Load Lock Thermal Conditioning for Faster Particle Beam Inspection
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Solution Overview
Problem
In semiconductor IC chip manufacturing, pattern defects and uninvited particles on wafers and masks reduce yield, and conventional particle beam inspection systems face delays due to temperature stabilization requirements, impacting throughput.
Innovation Solution
An improved load lock system with a conditioning plate and gas vent for thermal conditioning of wafers, allowing for temperature adjustment and gas transfer to match the wafer temperature with the inspection stage, enabling faster inspection by reducing wait times for stabilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a wafer is loaded into a conventional inspection system, then the wafer can be inspected, but the system must wait for temperature stabilization before inspection can begin, reducing throughput
Solution Approach 1:
The load lock system performs preliminary thermal conditioning of the wafer before it enters the inspection chamber. The conditioning plate adjusts the wafer temperature to match the inspection stage temperature in advance, eliminating the need for post-loading temperature stabilization and enabling immediate inspection.
Solution Approach 2:
The system separates the temperature conditioning function from the inspection function by using a dedicated load lock chamber with a conditioning plate. This segmentation allows thermal conditioning to occur independently in the load lock while the inspection chamber maintains its vacuum and operational conditions, enabling parallel processing.
2Productivity
If the wafer temperature is adjusted using conventional methods, then temperature matching can be achieved, but the process requires sequential operations that reduce efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The conditioning plate acts as an intermediary thermal interface between the wafer and the inspection stage. It transfers heat to or from the wafer through controlled thermal contact, enabling temperature matching without requiring complex heating or cooling systems in the inspection chamber itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the temperature parameter of the wafer in the load lock chamber to match the inspection stage temperature before transfer. This parameter adjustment is achieved through the conditioning plate's thermal exchange capability, allowing flexible temperature control without modifying the inspection chamber's operational parameters.
3Productivity
If simultaneous wafer conditioning and inspection is implemented, then throughput increases, but vacuum compatibility must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the vacuum environment into separate zones: the load lock chamber where thermal conditioning occurs and the inspection chamber where vacuum integrity is maintained. This segmentation allows the conditioning plate to operate with gas exchange for thermal control while the inspection chamber maintains its vacuum for beam operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The load lock chamber serves as an intermediary zone between atmospheric conditions and the vacuum inspection chamber. It provides a transition environment where thermal conditioning can occur without compromising the vacuum integrity of the inspection chamber, enabling simultaneous conditioning and inspection operations.
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
The improved load lock system enhances the throughput of particle beam inspection systems by allowing for simultaneous wafer conditioning and inspection, reducing the delay between wafer processing and analysis, thereby increasing the efficiency of the overall inspection process.
Implementation Method 1
providing a gas to the load lock chamber and enabling a first heat transfer element in a first conditioning plate to adjust a temperature of the first conditioning plate for transferring heat through the gas to the wafer
Data Source
AI summary
An improved particle beam inspection apparatus, and more particularly, a particle beam inspection apparatus including an improved load lock unit is disclosed. An improved load lock system may comprise a plurality of supporting structures configured to support a wafer and a conditioning plate including a heat transfer element configured to adjust a temperature of the wafer. The load lock system may further comprise a gas vent configured to provide a gas between the conditioning plate and the wafer and a controller configured to assist with the control of the heat transfer element.