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US 7,069,103 B1Granted
Controlling cumulative wafer effects
AssigneeAdvanced Micro Devices, Inc.
InventorsChristopher A. Bode, Matthew A. Purdy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus provided for controlling cumulative wafer effects. The method comprises processing a workpiece, determining a cumulative effect of the processing on the workpiece and comparing the determined cumulative effect to a reference target value. The method further comprises adjusting a downstream process of the workpiece based on comparing the determined cumulative effect to the reference target value.
Claims22
A method, comprising:
- determining an overall cumulative target value associated with processing of a workpiece in the manufacturing system comprising at least a first and second process, wherein the overall cumulative target value represents a threshold value of a processed characteristic of the workpiece spanning at least the first and second processes, wherein the second process is downstream to the first process;
- processing the workpiece using the first process;
- measuring at least one characteristic of the processed workpiece;
- comparing the measured characteristic to the overall cumulative target value;
- and
- adjusting the second process based on the comparison.
3 more elements
A method, comprising:
- processing a workpiece;
- determining a cumulative effect of the processing on the workpiece;
- comparing the determined cumulative effect to a reference target value;
- adjusting a downstream process of the workpiece based on comparing the determined cumulative effect to the reference target value, wherein the workpiece is processed by the adjusted downstream process,
- wherein the workpiece is a semiconductor wafer, wherein determining the cumulative effect of the processing comprises determining at least one of erosion of deposited material and temperature characteristics associated with the processing of the semiconductor wafer;
- and
- wherein the deposited material is oxide, wherein comparing the determined cumulative effect comprises comparing the determined cumulative effect to an cumulative target value for oxide loss associated with the semiconductor wafer.
4 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- an interface;
- and
- a control unit communicatively coupled to the interface, the control unit adapted to:
- receive a measurement associated with at least one characteristic of a processed workpiece, wherein the workpiece is processed by a first process;
- compare the measurement with an overall cumulative target value, wherein the overall cumulative target value represents a threshold value of the at least one characteristic of the processed workpiece covering at least the first process and a process downstream to the first process;
- adjust the downstream process based on the comparison.
3 more elements
An article comprising one or more machine-readable storage media containing instructions that when executed enable a processor to:
- receive a measurement associated with at least one characteristic of a processed workpiece, wherein the workpiece is processed by a first process;
- compare the measurement with an overall cumulative target value, wherein the overall cumulative target value represents a threshold value of the at least one characteristic of the processed workpiece covering at least the first process and another process downstream to the first process;
- adjust the downstream process based on the comparison.
A system, comprising:
- a processing tool adapted to:
- process a workpiece;
- and
- provide operational data associated with the processing of the workpiece;
- and
- a processor-based system adapted to:
- determine at least one characteristic of a processed workpiece based on the operational data;
- compare the determined characteristic of the processed workpiece with an overall cumulative target value, wherein the overall cumulative target value represents a threshold value of the at least one characteristic of the processed workpiece covering at least the processing tool and another downstream tool to the processing tool;
- adjust the downstream processing tool based on the comparison.
6 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- means for determining an overall cumulative target value associated with processing of a workpiece in a manufacturing system comprising at least a first and second process, wherein the overall cumulative target value represents a threshold value of a processed characteristic of the workpiece spanning at least the first and second processes, wherein the second process is downstream to the first process;
- means for processing the workpiece using the first process;
- means for measuring at least one characteristic of the processed workpiece;
- means for comparing the measured characteristic with the overall cumulative target value;
- and
- means for adjusting the second process based on comparing the means for the determined cumulative effect to the reference target value.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.