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US 12,730,381 B2Granted
Inspection tool for a semiconductor processing tool and methods of use
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsMing-Hsun Tsai, Cheng-Hao Lai, Shang-Chieh Chien, Li-Jui Chen, Heng-Hsin Liu
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Abstract
A wafer table inspection tool described herein is capable of being positioned over a wafer table while the wafer table is positioned in a bottom module of an exposure tool of a lithography system. The wafer table inspection tool is capable of quickly evaluating the condition of surface burls on the wafer table and evaluating cleaning performance of a cleaning operation in which the surface burls are cleaned.
Claims20
A method, comprising:
- performing a cleaning operation to clean a wafer table on a wafer stage of an exposure tool configured to expose a wafer on the wafer table to extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation;
- placing a wafer table inspection tool over the wafer table after the cleaning operation;
- and
- performing, using an image capture device of the wafer table inspection tool, an inspection of the wafer table while the wafer table inspection tool is over the wafer table,
- wherein the image capture device of the wafer table inspection tool is used to inspect a plurality of surface burls on the wafer table;
- partially removing a bottom module from the exposure tool,
- wherein the bottom module includes the wafer table and the wafer stage;
- and
- wherein performing the inspection of the wafer table comprises:
- performing, using the image capture device of the wafer table inspection tool, the inspection of the wafer table while the bottom module is partially removed from the exposure tool and while the wafer table and the wafer stage are in the bottom module.
7 more elements
A method, comprising:
- receiving a wafer on a wafer table positioned in a bottom module of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) scanner tool;
- performing an exposure operation to expose the wafer to EUV radiation using the EUV scanner tool;
- positioning an inspection device over the wafer table included in the bottom module of the EUV scanner tool after the exposure operation, while the bottom module is at least partially removed from the EUV scanner tool;
- generating image sensor data associated with a plurality of surface burls on the wafer table using the inspection device while the bottom module is at least partially removed from the EUV scanner tool;
- generating, based on the image sensor data, respective images for the plurality of surface burls;
- and
- determining, based on the respective images, whether one or more cleaning parameters of a cleaning operation, in which the plurality of surface burls were cleaned, satisfy one or more performance thresholds.
4 more elements
A method performed by a wafer table inspection tool comprising an inspection device and a support frame, the method comprising:
- receiving a wafer on a wafer table positioned in a bottom module of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography system;
- performing an exposure operation to expose the wafer to EUV radiation using the EUV lithography system;
- positioning an inspection device over the wafer table included in the bottom module of the EUV lithography system after the exposure operation, while the bottom module is at least partially removed from the EUV lithography system;
- inspecting, by the inspection device, the wafer table while the wafer table is positioned on a wafer stage in the bottom module of the EUV lithography system, and while the bottom module is at least partially removed from the EUV lithography system to provide access to the wafer table;
- and
- generating image sensor data using the inspection device while the bottom module is at least partially removed from the EUV lithography system,
- wherein the inspection device is secured to the support frame, and
- wherein the support frame is positioned over the wafer table while the wafer table is positioned on the wafer stage while the bottom module is at least partially removed from the EUV lithography system.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.