US 5,233,191 AGranted

Method and apparatus of inspecting foreign matters during mass production start-up and mass production line in semiconductor production process

AssigneeHitachi, Ltd.

InventorsMinori Noguchi, Yukio Kembo, Hiroshi Morioka, Hiroshi Yamaguchi, Makiko Kohno, Yoshimasa Ohshima

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Abstract

Method and apparatus of detecting, analyzing and evaluating the content of foreign matters such as dusts and impurities contained in various materials, units, processes and environment standing for constituting components of a mass production line during mass production start-up and during mass production, in order to manage a semiconductor production process. A mass production off-line system including an apparatus for detecting, analyzing and evaluating the content of foreign matters during the mass production start-up is separated from the production line and installed independently thereof. Monitors for detection of foreign matters are provided at necessary locations in the production line and monitor data is evaluated through various units to manage the content of foreign matters in the production line, permitting efficient and economical mass production start-up and mass production. The kind of element of a foreign matter on sampling wafer detected in the mass production line is analyzed by means of STM/STS and the results are compared with a data base to effect identification. A foreign matter or a contaminant is detected by detecting a scatttered beam, of a light spot which scans the surface of a substrate. The detection of the scattered beam is carried out under the condition that Rayleigh scattering of the light spot on the light spot irradiation and reflection paths and Rayleigh scattering of the scattered beam on the scattered beam detection path are suppressed to a minimum. For the suppression of Rayleigh scattering, a low-pressure or low-temperature atmosphere may be used.

Claims14

Dependent claims

In a method of manufacturing semiconductors by processing semiconductor wafers through a semiconductor production apparatus group or line having a utility group including a gas supplier means and a water supplier means and a plurality of production apparatus located in a predetermined processing atmosphere, the method comprising a foreign substance inspection method for mass production start-up and mass-production line for manufacture of semiconductors, the inspection method including the steps of:

for mass production start-up, supplying at least one sampling wafer to at least one of the gas supplier means, the water supplier means and the plurality of production apparatus so as to process the supplied at least one sampling wafer in accordance therewith and to determine generation of a foreign substance and a contaminant;
collecting the at least one processed sampling wafer and utilizing an off-line inspecting system having a detecting apparatus for detecting the collected sampling wafer to determine whether the collected sampling wafer contains a foreign substance inclusive of a contaminant and for detecting a foreign substance existing position, an analysis apparatus for identifying at least a kind of the detected foreign substance on the basis of the detected foreign substance existing position, and a system for investigating at least causes of generation of the detected foreign substance on the basis of the identified kind of the foreign substance so as to enable mass production of semiconductors by enabling control of the plurality of production apparatus and the utility group in dependence upon the identified generation causes so as to enable removal thereof;
and
for mass production of semiconductors, utilizing an on-line foreign substance control and inspecting system including sensing apparatus with monitors located selectively along the production apparatus line and a control system for controlling the sensing apparatus wherein the monitors enable monitoring of data of parameters including temperature, dust generated within and between the production apparatus, water, gas and pressure, which parameters effect abnormal generation of foreign substances inclusive of contaminants and thereby enable detection of changes in monitor data of the parameters.

1 more element

In a system for producing semiconductors by processing semiconductor wafers by a semiconductor production apparatus group or line having a utility group including gas supplier means and a water supplier means, a plurality of production apparatus, and a foreign substance inspection system for mass production start-up and mass production line for manufacture of semiconductors, comprising:

an off-line inspection system for mass production start-up for enabling semiconductor mass production by applying countermeasures with respect to causes of foreign substances generated in the apparatus group or line,
the offline inspection system including sampling apparatus for supplying at least one sampling wafer to at least one of the gas supplier means, the water supplier means and the plurality of production apparatus so as to process the supplied at least one sampling wafer in accordance therewith and to determine generation of a foreign substance and a contaminant,
a detecting apparatus for detecting whether a process sampling wafer contains a foreign substance inclusive of a contaminant and for detecting a foreign substance existing position from the process sampling wafer,
an analysis apparatus for analyzing data of the foreign substance detected in the process sampling wafer for identifying at least a kind of the foreign substance on the basis of the foreign substance existing position detected by the detecting apparatus,
and means for investigating causes of generation of the foreign substance on the basis of the detected kind of the foreign substance;
and
an on-line foreign substance inspection system for mass production of semiconductors including sensing apparatus with monitors located selectively along the production apparatus line and a control system for controlling the sensing apparatus when the monitors enable monitoring of data parameters including temperature, dust generated within and between the production apparatus, water, gas and pressure, which parameters effect abnormal generation of foreign substances inclusive of contaminants and thereby enable detection of changes in the monitor data of the parameters.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 07/679,317Filed 2 Apr 1991
Priority: JP 2-0848052 Apr 1990
Granted: 3 Aug 1993
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification15 codes

H10P 72/0604
Apparatus for monitoring, sorting, marking, testing or measuring: process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring
G01R 31/311
Using non-ionising electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical radiation: of integrated circuits
H01J 37/256
Tubes for spot-analysing by electron or ion beams; Microanalysers: using scanning beams
H10P 72/0612
Apparatus for monitoring, sorting, marking, testing or measuring: production flow monitoring, e.g. for increasing throughput