System and method for detecting wafers outgassing in a vacuum load-lock using a residual gas sensor

Abstract

This document discloses a system and method for detecting and / or minimizing gas release contamination from a sample into a tool. The system includes: a tool configured to characterize a test sample, wherein the operating conditions of the characterization tool include a vacuum level of 10⁻⁶ Torr or higher; a load-locked chamber; and a time-of-flight residual gas analyzer (TOF-RGA) sensor fluidly connected to the load-locked chamber, the TOF-RGA being configured to provide instantaneous measurements of the composition of the gas released from the test sample into the load-locked chamber. Disclosed herein are a system and a method for detecting and / or minimizing outgassing contamination released from a sample into a tool, the system including: a tool configured to characterize a tested sample, wherein operating conditions of the characterization tool includes reaching a vacuum level of 10-6 Torr or higher, a load lock chamber, and a time-of-flight residual gas analyzer (TOF-RGA) sensor in fluid flow communication with the load-lock chamber, the TOF-RGA is configured to provide a real-time measurement of a composition of gasses released from the tested sample into the load lock chamber.

Images