AVS 45th International Symposium
    Partial Pressure Measurements and Process Control Topical Conference Friday Sessions
       Session PC-FrM

Invited Paper PC-FrM1
Challenges for Real-Time Control in Reactive Semiconductor Manufacturing Process Environments

Friday, November 6, 1998, 8:20 am, Room 317

Session: Process Monitoring and Control
Presenter: G.W. Rubloff, University of Maryland
Correspondent: Click to Email
The potential of mass spectrometry and other chemical sensing approaches to determine dynamic chemical constituency through a reactive semiconductor process cycle holds substantial promise for process control and attendant manufacturing benefits. Applications to mainline VLSI processes have already demonstrated value in supplying metrology information (rates, deposition thickness, etch endpointing) and in revealing process mechanisms and equipment subtleties, information which significantly complements the existing raison-d'etre for RGA's in manufacturing, namely, equipment qualification and debugging. However, the benefits of advanced process control will require other elements. Use of sensor signals for metrology depends on having good sensor models, which in turn often means good models for the sensor IN the tool. Real-time or run-to-run control necessitates either good models or robust algorithms which are less sensitive to model or data error. Fault management - i.e., fault classification and prognosis as well as detection - requires multi-sensor integration including equipment state signals for decision support to minimize down-time, along with dynamic models for interpreting system behavior. This talk will provide examples for mass spec based metrology and process insight, along with an outline of how sensor information might lead to beneficial control and fault management responses.