Control Wafer Recess Epitaxy Thickness Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for monitoring inline semiconductor production are complex and costly, requiring excessive control wafers for accurate simulation due to the inability to grow multi-layered films on flat control wafers, leading to time-consuming and expensive processes.
Innovation Solution
A control wafer making device and method that involves forming a recess on a substrate, growing an epitaxy within the recess, and measuring its thickness using polarized light, allowing for high-accuracy, low-cost, and time-efficient monitoring of inline production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If complex procedures are used for monitoring inline production, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the monitoring function from complex inline procedures to a simplified offline control wafer system. By removing the monitoring task from the main production line and placing it on separate control wafers with recesses, the system achieves accurate measurement without adding complexity to the inline production process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameter of the control wafer surface by creating recesses. This structural parameter change enables the control wafer to simulate real production conditions more accurately while allowing for simplified measurement procedures using polarized light, thus improving monitoring precision without increasing procedural complexity.
2Measurement precision
If excessive control wafers are used for accurate simulation, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of substance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a new dimensional feature (recesses) on the control wafer surface, enabling multi-layered film simulation on a single wafer. This dimensional change allows one control wafer to replace multiple flat wafers, reducing wafer consumption while maintaining simulation accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The control wafer with recesses serves multiple functions: it simulates multi-layered film structures, provides accurate thickness measurement, and reduces the number of wafers needed. This multi-functionality allows a single control wafer design to achieve accurate simulation with reduced material consumption.
3Measurement precision
If multiple control wafers are used for monitoring, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple monitoring functions into a single control wafer with recesses. By combining multi-layered film simulation and thickness measurement capabilities in one wafer structure, the system reduces the number of separate wafers and measurement steps, thereby reducing cycle time while maintaining measurement precision.
4Measurement precision
If destructive physical analysis is used for measurement, then measurement precision is improved, but ease of operation worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces destructive mechanical/physical analysis methods with non-destructive optical measurement using polarized light. This substitution maintains measurement precision by accurately measuring epitaxy thickness while dramatically improving ease of operation, as the measurement process becomes simple, non-invasive, and suitable for routine monitoring.
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
This approach enables accurate simulation of inline production with reduced wafer requirements, lowering costs and cycle time while allowing for non-destructive measurement of epitaxy thickness, thereby improving monitoring efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
measuring an epitaxy thickness in a control wafer includes: measuring a thickness of the epitaxy by a polarized light
Data Source
AI summary
A control wafer making device, a method of measuring an epitaxy thickness in a control wafer, and a method for monitoring a control wafer are provided. In various embodiments, the control wafer making device includes a wafer substrate removing element and an epitaxy forming element. In various embodiments, a control wafer includes a substrate, a recess, a blocking layer, and an epitaxy. The substrate has a surface, and the recess is in the surface of the substrate. The blocking layer is over the surface of the substrate other than the recess. The epitaxy is in the recess. In various embodiments, the thickness of the epitaxy of the control wafer is measured by a polarized light.