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US 11,056,371 B2Granted
Tool and method for cleaning electrostatic chuck
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsYueh-Lin Yang, Chi-Hung Liao
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method includes transmitting a radiation toward an electrostatic chuck, receiving a reflection of the radiation, analyzing the reflection of the radiation, determining whether a particle is present on the electrostatic chuck based on the analyzing the reflection of the radiation, and moving a cleaning tool to a location of the particle on the electrostatic chuck when the determination determines that the particle is present.
Claims20
A method, comprising:
- emitting, by a first portion of an optical inspection instrument, a radiation toward a bottom surface of an electrostatic chuck, wherein the optical inspection instrument is below the bottom surface of the electrostatic chuck;
- receiving, by a second portion of the optical inspection instrument, a reflection of the radiation;
- analyzing the reflection of the radiation;
- determining whether a particle is present on the electrostatic chuck based on the analyzing the reflection of the radiation;
- and
- moving a cleaning tool to a location of the particle on the electrostatic chuck when the determination determines that the particle is present.
3 more elements
A method, comprising:
- moving a platform of a cleaning tool toward an electrostatic chuck, wherein the cleaning tool comprises a casing surrounding the platform while being spaced apart from the platform to define an exhaust duct around at least opposite sides of the platform;
- releasing a particle from the electrostatic chuck using the platform of the cleaning tool;
- and
- after releasing the particle from the electrostatic chuck, drawing the particle from above the platform into the exhaust duct using a vacuum source in gaseous communication with the exhaust duct.
1 more element
A method, comprising:
- scanning a light signal over a bottom surface of an electrostatic chuck;
- detecting the light signal reflected from the electrostatic chuck;
- comparing a light intensity of the light signal reflected from the electrostatic chuck with a standard intensity to determine a location of a particle on the electrostatic chuck;
- and
- collecting the particle by an exhaust duct below the bottom surface of the electrostatic chuck.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.