Method and apparatus for semiconductor device fabrication diagnosis and prognosis
US5270222A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 31, 1990 |
| Grant date | Dec 14, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 31, 2010 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L22/12
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A sensor (210) for diagnosis and prognosis of semiconductor device fabrication processes measures specular, scattered, and total surface reflectances and transmittances of semiconductor wafers (124). The sensor (210) comprises a sensor arm (212) and an opto-electronic control box (214), for directing coherent electromagnetic or optical energy in the direction of semiconductor wafer (124). Opto-electronic control box (214) includes circuitry for measuring the amounts of laser powers coherently reflected from and transmitted through the semiconductor wafer (124) surface and the amounts of electromagnetic powers scatter reflected from and transmitted through the semiconductor wafer (124) surface. The present invention determines specular, scattered, and total reflectance and transmittance as well as surface roughness values for semiconductor wafer (124) based on measurements of coherent and scatter reflected and transmitted laser powers. The sensor (210) of the present invention can also provide a go/no-go test of semiconductor fabrication process quality. A process control computer associates with the sensor (210) to respond to spectral reflectance and transmittance measurements yiel…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.