Universal Monitor Lot Inheritance for Batch Metrology

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional semiconductor batch processing requires each production lot to undergo pre-measurement steps with a monitor lot, leading to delays and increased processing time due to the need for multiple monitor units to accommodate different process conditions.

Innovation Solution

A universal monitor lot with stored pre-metrology data is used, allowing it to inherit process conditions from production lots, eliminating the need for pre-measurement steps in the production lots and enabling data transfer post-processing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If each production lot is staged with a dedicated monitor lot for pre-measurement, then process control data can be obtained for each lot, but production cycle time increases and processing efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocess control data accuracyVSAvoidproduction cycle time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

A single universal monitor lot is used to serve multiple production lots across different process conditions. The monitor lot is configured with inherit functionality to adapt to various production flows, eliminating the need for separate dedicated monitor lots for each production lot while maintaining measurement accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The monitor lot undergoes pre-measurement independently before being staged with production lots. Pre-metrology data is collected and stored in advance, allowing the monitor lot to be ready for inheritance without delaying production lot processing. This separates the timing of measurement from the timing of data transfer.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple monitor units are used to accommodate different process conditions, then each production flow receives appropriate process control, but device complexity and resource requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocess condition accommodationVSAvoidmonitor lot configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The monitor lot is designed as a universal unit that can accommodate multiple process conditions through configuration inheritance. Instead of requiring separate monitor lots for different production flows, a single monitor lot can be staged with different production lots and inherit the appropriate process conditions for each, reducing the number of monitor units needed while maintaining adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The monitor lot configuration is made dynamic through the inherit functionality, allowing it to adapt to different process conditions based on which production lot it is staged with. The monitor lot can inherit process parameters, metrology data, and control settings from the associated production lot, enabling flexible accommodation of varying process requirements without physical reconfiguration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Manufacturing precision

If production lots undergo pre-measurement steps with monitor lots, then process control measurements are obtained, but the number of process steps increases and productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelayer thickness measurementVSAvoidwafer processing throughput

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The pre-measurement step is extracted from the production lot process flow and performed independently on the monitor lot alone. The production lots are staged with the monitor lot after pre-measurement, eliminating the requirement for production lots to undergo separate pre-measurement steps. This separates the measurement function from the production flow, maintaining measurement capability while reducing process steps for production lots.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The monitor lot acts as an intermediary that carries pre-metrology data through the batch process to be transferred to production lots afterward. Instead of measuring each production lot directly, the system uses the monitor lot as a mediator to obtain measurements that are then inherited by production lots, reducing the number of measurement steps in the production flow while maintaining measurement capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS9939808B2Monitor data attachment to product lots for batch processes

Publication Date: 2018.04.10 TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INC

AI summary

A method of process control for a batch process includes pre-measuring a monitor lot to obtain pre-metrology data regarding at least a first process parameter. There are no product units included with the monitor lot. The pre-metrology data is saved together with an identifier for the first monitor unit. A batch is staged for the batch process including at least a first product lot including a plurality of product units together with the first monitor unit. The batch is batch processed through the batch process. After the batch processing, the first monitor unit is measured to obtain post-metrology data for the first process parameter. At least one of the post-metrology data and a difference between the post-metrology data and pre-metrology data is saved to a data file with an identifier for the first product lot or the pre-metrology data and post-metrology data is directly written to the first product lot.