Performing planarization process controls in semiconductor fabrication
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsChunhung Chen, Sheng-Chen Wang, Chin Wei Chuang
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Abstract
A planarization process is performed to a wafer. In various embodiments, the planarization process may include a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process. A byproduct generated by the planarization process is collected and analyzed. Based on the analysis, one or more process controls are performed for the planarization process. In some embodiments, the process controls include but are not limited to process endpoint detection or halting the planarization process based on detecting an error associated with the planarization process.
Claims21
A method, comprising:
- performing a planarization process to a wafer;
- collecting a byproduct generated by the planarization process;
- analyzing the byproduct;
- and
- performing one or more process controls for the planarization process based on the analyzing.
A method, comprising:
- performing a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process to a wafer, wherein the CMP process is performed using a CMP tool that includes a polishing unit and a cleaning unit;
- capturing liquid samples of a byproduct produced by the polishing unit or by the cleaning unit;
- applying a ray or a wave to the captured liquid samples of the byproduct;
- measuring a response of the captured liquid samples to the applied ray or wave;
- determining, based on the measured response, what elements are included in the byproduct;
- and
- performing a CMP process control based on the determining.
16-20. (canceled)
A method, comprising:
- collecting, from a wafer polishing tool, a liquid that is produced as a result of a polishing process being performed on a wafer by the wafer polishing tool;
- identifying one or more elements contained in the collected liquid;
- determining, based on the identifying of the one or more elements, that an end-point for the polishing process has been reached or that the polishing process has an abnormality;
- and
- performing one or more process controls with respect to the polishing process in response to the determining.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.