Virtual metrology model based seasoning optimization

• Main Authors: Solis, John, Nakamura, Koichiro, Shinagawa, Jun, Pfeifer, Brian, Hirooka, Yutaka, Gessler, Brian
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 09.07.2024
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; CONTROLLING; ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS; ELECTRICITY; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS ORELEMENTS; PHYSICS; REGULATING

A method for detecting an endpoint of a seasoning process for a plasma tool includes (a) operating the plasma tool to run a seasoning recipe on at least one seasoning wafer before running a monitoring recipe on at least one monitoring wafer; (b) collecting, while running the monitoring recipe on the monitoring wafer, monitoring data associated with the running the monitoring recipe; and (c) generating an estimated product parameter using a virtual metrology (VM) model that is configured to estimate a product parameter using the monitoring data. The VM model is based on production data associated with running a production recipe on production wafers and product parameters of the production wafers measured after the running the production recipe. The endpoint of the seasoning process is obtained by repeating (a), (b) and (c), and the endpoint is obtained when the estimated product parameter stabilizes.