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US 6,597,447 B1Granted
Method and apparatus for periodic correction of metrology data
AssigneeAdvanced Micro Devices, Inc.
InventorsJames Broc Stirton, Kevin R. Lensing
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and an apparatus for performing periodic correction of metrology data. At least one semiconductor wafer is processed. Metrology data from the processed semiconductor wafer is acquired. At least one test wafer is processed. Test wafer metrology data from the processed test wafer is acquired. A test wafer metrology calibration process is performed upon the acquired metrology data using the acquired test wafer metrology data to produce a calibrated metrology data. At least one control input parameter adjustment is performed for subsequent manufacturing processes based upon the calibrated
Claims31
A method, comprising:
- processing at least one semiconductor wafer;
- acquiring metrology data from said processed semiconductor wafer;
- processing at least one test wafer;
- acquiring test wafer metrology data from said processed test wafer;
- performing a test wafer metrology calibration process upon said acquired metrology data using said acquired test wafer metrology data to produce a calibrated metrology data, wherein performing said test wafer metrology calibration process comprises calculating a drift relating to said metrology data;
- and
- performing at least one control input parameter adjustment for subsequent manufacturing processes based upon said calibrated metrology data.
4 more elements
A method, comprising:
- processing at least one semiconductor wafer;
- acquiring metrology data from said processed semiconductor wafer;
- processing at least one test wafer;
- acquiring test wafer metrology data from said processed test wafer;
- correlating metrology data related to said processing of semiconductor wafer to corresponding test wafer metrology data relating to said processing of test wafer;
- characterizing said metrology data using said correlated metrology data, wherein
- characterizing said metroloy data comprises calculating a drift relating to said metrology data;
- determining a calibrated metrology data based upon said characterizing of said metrology data;
- and
- performing at least one control input parameter adjustment for subsequent manufacturing processes based upon said calibrated metrology data.
7 more elements
A system, comprising:
- a metrology tool adapted to acquire metrology data from a processed semiconductor wafer;
- a metrology tool database electronically coupled to said metrology tool, said metrology tool database being adapted to store metrology data;
- a test wafer database electronically coupled to said metrology tool, said test wafer database being adapted to store test wafer metrology data;
- and
- a process control electronically coupled with said metrology tool database and said test wafer database, the process control being adapted to acquire data from said metrology tool database and said test wafer database to correlate data from the metrology tool database and the test wafer database, and to calibrate said metrology data, wherein calibrating said metrology data comprises calculating a drift relating to said metrology data, and determine at least one control input parameter for processing a semiconductor wafer.
2 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- means for processing at least one semiconductor wafer;
- means for acquiring metrology data from said processed semiconductor wafer;
- means for processing at least one test wafer;
- means for acquiring test wafer metrology data from said processed test wafer;
- means for correlating metrology data related to said processing of semiconductor wafer to corresponding test wafer metro logy data relating to said processing of test wafer;
- means for characterizing said metrology data using said correlated metrology data,
- wherein characterizing said metrology data comprises calculating a drift relating to said metrology data;
- means for determining a calibrated metrology data based upon said characterizing of said metrology data;
- and
- means for performing at least one control input parameter adjustment for subsequent manufacturing processes based upon said calibrated metrology data.
7 more elements
A computer readable program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs a method, comprising:
- processing at least one semiconductor wafer;
- acquiring metrology data from said processed semiconductor wafer;
- processing at least one test wafer;
- acquiring test wafer metrology data from said processed test wafer;
- correlating metrology data related to said processing of semiconductor wafer to corresponding test wafer metrology data relating to said processing of test wafer;
- characterizing said metrology data using said correlated metrology data wherein
- characterizing said metrology data comprises calculating a drift relating to said metrology data;
- determining a calibrated metrology data based upon said characterizing of said metrology data;
- and
- performing at least one control input parameter adjustment for subsequent manufacturing processes based upon said calibrated metrology data.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.