# US 2022/0034708 A1 · Method and apparatus for controlling the temperature of a semiconductor wafer > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2022/0034708 A1 - Document ID: US20220034708A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/278,736 - Filed: 2019-09-18 - Published: 2022-02-03 - Earliest claimed: 2018-09-28 - Assignees: Metryx Limited - Applicants: Metryx Limited - Inventors: Gregor ELLIOTT; Eric TONNIS; Paul HARRISON; Mark BERRY - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20220034708A1 ## CPC - G01G 23/00: Auxiliary devices for weighing apparatus - G01G 23/48: Temperature-compensating arrangements (G01G1/14, G01G1/42, G01G3/18 take precedence) - G01J 5/0007: {of wafers or semiconductor substrates, e.g. using Rapid Thermal Processing} - G05D 23/1951: {with control of the working time of a temperature controlling device} - H10P 72/0434: {mainly by convection} - H10P 72/0602: {Temperature monitoring} - H10P 72/0604: {Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring} - G01G: WEIGHING (sorting by weighing B07C5/16) - G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N) - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract A semiconductor wafer mass metrology method comprising: controlling the temperature of a semiconductor wafer by: detecting information relating to the temperature of the semiconductor wafer; and controlling cooling or heating of the semiconductor wafer based on the detected information relating to the temperature of the semiconductor wafer; wherein controlling the cooling or heating of the semiconductor wafer comprises controlling a duration of the cooling or heating of the semiconductor wafer; and subsequently loading the semiconductor wafer onto a measurement area of a semiconductor wafer mass metrology apparatus. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A semiconductor wafer mass metrology method comprising: controlling the temperature of a semiconductor wafer by: detecting information relating to the temperature of the semiconductor wafer; and controlling cooling or heating of the semiconductor wafer based on the detected information relating to the temperature of the semiconductor wafer; wherein controlling the cooling or heating of the semiconductor wafer comprises controlling a duration of the cooling or heating of the semiconductor wafer; and subsequently loading the semiconductor wafer onto a measurement area of a semiconductor wafer mass metrology apparatus. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the information relating to the temperature of the semiconductor wafer is detected using a non-contact measurement method. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein detecting the information relating to the temperature of the semiconductor wafer comprises detecting radiation emitted by the semiconductor wafer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises: comparing the detected information relating to the temperature of the semiconductor wafer with a threshold value; and controlling the cooling or heating of the semiconductor wafer based on the result of the comparison. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises: comparing the detected information relating to the temperature of the semiconductor wafer with a threshold value; based on the result of the comparison, categorising the semiconductor wafer into one of a plurality of categories; and controlling the cooling or heating of the semiconductor wafer based on the result of the categorisation. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein controlling the cooling or heating of the semiconductor wafer comprises controlling a rate of the cooling or heating of the semiconductor wafer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor wafer is cooled or heated using a powered cooling or heating device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein controlling the cooling or heating of the semiconductor wafer comprises controlling a power of the cooling or heating device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, where controlling the cooling or heating of the semiconductor wafer comprises controlling a duration of the cooling or heating of the semiconductor wafer to be zero when the temperature of the semiconductor wafer is equal to, or within a predetermined range of, a predetermined temperature. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein controlling the cooling or heating of the semiconductor wafer comprises skipping an available cooling or heating step if a temperature difference between a measured temperature of the semiconductor wafer and a predetermined temperature is less than ±2K, or ±1K, or ±0.5K, or ±0.1K. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The semiconductor wafer mass metrology method according to claim 1, wherein: the measurement area is inside a measurement chamber; and the temperature of the semiconductor wafer is controlled to be substantially equal to the temperature of the measurement chamber, or within ±2K, or ±1K, or ±0.5K, or ±0.1K, of the temperature of the measurement chamber. ### Claim 12 A semiconductor wafer mass metrology apparatus comprising: a cooling or heating part for cooling or heating a semiconductor wafer; a controller configured to control cooling or heating of the semiconductor wafer by the cooling or heating part based on detected information relating to the temperature of the semiconductor wafer; and a measurement area; wherein the controller is configured to control a duration of cooling or heating of the semiconductor wafer by the cooling or heating part. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the controller is configured to: compare the detected information relating to the temperature of the semiconductor wafer with a threshold value; and control the cooling or heating of the semiconductor wafer based on the result of the comparison. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the controller is configured to: compare the detected information relating to the temperature of the semiconductor wafer with a threshold value; based on the result of the comparison, categorise the semiconductor wafer into one of a plurality of categories; and control the cooling or heating of the semiconductor wafer based on the result of the categorisation. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the controller is configured to control a duration of time that the semiconductor wafer is in contact with the cooling or heating part. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the controller is configured to control a rate of cooling or heating of the cooling or heating part. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the cooling or heating part comprises a powered cooling or heating device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to control a power of the powered cooling or heating device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The apparatus according to claim 12, where the controller is configured to control a duration of the cooling or heating of the semiconductor wafer to be zero when the temperature of the semiconductor wafer is equal to, or within a predetermined range of, a predetermined temperature. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the controller is configured to skip an available cooling or heating step if a temperature difference between a measured temperature of the semiconductor wafer and a predetermined temperature is less than ±2K, or ±1K, or ±0.5K, or ±0.1K. ### Claim 21 (depends on 12) The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the apparatus comprises a detector configured to detect the information relating to the temperature of the semiconductor wafer. ### Claim 22 (depends on 12) A system comprising: the apparatus according to claim 12; and a detector configured to detect the information relating to the temperature of the semiconductor wafer. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the detector comprises an infrared detector for detecting infrared radiation from the semiconductor wafer. ### Claim 24 (depends on 12) The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the apparatus is a semiconductor wafer mass metrology apparatus that further comprises a measurement area. ### Claim 25 (depends on 22) The system according to claim 22, wherein the detector comprises an infrared detector for detecting infrared radiation from the semiconductor wafer.