Close Proximity Scanning Surface Contamination Analyzer

A method for measuring spatial distributions of chemical species on a top surface of an electronic device substrate, comprising the steps of:

• providing an array of sensors for detecting chemicals, in which each sensor detects a different chemical and outputs an electrical signal upon detection of the chemical;
• locating said array of sensors adjacent to said substrate to enable detection of said chemicals from a top surface of said substrate;
• providing an electrical signal analyzer to collect and analyze said electrical signals from said array of sensors;
• providing a mechanical scanning mechanism for moving said array of sensors and said substrate relative to each other;
• moving said array of sensors and said substrate relative to each other by means of said mechanical scanning mechanism while said array of sensors is detecting said chemicals from said top surface and outputting said electrical signals;
• and
• collecting and analyzing said electrical signals by said electrical signal analyzer and generating a report of spatial distributions of said chemicals on said top surface of said electronic device substrate.

A method of fabricating an electronic device, comprising steps of:

• providing a substrate;
• providing an array of sensors for detecting chemicals, in which each sensor detects a different chemical and outputs an electrical signal upon detection of the chemical;
• locating said array of sensors adjacent to said substrate to enable detection of said chemicals from a top surface of said substrate;
• providing an electrical signal analyzer to collect and analyze said electrical signals from said array of sensors;
• providing a mechanical scanning mechanism for moving said array of sensors and said substrate relative to each other;
• moving said array of sensors and said substrate relative to each other by means of said mechanical scanning mechanism while said array of sensors is detecting said chemicals from said top surface and outputting said electrical signals;
• collecting and analyzing said electrical signals by said electrical signal analyzer and generating a report of spatial distributions of said chemicals on said top surface of said electronic device substrate;
• and
• using said report of said spatial distributions to reduce chemical contaminations on a second substrate.