Chamber stability monitoring using an integrated metrology tool

A method of adjusting a process recipe in a processing chamber, comprising:

• placing the substrate in an integrated metrology tool before the substrate enters the processing chamber;
• collecting pre-process measurement data prior to substrate processing, using the integrated metrology tool;
• moving the substrate into the processing chamber;
• and
• adjusting, in real time, the process recipe used by the processing chamber to process the substrate based on the pre-process measurement data and a process rate trend.

A method of monitoring a process performed by a processing chamber, comprising:

• moving a substrate into the process chamber;
• collecting pre-process measurement data prior to substrate processing using an in-situ metrology tool;
• processing the substrate in the processing chamber;
• recording a total processing time;
• and
• collecting post-process measurement data after substrate processing using the in-situ metrology tool.

A method of adjusting a process recipe in a processing chamber, comprising:

• moving a substrate into the process chamber;
• collecting pre-process measurement data prior to substrate processing, using the in-situ metrology tool;
• and
• adjusting, in real time, the process recipe used by the processing chamber to process the substrate based on the pre-process measurement data and a process rate trend.

Apparatus for processing a substrate, comprising:

• a process chamber for processing a substrate;
• a metrology tool for measuring film thickness and critical dimension information of the substrate prior to and after processing by the process chamber;
• and
• a computer system, coupled to the process chamber and the measurement tool, for calculating a process rate and process trend information, and storing the film thickness and critical dimension information.