Patent · US Expired

Methods and apparatus for processing microelectronic workpieces using metrology

US7102763B2 · kind B2 · utility

15Cited by
248References
69Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 9, 2001
Grant dateSep 5, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 11, 2024

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L21/67751
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and apparatus for processing a microelectronic workpiece using metrology. The apparatus can include one or more processing or transport units, a metrology unit, and a control unit coupled to the metrology unit and at least one of the processing or transport units. The control unit can modify a process recipe or a process sequence of the processing unit based on a feed forward or a feed back signal from the metrology unit. The control unit can also provide instructions to the transport unit to move the workpiece to a selected processing unit. The processing unit can include, inter alia, a seed layer deposition unit, a process layer electrochemical deposition unit, a seed layer enhancement unit, a chemical mechanical polishing unit, and/or an annealing chamber arranged for sequential processing of a workpiece. The processing units can be controlled as an integrated system using one or more metrology units, or a separate metrology unit can provide input to the processing units.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.