In-situ wafer monitoring with dynamic backside gas feedback control as wafer bow countermeasure

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure provide an electrostatic chuck (ESC)/backside gas (BSG) system. For example, the ESC/BSG system can include an ESC and a BSG cooling device integrated with the ESC. The ESC can be configured to generate an electrostatic chucking force according to an electrostatic voltage applied thereto to clamp a semiconductor structure with a backside placed onto the ESC. The BSG cooling device can be configured to introduce to the backside of the semiconductor structure a backside gas at a backside gas pressure. The ESC/BSG system can further include a monitoring system configured to monitoring bowing of the semiconductor structure, and a controller coupled between the monitoring system and the ESC and the BSG cooling device. The controller can be configured to adjust the electrostatic voltage and/or the backside gas pressure according to the bowing of the semiconductor structure.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.