Collimator-Based Erosion Profiling for Thin-Film Deposition Fault Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
In thin-film deposition processes, existing technologies fail to effectively detect abnormalities in the erosion status of targets, leading to potential defects in deposited films, which can affect multiple wafers and result in suboptimal film quality due to contaminants, impurities, or equipment flaws.
Innovation Solution
A system and method utilizing sensors to scan the collimator's dimensions after deposition, deriving an erosion profile, and employing machine learning to analyze this data and detect abnormalities, allowing for immediate cessation of the deposition process when defects are identified.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If continuous monitoring of target erosion is implemented, then film quality is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical monitoring systems with optical measurement techniques. Sensors detect collimator dimension changes optically to infer target erosion, eliminating the need for direct physical contact or complex mechanical probes in the deposition chamber.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a collimator as an intermediary element between the target and substrate. The collimator serves dual purposes: it maintains deposition quality while its dimension changes provide indirect information about target erosion, allowing monitoring without direct target access.
2Productivity
If real-time detection of target erosion is implemented, then productivity is improved by preventing defective wafers, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of target erosion during the deposition process using collimator dimension measurements. This allows early identification of abnormal erosion patterns before they affect multiple wafers, enabling preventive action while maintaining high productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where collimator dimension measurements are continuously monitored and compared against reference values. When deviations indicate abnormal target erosion, the system provides feedback to stop the deposition process, preventing defective wafer production.
3Measurement precision
If detailed erosion profile measurement is performed, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time increases due to post-deposition scanning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables continuous measurement of collimator dimensions during the deposition process without interrupting the deposition. This continuous monitoring provides detailed erosion profiles in real-time, eliminating the need for separate post-deposition scanning operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The collimator serves itself by having its dimension changes directly indicate target erosion status. The same collimator that maintains deposition quality also provides the measurement signal, eliminating the need for separate measurement devices and reducing detection time.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables early detection of defective deposition processes, preventing further wafer contamination and ensuring consistent film quality by stopping the process before additional wafers are affected.
Implementation Method 1
scanning a dimension of a collimator mounted between the target and the substrate by using at least one sensor disposed in the thin-film deposition chamber
Implementation Method 2
In a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process, a target is bombarded with plasma of inert gas such as argon and material are sputtered off from the target and deposited onto a substrate
Data Source
AI summary
A system and a method for detecting abnormality of a thin-film deposition process are provided. In the method, a thin-film is deposited on a substrate in a thin-film deposition chamber by using a target, a dimension of a collimator mounted between the target and the substrate is scanned by using at least one sensor disposed in the thin-film deposition chamber to derive an erosion profile of the target, and abnormality of the thin-film deposition process is detected by analyzing the erosion profile with an analysis model trained with data of a plurality of erosion profiles derived under a plurality of deposition conditions.