Method for controlling a process appliance for the sequential processing of semiconductor wafers

While a first leading semiconductor wafer (11) already processed in a process appliance (1) and belonging to a batch is being measured in a microscope measuring instrument (2) in relation to values for the structure parameters 30, a second or further semiconductor wafer (12) belonging to the batch i...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors SCHUMACHER KARL, HOMMEN HEIKO, SCHEDEL THORSTEN, FISCHER THOMAS, OTTO RALF, SCHMIDT SEBASTIAN
Format Patent
LanguageEnglish
Published 05.12.2002
Edition7
Subjects
APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR
BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
CINEMATOGRAPHY
ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
ELECTRICITY
ELECTROGRAPHY
HOLOGRAPHY
MATERIALS THEREFOR
ORIGINALS THEREFOR
PHOTOGRAPHY
PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES,e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTORDEVICES
PHYSICS
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
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Summary:While a first leading semiconductor wafer (11) already processed in a process appliance (1) and belonging to a batch is being measured in a microscope measuring instrument (2) in relation to values for the structure parameters 30, a second or further semiconductor wafer (12) belonging to the batch is processed in the process appliance (1). An event signal (100) reports, for example, an inspection carried out successfully of the first wafer, so that the following wafers (12) no longer need to be inspected. Using the measured results, the process parameters (31) of the process appliance (1) are automatically readjusted. Events such as maintenance work or parameter drifts in trend maps etc. are detected in control units (8 or 9) and, via the output of an event signal (102), for example in an event database (40), lead to the event-based selection of structure parameters (30') to be measured and/or to the initiation of a leading wafer (11). Limiting-value violations (21) of at least one process parameter (31), detected by a control unit (8), are responded to by a warning signal (101) and likewise fed into the event database (40).
Bibliography:Application Number: US20020134106