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US 6,675,119 B1Granted
In-situ measurement method and apparatus in adverse environment
OwnerErzhuang Liuinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for making in situ measurements of process parameters in the adverse environment of manufacturing processes such as silicon wafer processing. Rather than using surrogate “smart wafers” that limit the ranges of processing parameters to those that allow the measuring circuitry to survive the process, the present method mounts, on the actual wafer, an enclosed, shielded apparatus in which the electronic circuitry is protected from the adverse effects of conditions such as high temperatures, electromagnetic radiation and plasmas. The wafer plus the mounted apparatus is then transported through the entire process cycle and measurements are made and recorded.
Claims39
A method for making in situ measurements of process parameters during the processing of an object in an adverse environment, comprising:
- providing an object to be processed in an adverse environment;
- contacting a region of said object with a plurality of process parameter sensors;
- mounting an apparatus on said object, said apparatus further comprising:
- a shielded enclosure, said enclosure being filled with insulating material and also being provided with adjustable apertures for equalizing internal and external process pressures, for excluding external process gases or liquids and for forming and maintaining an internal vacuum;
- an insulating support plate within said enclosure;
- an isolating suspension system connecting said support plate to the interior of the shielded enclosure;
- electrical circuitry mounted on said support plate, said circuitry comprising an input mechanism for acquiring sensor data, a mechanism for processing sensor data, a mechanism for storing sensor data and an output mechanism for exporting sensor data;
- a power supply for supplying power to said electrical circuitry, said power supply also being mounted on said support plate and said power supply also serving as a heat sink;
- a mechanism for connecting said electrical circuitry to said process parameter sensors;
- electrical contacts mounted on the exterior of said shielded enclosure and connected internally to the output mechanism of the electrical circuitry, said contacts providing a mechanism for connecting said apparatus to an external analysis system;
- processing said object, while said apparatus is mounted upon it.
8 more elements
An apparatus for making in situ measurements of process parameters in an adverse process environment comprising:
- a shielded enclosure, said enclosure being filled with insulating material and also being provided with adjustable apertures for equalizing internal and external process pressures, for excluding external process gases or liquids and for forming and maintaining an internal vacuum;
- an insulating support plate within said enclosure;
- an isolating suspension system connecting said support plate to the interior of the shielded enclosure;
- electrical circuitry mounted on said support plate, said circuitry comprising an input mechanism for acquiring sensor data, a mechanism for processing sensor data, a mechanism for storing sensor data and an output mechanism for exporting sensor data;
- a power supply for supplying power to said electrical circuitry, said power supply also being mounted on said support plate and said power supply also acting as a heat sink;
- process parameter sensors capable of contacting an object being processed;
- a mechanism for connecting said electrical circuitry to process parameter sensors;
- electrical contacts mounted on the exterior of said shielded enclosure and connected internally to the output mechanism of the electrical circuitry, said contacts providing a mechanism for connecting said apparatus to an external analysis system.
5 more elements
An apparatus for making in situ measurements of process parameters on a silicon wafer within the adverse environments of silicon wafer processing comprising:
- a shielded enclosure, said enclosure also provided with insulating material and with adjustable apertures for equalizing internal and external process pressures, for excluding external process gases or liquids and for forming and maintaining an internal vacuum and said enclosure being capable of electrically contacting the surface of a silicon wafer substrate;
- an insulating support plate within said enclosure;
- an isolating suspension system suspending the support plate above the surface of the silicon wafer substrate;
- electrical circuitry mounted on said support plate, said circuitry comprising an input mechanism for acquiring sensor data, a mechanism for processing sensor data, a mechanism for storing sensor data and an output mechanism for exporting sensor data;
- a power supply for supplying power to said electrical circuitry, said power supply also being mounted on said support plate;
- a mechanism for connecting said electrical circuitry to process parameter sensors;
- electrical contacts mounted on the exterior of said shielded enclosure and connected internally to the output mechanism of the electrical circuitry, said contacts providing a mechanism for connecting said apparatus to an external analysis system.
4 more elements
A method for making in situ measurements of process parameters of a silicon wafer during the adverse environmental effects encountered during silicon wafer processing comprising:
- providing a silicon wafer;
- contacting a region of the wafer with a plurality of process parameter sensors;
- mounting an apparatus on said object, said apparatus further comprising:
- a shielded enclosure, said enclosure being filled with insulating material and being also provided with adjustable apertures for equalizing internal and external process pressures, for excluding external process gases or liquids and for forming and maintaining an internal vacuum and said enclosure being capable of electrically contacting the surface of a silicon wafer substrate;
- an insulating support plate within said enclosure;
- an isolating suspension system suspending the support plate above the surface of the silicon wafer substrate;
- electrical circuitry mounted on said support plate, said circuitry comprising an input mechanism for acquiring sensor data, a mechanism for processing sensor data, a mechanism for storing sensor data and an output mechanism for exporting sensor data;
- a power supply for supplying power to said electrical circuitry, said power supply also being mounted on said support plate;
- a mechanism for connecting said electrical circuitry to said process parameter sensors;
- electrical contacts mounted on the exterior of said shielded enclosure and connected internally to the output mechanism of the electrical circuitry, said contacts providing a mechanism for connecting said apparatus to an external analysis system;
- processing said silicon wafer while said apparatus is mounted upon it.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.