Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080248412 | SUPERVISORY ETCH CD CONTROL - Exemplary embodiments provide a controller system and method to control etch critical dimensions (CDs) during semiconductor manufacturing processes when the etch elements cannot be manipulated to control such end. The controller system includes a photo CD controller and an etch CD controller. The photo CD controller includes a first feedback loop that correlates a measured photo CD of a photo-processed semiconductor product back to the photo-process. The etch CD controller calculates a CD bias from the measured photo CD, a measured etch CD of a further etch-processed semiconductor product, and manufacturing targets for the photo CD and the etch CD. The CD bias is then fed back to the photo CD controller as a device-level CD-offset to adjust the target photo CD, which modifies the photo-process and generates the etch CD on the target etch CD. This automated etch CD control can be used for error corrections for product-to-product variations. | 10-09-2008 |
20090099991 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PREDICTING PROCESS PERFORMANCE USING MATERIAL PROCESSING TOOL AND SENSOR DATA - A method for constructing a process performance prediction model for a material processing system, the method including the steps of: recording tool data for a plurality of observations during a process in a process tool, the tool data comprises a plurality of tool data parameters; recording process performance data for the plurality of observations during the process in the process tool, the process performance data comprises one or more process performance parameters; performing a partial least squares analysis using the tool data and the process performance data; and computing correlation data from the partial least squares analysis. | 04-16-2009 |
20090170222 | CONTROL OF IMPLANT CRITICAL DIMENSIONS USING AN STI STEP HEIGHT BASED DOSE OFFSET - A method for semiconductor processing is provided, wherein a semiconductor wafer having undergone polishing is provided. The semiconductor wafer has an active region positioned between one or more moat regions, wherein the one or more moat regions have an oxide disposed therein. A top surface of the active region is recessed from a top surface of the moat region, therein defining a step having a step height associated therewith. A step height is measured, and a photoresist is formed over the semiconductor wafer. A modeled step height is further determined, wherein the modeled step height is based on the measured step height and a desired critical dimension of the photoresist. A dosage of energy is determined for patterning the photoresist, wherein the determination of the dosage of energy is based, at least in part, on the modeled step height. The photoresist is then patterned using the determined dosage of energy. | 07-02-2009 |
20090311634 | METHOD OF DOUBLE PATTERNING USING SACRIFICIAL STRUCTURE - A method of patterning a thin film on a substrate is described. The method includes forming a sacrificial structure over the thin film, and forming a photo-resist layer over the sacrificial structure. The sacrificial structure has anti-reflective properties, comprises silicon and is capable of withstanding the photo-resist layer removal process and the stress induced during the spacer layer deposition. Thereafter, an image pattern is formed in one or both of the sacrificial structure or the photo-resist layer. A spacer layer is then conformally deposited over the pattern. The spacer layer is etched back to remove horizontal portions while substantially leaving vertical portions. The remaining photo-resist and/or sacrificial structure that is not overlaid with the etched-back spacer layer is removed leaving spacers that are utilized to transfer another pattern to the thin film. | 12-17-2009 |
20100065758 | DIELECTRIC MATERIAL TREATMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPERATING - A system for curing a low dielectric constant (low-k) dielectric film on a substrate is described, wherein the dielectric constant of the low-k dielectric film is less than a value of approximately 4. The system comprises one or more process modules configured for exposing the low-k dielectric film to electromagnetic (EM) radiation, such as infrared (IR) radiation and ultraviolet (UV) radiation. | 03-18-2010 |
20100065759 | DIELECTRIC TREATMENT MODULE USING SCANNING IR RADIATION SOURCE - A system for curing a low dielectric constant (low-k) dielectric film on a substrate is described, wherein the dielectric constant of the low-k dielectric film is less than a value of approximately 4. The system comprises one or more process modules configured for exposing the low-k dielectric film to electromagnetic (EM) radiation, such as infrared (IR) radiation and ultraviolet (UV) radiation. | 03-18-2010 |
20100067886 | IR LASER OPTICS SYSTEM FOR DIELECTRIC TREATMENT MODULE - A system for curing a low dielectric constant (low-k) dielectric film on a substrate is described, wherein the dielectric constant of the low-k dielectric film is less than a value of approximately 4. The system comprises one or more process modules configured for exposing the low-k dielectric film to electromagnetic (EM) radiation, such as infrared (IR) radiation and ultraviolet (UV) radiation. | 03-18-2010 |
20100068897 | DIELECTRIC TREATMENT PLATFORM FOR DIELECTRIC FILM DEPOSITION AND CURING - A system for curing a low dielectric constant (low-k) dielectric film on a substrate is described, wherein the dielectric constant of the low-k dielectric film is less than a value of approximately 4. The system comprises one or more process modules configured for exposing the low-k dielectric film to electromagnetic (EM) radiation, such as infrared (IR) radiation and ultraviolet (UV) radiation. | 03-18-2010 |
20110232677 | Method for cleaning low-k dielectrics - A method and system for treating a substrate and, in particular, a method and system for cleaning a low dielectric constant (low-k) dielectric film to remove, among other things, undesired residue is described. The method includes irradiating a region on a substrate containing one or more layers or structures with infrared (IR) radiation and optionally ultraviolet (UV) radiation to remove material or undesired residues from the one or more layers or structures. Furthermore, the method may optionally include exposing at least a portion of the region to a gas or vapor jet emanating from a gas nozzle along a jet axis in a direction towards the substrate. | 09-29-2011 |
20110233430 | Ultraviolet treatment apparatus - A process module for treating a dielectric film and, in particular, a process module for exposing, for example, a low dielectric constant (low-k) dielectric film to ultraviolet (UV) radiation is described. The process module includes a process chamber, a substrate holder coupled to the process chamber and configured to support a substrate, and a radiation source coupled to the process chamber and configured to expose the dielectric film to electromagnetic (EM) radiation. The radiation source includes a UV source, wherein the UV source has a UV lamp, and a reflector for directing reflected UV radiation from the UV lamp to the substrate. The reflector has a dichroic reflector, and a non-absorbing reflector disposed between the UV lamp and the substrate, and configured to reflect UV radiation from the UV lamp towards the dichroic reflector, wherein the non-absorbing reflector substantially prevents direct UV radiation from the UV lamp to the substrate. | 09-29-2011 |
20110237080 | Method for integrating low-k dielectrics - A method for treating a dielectric film on a substrate and, in particular, a method for integrating a low-k dielectric film with subsequently formed metal interconnects is described. The method includes preparing a dielectric film on a substrate, wherein the dielectric film is a low-k dielectric film having a dielectric constant less than or equal to a value of about 4. Thereafter, the method further includes performing a preliminary curing process on the dielectric film, forming a pattern in the dielectric film using a lithographic process and an etching process, removing undesired residues from the substrate, and performing a final curing process on the dielectric film, wherein the final curing process includes irradiating the substrate with ultraviolet (UV) radiation. | 09-29-2011 |
20130217210 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING PATTERN AND STRUCTURE FORMATION BY AN ELECTRIC FIELD - A processing method and apparatus uses at least one electric field applicator ( | 08-22-2013 |