Platform and method of operating for integrated end-to-end gate contact process

A method of forming a gate contact on a semiconductor workpiece using an integrated sequence of processing steps executed on a common manufacturing platform hosting a plurality of processing modules including one or more film-forming modules, one or more etching modules, and one or more transfer modules, the integrated sequence of processing steps comprising:

• receiving a workpiece into the common manufacturing platform, the workpiece having a contact feature formed therein, the contact feature having a semiconductor contact surface exposed at a bottom of the contact feature, the semiconductor contact surface containing silicon, or germanium, or an alloy thereof;
• treating the semiconductor contact surface in one of the one or more etching modules to remove contamination therefrom;
• depositing a metal layer within the contact feature in one of the one or more film-forming modules;
• forming a metal silicide and/or germanide layer by reaction of at least a portion of the deposited metal layer with the semiconductor contact surface;
• and
• inspecting the workpiece before and/or after any one of the treating, depositing, applying, and forming steps to measure one or more attributes of the workpiece, determine whether the measured one or more attributes meet target specifications, and when an excursion from target specifications occurs, take corrective action before, during, or after any one of the integrated sequence of processing steps,
• wherein the integrated sequence of processing steps is executed in a controlled environment within the common manufacturing platform and without leaving the controlled environment, and wherein the one or more transfer modules are used to transfer the workpiece between the plurality of processing modules while maintaining the workpiece within the controlled environment.