Sensarray Corporation

Kla Tencor Corporation

Innovus

Other

Kla-tencor Technologies Corporation

Wayne Glenn Renken

Mei H Sun

Roy Gordon

Earl M Jensen

Dan B LeMay

Jeffrey M Parker

Brian Paquette

Aron Abramowski Mason

Forrest Gilbert Yetter, Jr

John B Pieper

Robert W Bosley

Lynn Karl Wiese

Tony DiBiase

Peter Michel Vandenabeele

Mark Wiltse

Samson Kirshman

Zachary Reid

Paul Miller

Ricardo M Takahashi

Douglas W Heigel

Ronald G Payne

Richard Schwaninger

Arwa Ginwalla

Peter Michael Noel Vandenabeele

A measuring device incorporating a substrate with sensors that measure the processing conditions that a wafer may undergo during manufacturing. The substrate can be inserted into a processing chamber by a robot head and the measuring device can transmit the conditions in real time or store the conditions for subsequent analysis. Sensitive electronic components of the device can be distanced or isolated from the most deleterious processing conditions in order increase the accuracy, operating range, and reliability of the device.

Process condition sensing wafer and data analysis system

An instrument for measuring a parameter comprises a substrate, a plurality of sensors carried by and distributed across a surface of the substrate that individually measure the parameter at different positions, an electronic processing component carried by the substrate surface, electrical conductors extending across the surface connected to the sensors and the electronic processing component, and a cover disposed over the sensors, electronic processing component and conductors. The cover and substrate have similar material properties to a production substrate processed by a substrate processing cell. The instrument has approximately the same thickness and/or flatness as the production substrate. The instrument may be subjected a substrate process and one or more parameters may be measured with the instrument during the process. The behavior of a production wafer in the substrate process may be characterized based on measurements of the parameters made with the one or more sensors.

Process condition measuring device

A sensor network collects time-series data from a process tool and supplies the data to an analysis system where pattern analysis techniques are used to identify structures and to monitor subsequent data based on analysis instructions or a composite model. Time-series data from multiple process runs are used to form a composite model of a data structure including variation. Comparison with the composite model gives an indication of tool health. A sensor network may have distributed memory for a more simplified configuration.

Determining process condition in substrate processing module

A measuring device incorporating a substrate with sensors that measure the processing conditions that a wafer may undergo during manufacturing. The substrate can be inserted into a processing chamber by a robot head and the measuring device can transmit the conditions in real time or store the conditions for subsequent analysis. Sensitive electronic components of the device can be distanced or isolated from the most deleterious processing conditions in order increase the accuracy, operating range, and reliability of the device. Isolation may be provided by vacuum or suitable material and phase change material may be located adjacent to electronics to maintain a low temperature.

A process condition measuring device and a handling system may be highly integrated with a production environment where the dimensions of the process condition measuring device are close to those of a production substrate and the handling system is similar to a substrate carrier used for production substrates. Process conditions may be measured with little disturbance to the production environment. Data may be transferred from a process condition-measuring device to a user with little or no human intervention.

Integrated process condition sensing wafer and data analysis system

At least one pair of capacitively coupled electrodes contained in a structure is used to sense the deflection of a diaphragm in a pressure or force sensor for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the diaphragm. Preferably the structure has properties (such as one or more of the following: dimensions, hardness, area and flexibility) that are substantially the same as those of a real substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer or flat panel display panel.

Pressure sensing device

At least one shear force sensor is used to measure the shear force on a member, when the member is in contact with and pressed against a polishing or planarization surface and a lateral force is applied between the two surfaces. Preferably the structure and the surface of the structure have properties (such as one or more of the following: dimensions and coefficient of friction) that are substantially the same as those of a real substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer or flat panel display panel.

Process condition measuring device and method for measuring shear force on a surface of a substrate that undergoes a polishing or planarization process

A sensor network collects time-series data from a process tool and supplies the data to an analysis system where pattern analysis techniques are used to identify structures and to monitor subsequent data based on analysis instructions or a composite model. Time-series data from multiple process runs are used to form a composite model of a data structure including variation. Comparison with the composite model gives an indication of tool health. A sensor network may have distributed memory for network configuration.

Methods of configuring a sensor network

A highly dynamic heating and/or chilling chamber for processing semiconductor wafers. The chamber has uniform heat and gas flow distribution in order to minimize the temperature gradient at different points of the wafer.

System and method for heating and cooling wafer at accelerated rates

A process condition measuring device and a handling system may be highly integrated with a production environment where the dimensions of the process condition measuring device are close to those of a production substrate and the handling system is similar to a substrate carrier used for production substrates. Process conditions may be measured with little disturbance to the production environment. Data may be transferred from a process condition measuring device to a user with little or no human intervention.

A process condition measuring device and a handling system may be highly integrated with a production environment where the dimensions of the process condition measuring device are close to those of a production substrate and the handling system is similar to a substrate carrier used for production substrates. A process condition measuring device surveys conditions in a target environment and records them in a memory for later transmission or downloading.

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Wayne Glenn Renken