleaning ports to clean a fluorine-based coating covering the surface, and a measurement process device interconnected with one or more wafer process chambers, which is configured to receive data from the multi-channel data acquisition device and includes a trained measurement model configured to modify the wafer process of at least one of the one or more wafer process chambers based on the data.

[0008] In some embodiments, the system may further include a cleaning device configured to supply fluorine or oxygen gas-based radicals into an inactive chamber, the cleaning device interconnected to a multichannel data acquisition device and configured to perform cleaning when there are defects in data from one or more of the multiple measuring devices, at least one of the feedthrough access ports being a viewport, the viewport being formed from a quartz material, the multiple measuring devices may include one or more of reflectometers, ellipsometers, and micro-Raman spectrometers, the fluorine-based coating being a metallic fluoride-based coating or a non-metallic fluorine-based coating, and / or the inactive chamber being a transfer chamber, load lock chamber, or via chamber.

[0009] In some embodiments, a method for monitoring wafer processing results may include continuously receiving data from a plurality of measuring devices connected to an inactive chamber via a feedthrough port into the inactive chamber, wherein the feedthrough port has a surface coated with a fluorine-based coating that is exposed to the internal volume of the inactive chamber; determining whether wafer parameters are out of specification; inputting data into a trained machine learning model that determines measures to modify the wafer process to bring the out-of-specification wafer parameters into specification; and sending commands to the process chamber to modify the process based on the measures determined by the trained machine learning model.

[0010] In some embodiments, the method may further include cleaning a surface having a fluorine-based coating using radicals generated by a remote plasma source if data from at least one of a plurality of measuring devices transmits defective data.

[0011] Other and further embodiments are disclosed below.

[0012] Embodiments of the present principle, briefly summarized above and described in more detail below, can be understood by referring to exemplary embodiments of the principle shown in the accompanying drawings. However, the accompanying drawings show only typical embodiments of the present principle and should not be considered limiting in scope, as the principle may accept other equally effective embodiments. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] This is a top view of an in-channel multi-channel measurement system based on one embodiment of this principle. [Figure 2] This is a top view of an in-situ multi-channel measurement system for multiple integrated tools based on some embodiments of this principle. [Figure 3] This is a top view of a first example of an inactive chamber equipped with insitu measurement according to some embodiments of the present principle. [Figure 4] This is a top view of a second example of an inactive chamber equipped with insitu measurement according to some embodiments of the present principle. [Figure 5] This is a cross-sectional view and top-down configuration of an insitu measurement device mounted on the top of an inactive chamber according to one embodiment of this principle. [Figure 6] This is a cross-sectional view and bottom-up configuration of an insitu measurement device attached to the bottom of an inactive chamber according to one embodiment of this principle. [Figure 7] This is a top view of an integrated tool based on one embodiment of this principle. [Figure 8] This method uses an insitu measurement device on an inactive chamber, according to some embodiments of this principle, to prevent out-of-spec wafer parameters. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0014] For ease of understanding, the same reference numerals are used to indicate identical elements common to the figures where possible. The figures are not drawn to scale and may be simplified for clarity. Elements and features of one embodiment may be incorporated into other embodiments without further detail.

[0015] The method, apparatus, and system provide a solution for detecting and measuring wafer parameters before and / or after wafer processing to prevent out-of-spec wafers. For example, using this principle, post-film profile thickness, film stress, etc., can be measured using, for example, a reflectometer and / or ellipsometer mounted on one or more viewport windows of inactive chambers such as transfer chambers, via chambers, and / or load lock chambers of a semiconductor process mainframe. The inactive chamber may be a permanent component such as an integrated tool, and / or a portable inactive chamber that moves between other chambers to transport wafers in a controlled environment. The principle has the advantage of providing an accurate and low-cost process for instantaneous detection of wafer parameters before and / or after wafer processing without requiring costly and timely modifications to existing semiconductor processing systems.

[0016] This principle can be used to detect many wafer parameters before and / or after processing, such as thickness, stress, temperature, material composition, cooling rate, and / or gas release rate. For simplicity, wafer parameters such as thickness may be used as illustrative parameters, but this principle is not intended to be limited to the detection and evaluation of thickness parameters alone. During wafer processing, tracking the deposition thickness proves to be critical to the performance of semiconductor structures. Detection of film thickness drift needs to be determined as quickly and accurately as possible after the deposition process is complete so that corrective actions can be taken. If film thickness drift persists across a large number of wafers, it may become necessary to scrap the entire lot, which can have a serious impact on wafer yield and semiconductor process costs.

[0017] Manufacturers currently do not have an accurate way to measure the film thickness inside the integration tool (see, for example, FIG. 6). Most film thickness measurements are made after a number of wafers have been processed, and thus the wafer lot is measured with dedicated measuring equipment outside the integration tool. In stark contrast, the principles disclosed herein can quickly scrutinize and measure wafer parameters such as film profile thickness by, for example, using existing chamber viewports located at the top or bottom of the non-active chamber. As will be described in more detail below, by using and modifying the viewports, the apparatus and system of the present principles can be easily retrofitted into existing semiconductor processing configurations such as integrated semiconductor processing tools without limitation. The present principles are compatible with the use of measurement systems using, for example, reflectometers, ellipsometers, and / or micro-Raman spectrometers. By using the viewport of the non-active chamber, wafer parameters can be detected without degrading the wafer environment within the non-active chamber. In some embodiments, cleaning methods, apparatuses, and / or systems can be incorporated to ensure that the viewport is not blocked by fog or particles generated from the wafer inside the non-active chamber. In some embodiments, at least the inner surface of the viewport material (e.g., quartz, etc.) is coated with a strengthening coating to reduce formations on the viewport material that affect the detection / measurement of wafer parameters.

[0018] Figure 1 shows a top view of an in-situ multi-channel wafer parameter monitoring system 100 according to some embodiments. The in-situ multi-channel wafer parameter monitoring system 100 may comprise a first measuring device 108A located on a first inactive chamber, such as a transfer chamber 102, and a second measuring device 108B located on a second inactive chamber, such as a load lock chamber 106. As used herein, “inactive chamber” means any chamber in which a wafer may be placed, such as a transfer chamber, a load lock chamber, and / or via / pass-through chambers (e.g., interconnecting mainframes / integration tools), in which no active deposition or etching of the wafer takes place. The wafer may be cooled or gas-vented in the inactive chamber. In some embodiments, the active chamber may include wafer deposition and / or etching processes. "Active chamber" or "process chamber," as used herein, refers to a chamber that performs processes that alter a wafer, alter a structure on a wafer, and / or alter a film on a wafer, such as a plasma vapor deposition (PVD) chamber, a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber, an atomic layer deposition (ALD) chamber, an etching chamber, or an annealing chamber. The exemplary system in Figure 1 includes only two measuring instruments for brevity of explanation, but any number of measuring instruments may be used. In some embodiments, the inactive chamber may include an intermediate transfer chamber that maintains the wafer temperature, maintains the environment (e.g., vacuum pressure, humidity level), gases the wafer, and / or degasssssss the wafer, but does not perform any active deposition on the wafer or etching of the wafer.

[0019] The first measuring device 108A is positioned on a feed-through access port or viewport window existing above the first wafer position 112A. The second measuring device 108B is positioned on a feed-through access port or viewport window existing above the second wafer position 112B. The first measuring device 108A communicates with the multi-channel data collection device 114 via the first data channel 140. The second measuring device 108B communicates with the multi-channel data collection device 114 via the second data channel 142. The transfer chamber 102 can transfer wafers to and from the load lock chamber 106, and can also transfer wafers to and from the first process chamber 104A, the second process chamber 104B, and the third process chamber 104C. The wafer to be processed passes through the first wafer position 112A before and / or after being processed in any of the three process chambers, thereby enabling the collection of wafer parameter data before and / or after each of the three processes is executed.

[0020] In some embodiments, wafer parameter data from the first data channel 140 and the second data channel 142 may be stored in data storage 116 by the multichannel data acquisition device 114. The data storage 116 may be local to the multichannel data acquisition device 114 and / or remote to the multichannel data acquisition device 114, for example, on a remote server. The multichannel data acquisition device 114 can receive data continuously in real time and respond in real time if the data deviates from acceptable parameters for a particular process. In some embodiments, the multichannel data acquisition device 114 can further analyze the data to determine if corrective action is required. For example, if the data indicates that a parameter such as thickness has drifted beyond an acceptable level across several wafers, the multichannel data acquisition device 114 can send a stop or halt command to halt the processing of the wafer lot. The corrective action may be sent directly to the specific process chamber, directly to the mainframe (integration tool), and / or indirectly via the system controller 124. The system controller 124 generally includes a central processing unit (CPU) 126, memory 128, and support circuitry 130. The CPU 126 may be any form of general-purpose computer processor that can be used in an industrial environment. The support circuitry 130 is conventionally coupled to the CPU 126 and may include a cache, clock circuitry, input / output subsystems, power supply, etc. Software routines, such as those described below (see, for example, Figure 7), may be stored in memory 128 and, when executed by the CPU 126, can transform the CPU 126 into a purpose-specific computer (system controller) 124. Software routines may also be stored and / or executed by a remotely located second controller (not shown).

[0021] In some embodiments, an optional process analyzer 118 can be used to further analyze data received directly from the multichannel data acquisition device 114 and / or from the data storage 116. Using the optional process analyzer 118, data can be analyzed using a model trained on training data, thereby enabling the detection of out-of-spec parameters using inference and / or correcting the wafer process to bring the wafer specifications back to an acceptable level. The optional process analyzer 118 can communicate with the multichannel data acquisition device 114, the data storage 116, and / or the system controller 124. In some embodiments, a cleaning device 120 can be used to purge and / or actively clean particulate matter or mist generated by environmental contamination in the inactive chamber through a feedthrough port or viewport window, such as when gases are released after the wafer has been processed in the process chamber. Wafers naturally release gases as they cool after the high process temperatures used during processing. Gas release can cause fogging, potentially reducing visibility to a level where measuring instruments cannot "see" the wafer and / or leading to erroneous readings by the measuring instruments. If the cloudiness and / or particle accumulation is sufficiently large, the measuring instrument may read the accumulation on the viewport rather than the wafer.

[0022] The cleaning apparatus 120 may include a remote plasma source 144 that receives one or more cleaning gases from the gas supply unit 122 to generate radicals, and then delivers these radicals to, for example, a first cleaning port 110A of the transfer chamber 102 and / or a second cleaning port 110B of the load lock chamber 106 to clean the respective viewports for the measuring instrument. In some embodiments, the gas may be nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) gas, which dissociates by the plasma to form fluorine radicals. The fluorine radicals clean away any type of wafer gas release or accumulation on the viewports (feedthrough ports) of the measuring instrument from the chamber. Cleaning may be performed, for example, periodically, after a particular process has been performed, after several wafers have been processed, and / or continuously. In some embodiments, the cleaning apparatus 120 may communicate with a multi-channel data acquisition device 114, a system controller 124, and / or an optional process analyzer 118. Therefore, the cleaning device 120 may be controlled based on input data to the multi-channel data acquisition device 114 (data from viewports that are no longer received / blocked, intermittent data, incomplete data, etc.) and / or data analyzed by an optional process analyzer 118 (data whose integrity cannot be verified, data that appears corrupted, data that exceeds extreme limits, etc.). The cleaning device 120 may also be controlled by the system controller 124 based on data and / or processing parameters, process policies, profiles, etc. Each cleaning port may be controlled simultaneously or individually as needed.

[0023] In some embodiments, the Incitu multichannel wafer parameter monitoring system 100 may be extended to include multiple mainframes or integrated tools. In Figure 2, the Incitu multichannel wafer parameter monitoring system 200 has a multichannel data acquisition device 214 that communicates with a first plurality of measuring devices 208A on a first mainframe 202A and a second plurality of measuring devices 208B on a second mainframe 202B. The first mainframe 202A has a first plurality of cleaning ports 210A that are in fluid communication with a first cleaning device 220A, and the second mainframe 202B has a second plurality of cleaning ports 210B that are in fluid communication with a second cleaning device 220B. In some embodiments, the first plurality of cleaning ports 210A and the second plurality of cleaning ports 210B may be in fluid communication with a single cleaning device.

[0024] In the example in Figure 2, the multi-channel data acquisition system 214 has six data channels per mainframe. However, the multi-channel data acquisition system 214 can have any number of data channels connected to any number of mainframes. The data obtained from each mainframe can be used to determine when to stop the process or when corrections are needed. The multi-channel data acquisition system 214 can monitor each channel and perform comparisons between channels as well as between mainframes. For example, if a wafer process running on the first mainframe 202A is a precursor to a wafer process running on the second mainframe, the wafer lot being processed can be monitored, and processing parameters can be adjusted or modified based on the data obtained from both mainframes to maintain the desired wafer parameters. Similarly, redundant mainframes can be used to improve wafer processing throughput, and data from each mainframe can be compared to ensure that the wafers are within specifications and that each similar chamber is operating to produce the same wafer parameter levels.

[0025] The above-described in-line multi-channel wafer parameter monitoring system is compatible with different types of inactive chamber layouts. In Figure 3, the top view 300 shows the design of the main frame with a square transfer chamber 302 surrounded on three sides by process chambers 304A-304F. On the fourth side are two load lock chambers 306A, 306B. The transfer chamber 302 has four wafer positions 312A-312D that can be used to monitor wafers before and / or after processing in process chambers 304A-304F. Measurement devices 308A-308D are positioned at the feedthrough ports above each of the four wafer positions 312A-312D. Near the measurement devices 308A-308D, four cleaning ports 310A-310D are also shown to allow cleaning of each of the feedthrough ports of the measurement devices 308A-308D. Each of the load lock chambers 306A and 306B also has measuring devices 308E and 308F and cleaning ports 310E and 310F, respectively, above the two wafer positions 312E and 312F.

[0026] In Figure 4, the top view 400 shows the design of the main frame, which has a hexagonal transfer chamber 402 surrounded on four sides by process chambers 404A-404D. The fifth and sixth sides have two load lock chambers 406A, 406B. The transfer chamber 402 has four wafer positions 412A-412D that can be used to monitor wafers before and / or after processing in process chambers 404A-404D. Measuring devices 408A-408D are positioned at the feedthrough ports above each of the four wafer positions 412A-412D. Near the measuring devices 408A-408D, four cleaning ports 410A-410D are also shown to allow cleaning of each of the feedthrough ports of the measuring devices 408A-408D. Each of the load lock chambers 406A and 406B also has measuring devices 408E and 408F and cleaning ports 410E and 410F, respectively, above each of the two wafer positions 412E and 412F. The examples shown in Figures 3 and 4 are intended to demonstrate the flexibility of this principle. The type and / or shape of the inactive chambers are not intended to be limiting.

[0027] Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional view 500A and a top view 500B of the measuring device 508 mounted on top of the inactive chamber 502. In some embodiments, the measuring device 508 may include, but is not limited to, a measuring system 534 such as a reflectometer, ellipsometer, and / or micro-Raman spectrometer. In the example of Figure 5, the measuring system 534 communicates 536 with a multi-channel data acquisition device 514, but the multi-channel data acquisition device 514 may also communicate with other devices such as an analyzer and / or a system controller (see, for example, Figures 1 and 2). The measuring device 508 is positioned via a feedthrough port 542 (e.g., a viewport) after and / or before wafer processing in the process chamber, with the wafer position 512 below the measuring device 508 via a carrier 532, thereby covering the measurement range of the wafer 530 (e.g., indicated by the field of view 546 of the measuring system 534). In some embodiments, the feedthrough port 542 shown in the top view 500B of Figure 5 may have a larger surface area than the measuring device 508. In some embodiments, the feedthrough port 542 may have the same surface area as the measuring device 508, or it may have a smaller surface area than the measuring device 508.

[0028] The material of the feedthrough port 542 (e.g., quartz) is coated with a fluorine-based coating layer 544. In some embodiments, the material of the feedthrough port 542 can be modified to enhance measurement data from certain types of measuring instruments (e.g., by filtering specific wavelengths). The fluorine-based coating layer 544 is transparent and, in some embodiments, has the following properties: it functions as an anti-reflective coating (ARC) that enhances the capture of measurement data by the measuring system by improving transmittance specific to wavelengths / ranges, ensuring reliable and high-speed data acquisition; it functions as an anti-fouling coating that prevents fogging of the surface / window by gas emissions or volatile contaminants; and / or is highly resistant to damage from cleaning gases or cleaning radicals generated by the cleaning system 520 of the measuring instrument 508. In some embodiments, the fluorine-based coating layer 544 may be, but is not limited to, a metallic fluoride coating layer such as magnesium fluoride, aluminum fluoride, yttrium fluoride, calcium fluoride, and / or lanthanum fluoride. In some embodiments, the fluorine-based coating layer 544 is fluorine-doped or alloyed quartz or silica, or SiO2. x F y Coating, or fluorine-doped or alloyed boron nitride, or BN x F y This may include, but is not limited to, a non-metallic fluorine coating layer, such as a coating or any combination thereof.

[0029] The cleaning system 520 generates radicals via a remote plasma and is fluidly connected to an inactive chamber 502 adjacent to the measuring device 508 via a cleaning tube 538 and a cleaning port 510. The cleaning port 510 may also include one or more optional cleaning nozzles 540 that can be directed towards the feedthrough port 542 of the measuring device 508. In some embodiments, the cleaning port 510 is located within 5 centimeters (500B in the top view of Figure 5) of the feedthrough port 542. In some embodiments, the cleaning port 510 is located within 2 centimeters (548) of the feedthrough port 542. In some embodiments, two or more cleaning ports can be used for each measuring device to enhance cleaning of the feedthrough ports and fluorinated coating layers. In some embodiments, a single cleaning port can be used to clean multiple feedthrough ports and fluorinated coating layers. For example, the cleaning port may have multiple cleaning nozzles for directing cleaning radicals / gas from a single cleaning port to each feedthrough port.

[0030] Figure 6 shows a cross-sectional view 600A and a bottom view 600B of an insitu measurement device mounted at the bottom of an inactive chamber, according to one embodiment. The bottom-mounted insitu measurement device can be used in conjunction with a back deposition system, etc. In some embodiments, the measurement device 608 may include, but is not limited to, a measurement system 634 such as a reflectometer, ellipsometer, and / or micro-Raman spectrometer. In the example of Figure 6, the measurement system 634 communicates 636 with a multi-channel data acquisition device 614, but the multi-channel data acquisition device 614 may also communicate with other devices such as an analyzer and / or a system controller (see, for example, Figures 1 and 2). The measurement device 608 is positioned via a feedthrough port 642 (e.g., a viewport) after and / or before wafer processing in the process chamber, with the wafer position 612 above the measurement device 608 via a substrate holder 632, thereby covering the measurement range of the wafer 630 (e.g., indicated by the field of view 646 of the measurement system 634). In some embodiments, the feedthrough port 642 shown in the bottom view 600B of Figure 6 may have a larger surface area than the measuring device 608. In some embodiments, the feedthrough port 642 may have the same surface area as the measuring device 608, or it may have a smaller surface area than the measuring device 608.

[0031] The material of the feedthrough port 642 (e.g., quartz) is coated with a fluorine-based coating layer 644. In some embodiments, the material of the feedthrough port 642 can be modified to enhance measurement data from certain types of measuring instruments (e.g., by filtering specific wavelengths). The fluorine-based coating layer 644 is transparent and, in some embodiments, has the following properties: it functions as an anti-reflective coating (ARC) that enhances the capture of measurement data by improving transmittance specific to wavelengths / ranges, ensuring reliable and high-speed data acquisition; it functions as an anti-fouling coating that prevents fogging of the surface / window due to gas emissions or volatile contaminants; and / or is highly resistant to damage from cleaning gases or cleaning radicals generated by the cleaning system 620 of the measuring instrument 608. In some embodiments, the fluorine-based coating layer 644 may be, but is not limited to, a metal fluoride coating layer such as magnesium fluoride, aluminum fluoride, yttrium fluoride, calcium fluoride, and / or lanthanum fluoride. In some embodiments, the fluorine-based coating layer 644 is fluorine-doped or alloyed quartz or silica, or SiO2. x F y Coating, or fluorine-doped or alloyed boron nitride, or BN x F y This may include, but is not limited to, a non-metallic fluorine coating layer, such as a coating or any combination thereof.

[0032] The cleaning system 620 generates radicals via a remote plasma and is fluidly connected to an inactive chamber 602 adjacent to the measuring device 608 via a cleaning tube 638 and a cleaning port 610. The cleaning port 610 may also include one or more optional cleaning nozzles 640 that can be directed towards the feedthrough port 642 of the measuring device 608. In some embodiments, the cleaning port 610 is within 6 centimeters 648 (see bottom view 600B in Figure 6) from the feedthrough port 642. In some embodiments, the cleaning port 610 is within 2 centimeters (648) from the feedthrough port 642. In some embodiments, two or more cleaning ports can be used for each measuring device to enhance cleaning of the feedthrough ports and fluorinated coating layers. In some embodiments, a single cleaning port can be used to clean multiple feedthrough ports and fluorinated coating layers. For example, the cleaning port may have multiple cleaning nozzles for directing cleaning radicals / gas from a single cleaning port to each feedthrough port.

[0033] The apparatus and system of the present principle described above may be retrofitted to or otherwise integrated into the design of a cluster tool, for example, an integrated tool 700 (i.e., a mainframe or cluster tool) described later with respect to Figure 7. The integrated tool 700 includes a vacuum-sealed processing platform 701, a factory interface 704, and a system controller 702. The processing platform 701 comprises several processing chambers, such as 714A, 713B, 714C, 714D, 714E, and 714F, which are operably coupled to vacuum substrate transfer chambers (transfer chambers 703A, 703B in which measuring devices of the present principle can be installed). The factory interface 704 is operably coupled to transfer chamber 703A by one or more load lock chambers (two load lock chambers, such as 706A and 706B shown in Figure 7).

[0034] In some embodiments, the factory interface 704 includes at least one docking station 707 and at least one factory interface robot 738 to facilitate the transfer of semiconductor substrates. The docking station 707 is configured to receive one or more forward-opening unified pods (FOUPs). In the embodiment of Figure 7, four FOUPs are shown, such as 705A, 705B, 705C, and 705D. The factory interface robot 738 is configured to transfer substrates from the factory interface 704 to the processing platform 701 through load lock chambers such as 706A and 706B. Each of the load lock chambers 706A and 706B has a first port coupled to the factory interface 704 and a second port coupled to the transfer chamber 703A. The load lock chambers 706A and 706B are coupled to a pressure control system (not shown) which pumps down and vents the load lock chambers 706A and 706B to facilitate the transfer of substrates between the vacuum environment of the transfer chamber 703A and the substantially ambient (e.g., atmospheric) environment of the factory interface 704. The transfer chambers 703A and 703B have vacuum robots 742A and 742B positioned in their respective transfer chambers 703A and 703B. Vacuum robot 742A can transfer substrates 721 between the load lock chambers 706A and 706B, the processing chambers 714A and 714F, and the cooling station 740 or pre-washing station 742. Vacuum robot 742B can transfer substrates 721 between the cooling station 740 or pre-washing station 742 and the processing chambers 714B, 714C, 714D, and 714E.

[0035] In some embodiments, processing chambers 714A, 714B, 714C, 714D, 714E, and 714F are coupled to transfer chambers 703A, 703B. Processing chambers 714A, 714B, 714C, 714D, 714E, and 714F may include, for example, atomic layer deposition (ALD) process chambers, physical vapor deposition (PVD) process chambers, chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chambers, annealing chambers, and the like. In some embodiments, one or more optional service chambers (indicated as 716A and 716B) may be coupled to transfer chamber 703A. Service chambers 716A and 716B may be configured to perform other substrate processes such as degassing, orientation, substrate measurement, and cooling. The system controller 702 controls the operation of tool 700 by using direct control of process chambers 714A, 714B, 714C, 714D, 714E, and 714F, or alternatively, by controlling the computer (or controller) associated with process chambers 714A, 714B, 714C, 714D, 714E, and 714F and tool 700. In operation, the system controller 702 enables optimization of tool 700 performance through data collection and feedback from each chamber and system. The system controller 702 generally includes a central processing unit (CPU) 730, memory 734, and support circuitry 732. The CPU 730 may be any form of general-purpose computer processor that can be used in an industrial environment. The support circuitry 732 is conventionally coupled to the CPU 730 and may include a cache, clock circuitry, input / output subsystems, power supply, etc. Software routines such as those described above are stored in memory 734 and executed by CPU 730, which can then convert CPU 730 into a purpose-specific computer (system controller) 702. Software routines can also be stored and / or executed by a second controller (not shown) located remotely from tool 700.

[0036] Figure 8 shows a method 800 for preventing out-of-limitations or out-of-specification wafer parameters using in-situ measuring devices in an inactive chamber. During wafer processing, thickness drift, stress, processing hardware deviations, and / or other factors may cause the process to produce out-of-specification wafers. In block 802, data from multiple measuring devices in one or more inactive chambers is continuously received by a multi-channel data acquisition device. In some embodiments, the multi-channel data acquisition device collects, processes, and stores the data. In block 804, the data is checked to verify that the measuring devices are reporting the data correctly. If they are not reporting correctly, in block 806, an optional cleaning process may be called to clean the feedthrough port of that particular measuring device. Cleaning may continue until the data reported by the measuring device is reported correctly. In some embodiments, the cleaning process may be called periodically to ensure that the data reported by the measuring device is correct. In block 808, the multi-channel data acquisition device processes the data in real time to determine whether the wafer process is within specifications. Data integrity checks and processing may include cross-channel data comparisons across a single platform (e.g., see Figure 1) and / or across multiple platforms (e.g., see Figure 2).

[0037] In some embodiments, the multichannel data acquisition system may also employ an optional process analyzer that assists in processing the data using a trained machine learning model to determine whether the data is within specifications for a given wafer process. In block 810, the multichannel data acquisition system and / or the optional process analyzer and model determine what corrective actions are necessary based on the processed data results. Corrective actions may include, but are not limited to, process adjustments such as adjusting the process policy or profile, stopping wafer processing, and / or notifying the user, such as sounding an audible or visible alarm. In block 812, the corrective actions are performed. The multichannel data acquisition system and / or the optional process analyzer and / or model can communicate directly or indirectly with the user or process chamber to issue commands or instructions to proactively perform the corrective actions determined based on the processed data results, thereby preventing further waste and yield reduction.

[0038] Embodiments of this principle may be implemented in hardware, firmware, software, or any combination thereof. Embodiments may also be implemented as instructions stored using one or more computer-readable media that can be read and executed by one or more processors. The computer-readable media may include any mechanism for storing or transmitting information in a form readable by a machine (e.g., a computing platform, or a “virtual machine” operating on one or more computing platforms). For example, the computer-readable media may include any suitable form of volatile or non-volatile memory. In some embodiments, the computer-readable media may include non-temporary computer-readable media.

[0039] The above describes embodiments of the present principle, but other and further embodiments of the present principle can be devised without departing from the basic scope of the principle.

Claims

1. At least one inactive chamber having at least one feedthrough access port, wherein the feedthrough access port is configured to interact with a measuring device, the at least one feedthrough access port has a surface covered with a fluorine-based coating that is exposed to the internal volume of the at least one inactive chamber, and the at least one inactive chamber has wafer access ports to one or more other chambers, The measuring device is positioned outside the at least one inactive chamber and oriented to detect measurement data through one of the at least one feedthrough access ports, A data acquisition device connected to the aforementioned measuring device and configured to continuously receive data from the aforementioned measuring device, A system for monitoring wafer processing results, equipped with the necessary components.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a cleaning device connected to at least one cleaning port, one of the at least one cleaning port being in proximity to the measuring device, and the cleaning device being configured to inject radicals from a remote plasma source into the at least one inactive chamber via one of the at least one cleaning port to clean the fluorine-based coating covering the surface.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the cleaning device is configured to supply fluorine or oxygen gas-based radicals into the at least one inactive chamber.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein the cleaning device is interconnected with the data acquisition device and is configured to perform cleaning when there is a defect in the data from the measuring device.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein one of the at least one feedthrough access ports is a viewport.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the viewport is formed from a quartz material.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the measuring device includes one or more of a reflectometer, an ellipsometer, and a micro-Raman spectrometer.

8. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a measurement process apparatus interconnected with one or more wafer process chambers, wherein the measurement process apparatus includes a trained measurement model configured to receive data from the data acquisition apparatus and to modify at least one wafer process of the one or more wafer process chambers based on the data.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the fluorine-based coating is a metal fluoride-based coating or a non-metallic fluorine-based coating.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one inactive chamber is a transfer chamber, a load lock chamber, or a via chamber.

11. An inactive chamber having a plurality of feedthrough access ports, each of which is configured to interact with one of a plurality of measuring devices, and having a surface covered with a fluorine-based coating exposed to the internal volume of the inactive chamber, wherein the inactive chamber has wafer access ports to one or more other chambers, Each of the plurality of measuring devices is positioned outside the inactive chamber and oriented to detect measurement data through one of the feedthrough access ports, A multi-channel data acquisition device connected to the plurality of measuring devices and configured to continuously receive data from the plurality of measuring devices, A cleaning device connected to a plurality of cleaning ports, each of which is adjacent to one of the plurality of measuring devices, and configured to inject radicals from a remote plasma source into the inactive chamber via at least one of the plurality of cleaning ports to clean the fluorine-based coating covering the surface, A measurement process apparatus interconnected with one or more wafer process chambers, comprising a trained measurement model configured to receive data from a multi-channel data acquisition device and to modify at least one wafer process of the one or more wafer process chambers based on the data, A system for monitoring wafer processing results, equipped with the necessary components.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the cleaning device is configured to supply fluorine or oxygen gas-based radicals into the inactive chamber.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein the cleaning device is interconnected with the multi-channel data acquisition device and is configured to perform cleaning when there is a defect in the data from one or more of the plurality of measuring devices.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the feedthrough access ports is a viewport.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the viewport is formed from a quartz material.

16. The system according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of measuring devices may include one or more of a reflectometer, an ellipsometer, and a micro-Raman spectrometer.

17. The system according to claim 11, wherein the fluorine-based coating is a metal fluoride-based coating or a non-metallic fluorine-based coating.

18. The system according to claim 11, wherein the inactive chamber is a transfer chamber, a load lock chamber, or a via chamber.

19. The method involves continuously receiving data from multiple measuring devices connected to an inactive chamber via a feedthrough port into the inactive chamber, wherein the feedthrough port has a surface coated with a fluorine-based coating that is exposed to the internal volume of the inactive chamber. To determine whether the wafer parameters are outside of specifications, This involves inputting the data into a trained machine learning model that determines measures to modify the wafer process to bring out-of-spec wafer parameters into specification, Sending a command to the process chamber to modify the process based on the measures determined by the trained machine learning model. A method for monitoring wafer processing results, including the method described above.

20. If data from at least one of the plurality of measuring devices transmits defective data, the surface having the fluorine-based coating is cleaned using radicals generated by a remote plasma source. The method according to claim 19, further comprising:

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