On-board metrology (OBM) design and implication in process tool

An apparatus, comprising:

• a factory interface;
• a first storage pod coupled to a first side of the factory interface through a first load port, and the first storage pod comprises one or more substrate carriers;
• a metrology housing removably coupled to the first side of the factory interface through a second load port, the metrology housing comprises an on-board metrology assembly for measuring film properties of a substrate to be transferred into the metrology housing;
• and
• a load lock chamber coupled to a second side of the factory interface, wherein the second side is opposed to the first side, and the factory interface has a robot configured to provide access to the metrology housing and the load lock chamber,
• wherein the on-board metrology assembly comprises:
• a light source;
• a spectrograph;
• a supporting frame securing the light source and the spectrograph;
• a first set of fiber-optic bundles optically connected to the light source and the spectrograph;
• a first set of collimators coupled to the first set of fiber-optic bundles;
• and
• an aligner module, the aligner module comprising:
• an aligner plate having a rotating mechanism;
• a second set of fiber-optic bundles in electrical communication with the first set of fiber-optic bundles;
• and
• a second set of collimators in electrical communication with the first set of collimators, wherein the second set of fiber-optic bundles is coupled to the second set of collimators.

A processing tool, comprising:

• a transfer chamber having a robotic arm;
• a factory interface having an atmospheric robot, wherein the factory interface further comprises:
• a reference datum plate disposed on a wall of the factory interface on the second side;
• and
• one or more support brackets mounted onto the reference datum plate, the one or more support brackets have at least a guiding pin;
• a batch curing chamber coupled to the factory interface;
• a load lock chamber having a first side coupling to the transfer chamber and a second side coupling to a first side of the factory interface, the load lock chamber is configured to receive one or more substrates from the atmospheric robot;
• a flowable CVD deposition chamber coupled to the transfer chamber;
• a first storage pod coupled to a second side of the factory interface through a first load port, and the first storage pod comprises one or more substrate carriers;
• and
• an metrology housing coupled to the second side of the factory interface through a second load port, the metrology housing comprises an on-board metrology assembly for measuring film properties of a substrate to be transferred into the metrology housing by the atmospheric robot.