US 11,538,722 B2 · Optical diagnostics of semiconductor process using hyperspectral imaging

Abstract

Disclosed are embodiments of an improved apparatus and system, and associated methods for optically diagnosing a semiconductor manufacturing process. A hyperspectral imaging system is used to acquire spectrally-resolved images of emissions from the plasma, in a plasma processing system. Acquired hyperspectral images may be used to determine the chemical composition of the plasma and the plasma process endpoint. Alternatively, a hyperspectral imaging system is used to acquire spectrally-resolved images of a substrate before, during, or after processing, to determine properties of the substrate or layers and features formed on the substrate, including whether a process endpoint has been reached; or before or after processing, for inspecting the substrate condition.

Claims16

Dependent claims

An optical detector for detecting an optical signal from a semiconductor processing system, the optical detector being configured for detecting an optical signal transmitted through a window mounted in a wall of the semiconductor processing system, the optical detector comprising:

collecting optics, configured for collecting and transmitting the optical signal transmitted by the window;
a tunable Fabry Perot cavity for tunably selecting a wavelength of the transmitted optical signal;
an array detector for detecting the wavelength-filtered optical signal;
and
a controller for controlling at least the tunable Fabry Perot cavity and array detector, and for storing and processing images acquired by the array detector.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Optical diagnostics of semiconductor process using hyperspectral imaging

Life of this patent

Optical diagnostics of semiconductor process using hyperspectral imaging

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16