# US 2026/0168918 A1 · Semiconductor process monitoring device and semiconductor process monitoring method

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- Number: US 2026/0168918 A1
- Document ID: US20260168918A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 19/126,786
- Filed: 2023-09-01
- Published: 2026-06-18
- Earliest claimed: 2022-12-06
- Assignees: Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.
- Applicants: Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.
- Inventors: Kazuya IGUCHI; Hideki MASUOKA; Kenichi OHTSUKA
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20260168918A1

## CPC

- G01N 21/27: using photo-electric detection (G01N21/31 takes precedence){; circuits for computing concentration (logarithmic circuits G06G7/24; photometric circuits in general G01J)}
- H04N 25/58: involving two or more exposures
- G01J 3/2803: {using photoelectric array detector}
- G01J 3/2823: {Imaging spectrometer}
- G01N 21/3504: for analysing gases, e.g. multi-gas analysis
- H01J 37/32935: {Monitoring and controlling tubes by information coming from the object and/or discharge}
- H01J 37/32972: {Spectral analysis}
- H04N 25/57: Control of the dynamic range
- H04N 25/589: with different integration times, e.g. short and long exposures
- H04N 25/71: Charge-coupled device [CCD] sensors; Charge-transfer registers specially adapted for CCD sensors
- H04N 25/713: Transfer or readout registers; Split readout registers or multiple readout registers
- H04N 25/76: Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors
- H04N 25/78: Readout circuits for addressed sensors, e.g. output amplifiers or A/D converters
- H10P 50/242: {of Group IV materials}
- H10P 72/0604: {Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring}
- H10P 74/238: {comprising acting in response to an ongoing measurement without interruption of processing, e.g. endpoint detection or in-situ thickness measurement}
- G01J 2003/2813: {2D-array}
- G01N 2021/8411: {Application to online plant, process monitoring}
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- 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)
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

A spectroscopic unit wavelength-resolves measurement light from a chamber in a first direction and forms a spectral image for each wavelength in a second direction intersecting with the first direction, a detection unit includes a first pixel region and a second pixel region divided along the second direction, and a determination unit determines whether or not an abnormality occurs in a semiconductor process based on first spectrum data obtained in a first exposure time in the first pixel region and determines an end point of the semiconductor process based on second spectrum data obtained in a second exposure time, longer than the first exposure time, in the second pixel region.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A semiconductor process monitoring device comprising:
a spectroscopic unit configured to spectrally disperse measurement light from a chamber;
a detection unit configured to detect a spectral image of the measurement light spectrally dispersed by the spectroscopic unit; and
a determination unit configured to determine a progress status of a semiconductor process in the chamber, based on data obtained from a detection result of the spectral image of the measurement light,
wherein
the spectroscopic unit wavelength-resolves the measurement light in a first direction and forms a spectral image for each wavelength in a second direction intersecting with the first direction,
the detection unit includes a first pixel region and a second pixel region divided along the second direction, and
the determination unit determines whether or not an abnormality occurs in the semiconductor process based on first spectrum data obtained in a first exposure time in the first pixel region and determines an end point of the semiconductor process based on second spectrum data obtained in a second exposure time, which is longer than the first exposure time, in the second pixel region.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor process monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein
in the first pixel region, the first exposure time is set to be shorter than a first frame time in the first pixel region, and
in the second pixel region, the second exposure time is set to be the same as a second frame time in the second pixel region.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor process monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein
in the first pixel region, the first exposure time is set so that the measurement light is not saturated at least in a long wavelength region of the measurement light, and
in the second pixel region, the second exposure time is set so that the measurement light is not saturated at least in a short wavelength region of the measurement light.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor process monitoring device according to claim 1, further comprising a generation unit configured to combine data in a long wavelength region of the first spectrum data and data in a short wavelength region of the second spectrum data and output the data to the determination unit.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor process monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines whether or not an abnormality occurs in the semiconductor process, based on whether or not a first peak appears in a predetermined wavelength in the long wavelength region of the first spectrum data and determines an end point of the semiconductor process, in a case where a second peak appears in a predetermined wavelength in the short wavelength region of the second spectrum data.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor process monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein
the detection unit is a CCD photodetector including
a first horizontal shift register to which a charge generated in each column of the first pixel region is transferred and
a second horizontal shift register to which a charge generated in each column of the second pixel region is transferred.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor process monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein
the detection unit is a CCD photodetector including
a first accumulation unit in which the charges generated in each column of the first pixel region are accumulated,
a second accumulation unit in which the charges generated in each column of the second pixel region are accumulated,
a first reading unit configured to output an electrical signal of each column according to an amount of the charges accumulated in the first accumulation unit, and
a second reading unit configured to output an electrical signal of each column according to an amount of the charges accumulated in the second accumulation unit.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor process monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein
the detection unit is a CMOS photodetector including
a first reading unit configured to output an electric signal according to an amount of charges accumulated in each pixel of the first pixel region and
a second reading unit configured to output an electric signal according to an amount of charges accumulated in each pixel of the second pixel region.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor process monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the first exposure time of the first pixel region is controlled by an electronic shutter.

### Claim 10

A semiconductor process monitoring method comprising:
spectrally dispersing measurement light from a chamber;
detecting a spectral image of the measurement light spectrally dispersed by the spectrally dispersing measurement light; and
determining a progress status of a semiconductor process in the chamber, based on data obtained from a detection result of the spectral image of the measurement light,
wherein
in the spectrally dispersing measurement light, the measurement light is wavelength-resolved in a first direction, and a spectral image is formed for each wavelength in a second direction intersecting with the first direction,
in the detecting a spectral image of the measurement light, a photodetector including a first pixel region and a second pixel region divided along the second direction detects the spectral image, and
in the determining a progress status of a semiconductor process in the chamber, it is determined whether or not an abnormality occurs in the semiconductor process based on first spectrum data obtained in a first exposure time in the first pixel region, and an end point of the semiconductor process is determined based on second spectrum data obtained in a second exposure time, which is longer than the first exposure time, in the second pixel region.