Foreign material contamination detection
US8328950B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 20, 2010 |
| Grant date | Dec 11, 2012 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 2, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T436/11
- WIPO fieldChemical engineering
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
There are provided a system, method and computer program product for detecting foreign materials in a semiconductor manufacturing process. The manufacturing process uses a plurality of semiconductor manufacturing tools. The system categorizes at least one monitoring wafer according to one or more categories. The system supplies the categorized monitoring wafer to a semiconductor manufacturing tool. The system observes a level of contamination on the categorized monitoring wafer. The system compares the level of contamination to a threshold. The system cleans the tool in a response to determining that the level of contamination is larger than the threshold. The system determines which category of the wafer leaves a highest level of contamination on the tool. The system identifies a root cause of the highest level of contamination on the tool.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.