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US 6,611,326 B1Granted
System and apparatus for evaluating the effectiveness of wafer drying operations
AssigneeLam Research Corporation
InventorsVladislav Yakovlev, Katrina Mikhaylichenko, Mike Ravkin, John M. de Larios
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and apparatus for evaluating the effectiveness of wafer drying techniques are provided. The systems and apparatus include a laser or any other source configured to apply light radiation to the surface of a substrate that has been rinsed with a solution containing an analytically detectable compound prior to a drying process. Any residue of the analytically detectable compound is excited by the source, and the resulting energy is imaged with a confocal microscope or similar device to identify regions of the surface of the substrate of ineffective drying.
Claims28
An apparatus for measuring the effectiveness of a wafer drying operation, comprising:
- a laser for applying laser energy;
- a focusing lens for directing the laser energy onto a patterned surface of a wafer;
- a dichroic mirror for directing fluorescent energy emanating from the surface of the wafer;
- a first photomultiplier for capturing an image of detected fluorescent energy;
- a partial reflector for directing reflected laser energy from the surface of the wafer;
- and
- a second photomultiplier for capturing an image of the reflected laser energy received from the partial reflector;
- the image of the detected fluorescent energy and the reflected laser energy used to produce a composite image used to evaluate the effectiveness of the wafer drying operation,
- wherein the laser directs laser energy through each of the partial reflector, the dichroic mirror, and the focusing lens before the laser energy is received on the patterned surface of the wafer and the reflected laser energy and the fluorescent energy emanating from the surface of the wafer return through the focusing lens to the dichroic mirror through which the reflected laser energy passes, the reflected laser energy continuing to the partial reflector.
6 more elements
A system for determining wafer drying effectiveness, comprising:
- an argon laser for applying laser energy;
- a focusing lens for directing the laser energy onto a patterned surface of a wafer;
- a confocal aperture for receiving the laser energy from the focusing lens;
- a microscope objective for directing the laser energy onto the patterned surface of the wafer;
- a dichroic mirror for directing fluorescent energy received from the surface of the wafer;
- a first photomultiplier for obtaining the received fluorescent energy;
- a partial reflector for directing reflected laser energy from the patterned surface of the wafer;
- and
- a second photomultiplier for obtaining the reflected laser energy received from the partial reflector;
- the obtained fluorescent energy and the obtained laser energy used to evaluate the effectiveness of the wafer drying operation,
- wherein the argon laser, the focusing lens, the confocal aperture, the microscope objective, the dichroic mirror, the first photomultiplier, the partial reflector and the second photomultiplier are arranged in the system so that laser energy from the argon laser is directed through the partial reflector, through the dichroic mirror, through the focusing lens, through the confocal aperture, and through the microscope objective to be received on the patterned surface of the wafer, and fluorescent energy and reflected laser energy travel from the patterned surface of the wafer through the microscope objective and through the confocal aperture, the reflected laser energy traveling through the dichroic mirror to the partial reflector.
8 more elements
An apparatus for quantifying the effectiveness of a wafer drying process, comprising:
- a laser for applying laser energy having a wavelength of about 488 nm;
- a focusing lens for directing the laser energy onto a patterned surface of a wafer;
- a dichroic mirror for directing fluorescent energy having wavelengths between about 550 nm and about 650 nm emanating from the surface of the wafer;
- a first photomultiplier for capturing an image of the detected fluorescent energy;
- a partial reflector for directing reflected laser energy having wavelengths of about 488 nm from the patterned surface of the wafer;
- and
- a second photomultiplier for capturing an image of the reflected laser energy received from the partial reflector;
- the image of the detected fluorescent energy and the reflected laser energy used to produce a composite image used to evaluate the effectiveness of the wafer drying operation.
5 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- an argon laser for applying laser energy;
- a focusing lens for directing the laser energy onto a patterned surface of a wafer;
- a dichroic mirror for directing fluorescent energy emanating from the surface of the wafer;
- a first photomultiplier for capturing an image of the detected fluorescent energy;
- a partial reflector for directing reflected laser energy from the surface of the wafer;
- and
- a second photomultiplier for capturing an image of the reflected laser energy received from the partial reflector;
- the image of the detected fluorescent energy and the reflected laser energy used to produce a composite image used to evaluate the effectiveness of the wafer drying operation.
5 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- an argon laser for applying laser energy having a wavelength of about 488 nm;
- a focusing lens for directing the laser energy onto a patterned surface of a wafer;
- a dichroic mirror for directing fluorescent energy having wavelengths between about 550 nm and about 650 nm emanating from the surface of the wafer;
- a first photomultiplier for capturing an image of the detected fluorescent energy;
- a partial reflector for directing reflected laser energy having wavelengths of about 488 nm from the surface of the wafer;
- and
- a second photomultiplier for capturing an image of the reflected laser energy received from the partial reflector;
- the image of the detected fluorescent energy and the reflected laser energy used to produce a composite image used to evaluate the effectiveness of the wafer drying operation.
5 more elements
An apparatus for measuring the effectiveness of a wafer drying operation, comprising:
- a source of light radiation;
- a focusing lens for directing the light radiation onto a patterned surface of a wafer;
- a dichroic mirror for directing fluorescent energy emanating from the surface of the wafer;
- a first photomultiplier for capturing an image of detected fluorescent energy;
- a partial reflector for directing reflected light radiation from the surface of the wafer;
- and
- a second photomultiplier for capturing an image of the reflected light radiation received from the partial reflector;
- the image of the detected fluorescent energy and the reflected light radiation used to produce a composite image used to evaluate the effectiveness of the wafer drying operation.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.