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US 2004/0043700 A1Published application
Extended kalman filter incorporating offline metrology
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorJim Hofmann
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An algorithm uses offline metrology to control a process by passing information from an outer control loop to an inner control loop, extended Kalman filter estimator. The inner control loop operates online, and the outer control loop operates asynchronously with respect to the inner control loop. The online control loop is updated for each subsequent process. The offline metrology is optionally updated for each subsequent process.
Claims46
A method comprising:
- estimating a state variable for a physical process by use of an extended Kalman Filter (EKF) that operates in an online control loop;
- applying a control statement to the physical process from the online control loop;
- and
- sending an information statement from an offline metrology control loop to the online control loop, wherein the information statement optionally changes estimating the state variable.
1 more element
A method comprising:
- in an outer control loop, sending an information statement in the form of process parameter data from an nth process run to achieve a process parameter first refinement;
- in an inner control loop that uses an extended Kalman filter (EKF), applying the process parameter first refinement to the EKF to achieve a process parameter subsequent refinement;
- and
- sending a control statement in the form of the process parameter subsequent refinement to an (n+m)th process run, wherein m is greater than or equal to 1.
1 more element
A method of polishing a substrate comprising:
- in an outer control loop, applying process parameter data from a process model from at least an nth process run to achieve a process parameter first refinement;
- in an inner control loop that uses an extended Kalman filter (EKF), applying the process parameter first refinement to achieve a process parameter subsequent refinement;
- and
- applying the process parameter subsequent refinement to an (n+m)th process run, wherein m is greater than or equal to 1.
1 more element
A method of planarizing a substrate comprising:
- in an inner loop:
- estimating state variables of a substrate planarizing cycle, wherein estimating includes the use of an extended Kalman filter (EKF) engine;
- and
- estimating the endpoint of the substrate planarizing cycle based upon the estimates of the state variables;
- in an outer loop:
- asynchronously comparing at least one of a state variable and an endpoint to an offline metrology database;
- and
- sending an information statement from the outer loop to the inner loop.
5 more elements
A method comprising:
- estimating a state variable for a physical process by use of an extended Kalman Filter (EKF) that operates in an online control loop;
- applying a control statement to the physical process from the online control loop;
- and
- sending an information statement from an offline metrology control loop to the online control loop, wherein the information statement optionally changes estimating the state variable, wherein sending includes initiating an interrupt of the online control loop.
1 more element
A computer readable medium for executing a set of instructions, the computer readable medium comprising:
- in an inner loop:
- establishing estimates of state variables of a substrate planarizing cycle, wherein establishing includes the use of an extended Kalman filter (EKF) engine;
- and
- estimating the endpoint of the substrate planarizing cycle based upon the estimates of the state variables;
- in an outer loop:
- asynchronously comparing at least one of a state variable and an endpoint to an offline metrology database;
- and
- sending an information statement from the outer loop to the inner loop.
5 more elements
A control system comprising:
- a physical interface;
- an online first, extended Kalman filter (EKF) estimator;
- an offline metrology data base that optionally uses a second EKF estimator;
- an information statement from the offline metrology data base to the first EKF estimator;
- and
- a control statement from the online EKF estimator to the physical interface.
3 more elements
A control system comprising:
- a chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) interface;
- an online first, extended Kalman filter (EKF) estimator;
- an offline metrology data base that optionally uses a second EKF estimator;
- an information statement from the offline metrology data base to the first EKF estimator;
- and
- a control statement from the online EKF estimator to the CMP interface.
3 more elements
A process of fabricating and assembling a microelectronic system comprising:
- processing a substrate with a two-control loop control system, wherein the two-control loop control system includes an online inner control loop and an offline metrology control loop, wherein the inner control loop operates asynchronously from the offline metrology control loop;
- and
- assembling at least a portion of the substrate into an integrated microelectronic device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.