Endpoint detector for a semiconductor processing station and associated methods
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics S.r.l.
InventorsJohn H. Zhang, Cindy Goldberg
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A semiconductor processing apparatus includes a semiconductor processing station for a semiconductor wafer, and an endpoint detector associated with the semiconductor processing station. The endpoint detector includes a non-contact probe configured to probe the semiconductor wafer, an optical transmitter configured to transmit an optical signal to the non-contact probe, and an optical receiver configured to receive a reflected optical signal from the non-contact probe. The controller controls the semiconductor processing station based on the reflected optical signal.
Claims31
A semiconductor processing apparatus comprising:
- a semiconductor processing station for a semiconductor wafer comprising a substrate and at least one layer thereon to be processed;
- and
- an endpoint detector associated with said semiconductor processing station and comprising
- a non-contact probe configured to probe the semiconductor wafer,
- an optical transmitter configured to transmit an optical signal to said non-contact probe,
- an optical receiver configured to receive a reflected optical signal from said non-contact probe, and
- a controller configured to generate a surface potential profile of the at least one layer based on the reflected optical signal to control said semiconductor processing station.
An endpoint detector for a semiconductor processing station comprising:
- a non-contact probe configured to probe a semiconductor wafer to be processed by the semiconductor processing station, the semiconductor wafer comprising a substrate and at least one layer thereon to be processed;
- an optical transmitter configured to transmit an optical signal to said non-contact probe;
- an optical receiver configured to receive a reflected optical signal from said non-contact probe;
- and
- a controller configured to generate a surface potential profile of the at least one layer based on the reflected optical signal to control the semiconductor processing station.
A method for operating a semiconductor processing apparatus comprising a semiconductor processing station for a semiconductor wafer comprising a substrate and at least one layer thereon to be processed, and an endpoint detector associated with the semiconductor processing station, the endpoint detector comprising a non-contact probe, an optical transmitter, an optical receiver, and a controller, the method comprising:
- positioning the non-contact probe adjacent the semiconductor wafer;
- operating the optical transmitter to transmit an optical signal to the non-contact probe;
- operating the optical receiver to receive a reflected optical signal from the non-contact probe;
- and
- operating the controller to generate a surface potential profile of the at least one layer based on the reflected optical signal to control the semiconductor processing station.
A semiconductor processing apparatus comprising:
- a semiconductor processing station for a semiconductor wafer comprising a substrate and at least one layer thereon to be processed;
- and
- an endpoint detector associated with said semiconductor processing station and comprising
- a non-contact probe configured to probe the semiconductor wafer,
- an optical transmitter configured to transmit an optical signal to said non-contact probe,
- an optical receiver configured to receive a reflected optical signal from said non-contact probe, and
- a controller configured to generate a height profile of the at least one layer based on the reflected optical signal to control said semiconductor processing station.
An endpoint detector for a semiconductor processing station comprising:
- a non-contact probe configured to probe a semiconductor wafer to be processed by the semiconductor processing station, the semiconductor wafer comprising a substrate and at least one layer thereon to be processed;
- an optical transmitter configured to transmit an optical signal to said non-contact probe;
- an optical receiver configured to receive a reflected optical signal from said non-contact probe;
- and
- a controller configured to generate a height profile of the at least one layer based on the reflected optical signal to control the semiconductor processing station.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.