NL2021938B1 - Method for measuring a thickness of a layer, method for controlling a substrate processing device as well as substrate processing device - Google Patents

Method for measuring a thickness of a layer, method for controlling a substrate processing device as well as substrate processing device Download PDF

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Publication number
NL2021938B1
NL2021938B1 NL2021938A NL2021938A NL2021938B1 NL 2021938 B1 NL2021938 B1 NL 2021938B1 NL 2021938 A NL2021938 A NL 2021938A NL 2021938 A NL2021938 A NL 2021938A NL 2021938 B1 NL2021938 B1 NL 2021938B1
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Netherlands
Prior art keywords
substrate
thickness
layer
coating
measuring
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NL2021938A
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Dutch (nl)
Inventor
Savage Gregory
Original Assignee
Suss Microtec Lithography Gmbh
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Publication date
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Priority to NL2021938A priority Critical patent/NL2021938B1/en
Priority to PCT/EP2019/079940 priority patent/WO2020094520A1/en
Priority to TW108139918A priority patent/TW202025330A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of NL2021938B1 publication Critical patent/NL2021938B1/en

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
    • H01L21/67005—Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
    • H01L21/67242—Apparatus for monitoring, sorting or marking
    • H01L21/67253—Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01B—MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS
    • G01B11/00—Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of optical techniques
    • G01B11/02—Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of optical techniques for measuring length, width or thickness
    • G01B11/06—Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of optical techniques for measuring length, width or thickness for measuring thickness ; e.g. of sheet material
    • G01B11/0616—Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of optical techniques for measuring length, width or thickness for measuring thickness ; e.g. of sheet material of coating
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N21/00—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of optical means, i.e. using sub-millimetre waves, infrared, visible or ultraviolet light
    • G01N21/84—Systems specially adapted for particular applications
    • G01N21/8422—Investigating thin films, e.g. matrix isolation method
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L22/00—Testing or measuring during manufacture or treatment; Reliability measurements, i.e. testing of parts without further processing to modify the parts as such; Structural arrangements therefor
    • H01L22/10—Measuring as part of the manufacturing process
    • H01L22/12—Measuring as part of the manufacturing process for structural parameters, e.g. thickness, line width, refractive index, temperature, warp, bond strength, defects, optical inspection, electrical measurement of structural dimensions, metallurgic measurement of diffusions
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N21/00—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of optical means, i.e. using sub-millimetre waves, infrared, visible or ultraviolet light
    • G01N21/84—Systems specially adapted for particular applications
    • G01N21/88—Investigating the presence of flaws or contamination
    • G01N21/95—Investigating the presence of flaws or contamination characterised by the material or shape of the object to be examined
    • G01N21/9501—Semiconductor wafers

Abstract

A method for measuring a thickness of a layer applied to a substrate (26) comprises: a) providing the substrate (26) having the layer to be measured, b) providing a measurement device (14) having a probe (30), c) directing the probe (30) at the substrate (26), d) rotating the substrate (26) continuously while moving the probe (30) radially, and e) taking thickness measurements of the layer to be measured using the probe (30) while the substrate (26) is rotating. Further, a method for controlling a substrate processing device (10) and a substrate processing device (10) are shown.

Description

Dit octrooi is verleend ongeacht het bijgevoegde resultaat van het onderzoek naar de stand van de techniek en schriftelijke opinie. Het octrooischrift wijkt af van de oorspronkelijk ingediende stukken. Alle ingediende stukken kunnen bij Octrooicentrum Nederland worden ingezien.
Method for measuring a thickness of a layer, method for controlling a substrate processing device as well as substrate processing device
The invention is directed to a method for measuring a thickness of a layer applied to a substrate, a method for controlling a substrate processing device, in particular a coating device or a bonding device, and a substrate processing device for applying a layer of a coating material to a substrate, in particular a coating device or a bonding device.
In nano- and microfabrication processes, applying coatings to a substrate is a very common process step. The coatings need to have a very high quality concerning the thickness and surface roughness in order to achieve the desired yield of a process.
A plurality of process parameters have to be adjusted to achieve the optimal result when coating a substrate. However, the optimal process parameters may change over time due to environmental factors.
Thus, the quality of coated layers is regularly inspected by removing a coated substrate from the processing line, performing a thickness measurement at a few sample points (usually below 100 points, normally 49 points) and adjusting the process parameters based on the results of the thickness measurement and the detected defects or deviations.
This inspection process of the state of the art is inefficient, as it requires additional devices, like a thickness measurement device, includes an interruption of the fabrication process as the substrate to be measured has to be extracted from the processing line, and is of low quality due to the few sample points used.
It is therefore the object of the invention to provide a method for measuring a thickness of the layer, a method for controlling a substrate processing device and providing a substrate processing device allowing a high quality thickness measurement and optimizations of the process parameters without interrupting the fabrication process.
-2For this purpose, a method for measuring a thickness of a layer applied to a substrate, in particular a wafer, is provided comprising the following steps:
a) providing the substrate having the layer to be measured,
b) providing a measurement device having a probe,
c) directing the probe at the substrate,
d) rotating the substrate continuously while moving the probe radially, and
e) taking thickness measurements of the layer to be measured using the probe while the substrate is rotating.
The location on the substrate of the measurements is stored with each measurement value, i.e. thickness value.
Because of the rotational movement of the substrate and the simultaneous radial movement of the probe, a very large area of the substrate may be measured in a very little amount of time so that a high quality measurement with far more than 100 measurement points is easily achieved.
The layer is made of a coating material, which is, for example, used in the fabrication of nano- and/or microsystems, especially in the fabrication of nanoand/or microelectronic systems as well as nano- and/or microelectromechanical systems.
The coating material may be a photosensitive resist for photolithography, a resist for planarization of structures or a bonding agent.
Directing the probe at the substrate may be performed by locating the probe above or below a substrate and/or aligning the probe to face the substrate.
In an embodiment of the invention, the thickness measurement is taken with a measurement point density of at least 10 measurement points per 1 mm2 of the surface area of the substrate, preferably of at least 25 measurement points per mm2, and/or the thickness measurement is taken at a measurement rate of at least 100 measurement points per second, in particular of at least 1000 measurement points per second. This way, a high-density thickness measurement with a high quality is possible.
- 3For example, a topological image of the layer thickness is created, in particular wherein the topological image has a measurement point density of at least 10 measurement point per 1 mm2 of the surface area of the substrate, preferably of at least 25 measurement points per mm2 yielding a high definition representation of the thickness of the layer for further use.
According to an aspect of the invention, the thickness measurement is taken along a spiral measurement path on the substrate leading to a measurement which represents the thickness of the layer closely.
The spiral measurement path may have 1 to 200 windings, in particular between 150 and 600 windings, or even more windings. In the case that the wafer is divided into dies, the measurement path may be chosen such that each die of the substrate is measured at the same section.
In an embodiment of the invention, the measurement device is an optical measurement device, in particular using visible light and/or infrared light allowing contactless measurements.
For precise measurements, the thickness of the layer may be determined using a measured phase shift and/or a spectroscopic analysis.
In an embodiment of the invention, the substrate is rotated with 50 rpm to 150 rpm, especially with 60 rpm to 120 rpm. These speeds allow fast but reliable measurements, even of the entire area of the substrate.
In an aspect of the invention, the substrate is held and/or rotated using a substrate holder, in particular a chuck, for example a vacuum chuck or an electrostatic chuck, and/or an edge gripper. This way, the substrate may be reliably fastened.
In a variation, the substrate comprises a structure underlying the layer to be measured, wherein the height of the structure at a location of a measurement point is subtracted from the thickness value at the same measurement point, yielding a normalized thickness that may be used for versatile analysis purposes.
The subtraction may be performed by the measurement device, an evaluation unit of the measurement device, or the analysis module.
-4A topological image may also be created based on the normalized thickness.
For above purpose, a method for controlling a substrate processing device, in particular a coating device or a bonding device, is further provided comprising the following steps:
a) coating a first substrate with a layer of a coating material using a coating unit of the substrate processing device,
b) performing thickness measurements of the layer of the coating material applied to the first substrate, in particular by using the above method, using a measurement device, in particular a measurement device of the substrate processing device,
c) analyzing the thickness measurements using an analysis module,
d) based on the result of the analysis, adjusting the process parameters for coating, and
e) coating a second substrate with a layer of the coating material using the adjusted process parameters using the coating unit.
Based on the high quality measurement, the layer thickness can be analyzed with respect to defects or deviations from a desired thickness and the process parameters of the coating step can then immediately be adjusted automatically for subsequent coating steps. Thus, it is no longer necessary to remove a coated substrate from the production line to perform the measurement and manually adjust the process parameters.
In other words, a closed-loop control of the process parameters is realized.
The process parameters may include parameters for applying the coating material, the recipe of the coating material and parameters for further processing of the substrate, like the temperature of a (soft-)bake. For example, the spinning speed, the spinning time (if a spin coater is used in the coating unit), the amount of coating material applied, the recipe of the coating material, like the concentration of solvent in the coating material, the temperature of a (soft-)bake, the duration of such a baking step, or the like.
- 5In particular, the substrate processing device comprises the measurement device, the analysis module and/or a coating control module. The analysis module and the coating control module may be part of a control unit of the substrate processing device.
The analysis may be based only on certain areas of substrate, like streets of a structure on the substrate.
In an embodiment, the adjusting of the process parameters is performed in realtime, and/or the second substrate is coated with the adjusted process parameters within the next five, in particular three substrates coated after coating of the fist substrate, preferably immediately following the first substrate leading to a continuous and seamless adjustment of the process parameters.
In other words, the fabrication of the next wafer can be modified based on a set of previous measurements.
Within this disclosure, “in real-time” means that the process parameters may be adjusted or modified without the need to stop the substrate processing device.
In a variation of the invention, the analysis is based on the topological image of the layer thickness provided to the analysis module so that the analysis can be based on image processing techniques.
In another embodiment of the invention, the steps b) to c) are repeated after at least one out of ten, in particular after at least one out of two, preferably after every substrate that is coated. Thus, the steps of measuring and analyzing the thickness and the step of adjusting the process parameters are repeated. This way, the process parameters are adapted rapidly to changing conditions.
In an aspect of the invention, the analysis of the thickness measurements is performed using Spatial Signature Analysis, pattern recognition, an artificial neural network and/or determining defects and deviations of the thickness from a desired thickness leading to robust and high quality results.
For example, the Spatial Signature Analysis, the pattern recognition and/or the artificial neural network receive the topological image of the layer thickness for analysis, and/or the Spatial Signature Analysis, the pattern recognition and/or the artificial neural network output a classification of the layer and/or modifications to
-6the process parameters. This way, even unexpected measurement results may be classified reliably.
The process parameters may be adjusted according to or based on the outputted modifications.
For the above purpose, further a substrate processing device for applying a layer of a coating material to a substrate, in particular a coating device or a bonding device is provided, comprising:
a coating unit for applying the coating material to the substrate, a measurement device configured to measure the thickness of the layer of coating material, an analysis module configured to analyze the thickness measurements, and to adjust the process parameters for coating based on the result of the analysis.
In addition to above mentioned advantages, the overall footprint of the machinery necessary to process substrates while adjusting process parameters at least regularly is reduced, because the measurement device is part of the substrate processing device.
The substrate processing device is in particular a single device or apparatus, for example on a single frame or chassis.
As explained above, the measurement device may comprise a rotatable substrate holder and a probe being arranged above the substrate holder, wherein the probe is movable in a radial direction. The substrate holder and the probe may move simultaneously.
The radial direction is defined with respect to axis of rotation of substrate holder.
The substrate holder may be a chuck, for example a vacuum chuck or an electrostatic chuck, and/or an edge gripper, and/or the substrate holder is configured to rotate the substrate with 50 rpm to 150 rpm, especially with 60 rpm to 120 rpm.
Further, the measurement device may be configured to create a topological image of the layer thickness, in particular wherein the topological image of the with
- 7a measurement point density of at least 10 measurement points per 1 mm2 of the surface area of the substrate, preferably of at least 25 measurement points per mm2.
In an embodiment, the measurement device is an optical measurement device, in particular using visible light and/or infrared light.
The measurement device, in particular the substrate holder and/or the probe, may be configured to perform the measurement as stated in context of the above methods.
Further features and advantages will be apparent from the following description as well as the attached drawings to which reference is made. In the drawings:
Figure 1 shows schematically a substrate processing device according to the invention,
Figure 2 shows schematically a measurement device of the substrate processing device of Figure 1,
Figure 3 shows a flow-chart of a method for measuring a thickness according to the invention,
Figures 4a and 4b show two different measurement paths used during the method according to Figure 3,
Figures 5a and 5b each show a topological image of the layer thickness of different layers,
Figure 6 shows a flow-chart of a method for controlling a substrate processing device of Figure 1, and
Figures 7a to 7c show topological images of three different deviations from a desired uniform layer.
Figure 1 shows schematically a substrate processing device 10.
The substrate processing device 10 may be a coating device for coating a substrate prior to a lithography step or a wafer bonder for bonding two wafers. It is, for example, used for manufacturing nano- and microsystems like nano- and/or microelectronic systems and nano- and/or microelectromechanical systems.
- 8The substrate processing device 10 comprises a coating unit 12, a measurement device 14, an analysis module 16, a coating control module 18 and a device control unit 20.
In the shown embodiment, the coating control module 18 and the analysis module 16 are part of the device control unit 20. The analysis module 16 and the coating control module 18 may also be the same module.
Likewise, it is possible that the analysis module 16 and the coating control module 18 are different modules.
The substrate processing device 10 is, for example, a single device or apparatus. Thus, the coating unit 12, the measurement device 14 and the device control unit 20 are mounted on the same frame or chassis 22 of the substrate processing device 10.
The coating unit 12 and the measurement device 14 are controlled by the device control unit 20.
The coating unit 12 is configured to apply a layer of a coating material 24 (Figure 2) to a substrate 26 (Figure 2). The substrate 26 is for example a wafer like a silicon wafer.
The coating unit 12 is per se known. It is, for example, a unit for spin coating or spray coating.
The coating material 24 is a coating material used to fabricate nano- and/or microsystems, especially for nano- and/or microelectronic systems, nano- and/or microelectromechanical systems.
For example, the coating material is a photosensitive resist for photolithography, a resist for planarization of structures or a bonding agent.
The substrate processing device 10 may also include a robotic arm 23 for transferring the substrate from the coating unit 12 to the measurement device 14.
The measurement device 14 is shown in detail in Figure 2.
The measurement device 14 comprises a rotatable substrate holder 28, a probe 30 and an evaluation unit 32.
- 9The substrate holder 28 may be a chuck, like a vacuum chuck or an electrostatic chuck or an edge gripper.
The substrate holder 28 is configured to receive and fasten the substrate 26 and rotate the substrate 26 around an rotational axis A.
For example, the substrate holder 28 may rotate the substrate 26 with 50 rpm to 150 rpm, especially with 60 rpm to 120 rpm.
In the shown embodiment, the probe 30 is an optical inspection head so that the measurement device 14 is an optical measurement device. Thus, probe 30 is configured to emit a light beam B and receive the reflected light. The light emitted may be visible light or infrared light.
The evaluation unit 32 generates the light beam for the measurement. The light beam is then transmitted to the probe 30 via the fiber optic cable 34. Likewise, the light collected by the probe 30 is transmitted to the evaluation unit 32 via the fiber optic cable 34.
Further, the probe 30 is mounted above the substrate holder 28 in a way that the probe 30 is linearly moveable with respect to the substrate holder 28.
With respect to the rotational axis A, the probe 30 is moveable in a radial direction and, in particular, parallel to the plane the substrate 26 is received in the substrate holder 28.
Further, the probe 30 is directed towards the substrate holder 28 so that the light beam B is emitted in the direction of the substrate holder 28, i.e. in the direction of the substrate 26 received in the substrate holder 28.
Figure 3 shows a flow-chart of a method for measuring the thickness of the layer of coating material 24 on the substrate 26 using the measurement device 14.
Firstly, the substrate 26 with the layer of coating material 24 is provided, as seen in Figure 2, and the substrate 26 is fixed to the substrate holder 28 (step S1.1).
The layer of coating material 24 has been applied to the upper surface of the substrate 26 in a previous coating step.
-10Then, in step S1.2, the probe 30 is located above the substrate 26 and the probe 30 is directed at the substrate 30. In the shown example, the probe 30 is aligned such that the light beam B is essentially perpendicular to the surface of the substrate 26.
It is also possible to locate the probe 30 below the substrate 26 and direct the probe 30 at the substrate 26, as indicated with dashed lines in Figure 2. In this case, the substrate 26 is preferably transparent and held by an edge gripper as a substrate holder 28 so that the light beam B is allowed to reach the coating material 24 through the substrate 26.
To begin the measurement in step S1.3, the substrate 26 is rotated by the substrate holder 28 continuously, for example with a speed of 50 rpm to 150 rpm, especially with a speed of 60 rpm to 120 rpm.
Simultaneously, the probe 30 is moved from a starting position close to or at the rotational axis A outwardly in a continuous and preferably steady fashion (step S1.4).
During both, the rotational movement of the substrate 26 and the radial movement of the probe 30, the probe emits light and receives light reflected from the substrate 26 with the coating material 24.
Based on the light received by the probe 30, the thickness of the layer of coating material 24 can be determined at the point, where the light beam has hit the coating material 24, called measuring point in the following. This determination of the thickness is done by the evaluation unit 32 (step S1.5).
For each measurement point, the thickness of the layer of coating material 24 and the location of the measurement point are stored by the evaluation unit 32.
For example, the thickness may be determined by measuring the phase shift between light reflected from the upper surface of the layer of coating material 24 and light reflected from the interface of the coating material 24 and the substrate 26 (or any other material underneath the coating material 24). Additionally or alternatively, the thickness may be determined by a spectroscopic analysis of the detected light.
-11 Due to the simultaneous rotational movement of the substrate 26 and the radial movement of the probe 30, the thickness measurement is taken along a spiral measurement path 36 on the substrate 26.
In other words, the measurement points form a spiral on the substrate 26.
For example, thickness measurements are performed at least 100 times per second, preferably over 1000 times per second.
Two exemplary measurement paths 36 can be seen in Figures 4a and 4b, which show a substrate 26 in a top view.
The measurement paths 36 have different numbers of windings, ranging between 150 and 600, depending inter alia on the radius of the wafer, but even more windings are feasible as well.
The number of windings is adjusted by changing the ratio between rotation speed of the substrate 26 and radial movement speed of the probe 30. If the numbers of windings is chosen high enough, the thickness of the layer of coating material 24 over the whole substrate 26 may be measured with a high-density, as illustrated in Figure 4b.
For example, the density of measurement points may be at least 10 measurement points per 1 mm2 of the surface area of the substrate 26, preferably at least 25 measurement points per mm2.
The evaluation unit 32 may create a topological image of the layer thickness of the coating material 24 from the high-density thickness measurements. Two examples of such topological images are shown in Figures 5a and 5b.
The topological image may also have a measurement point density of at least 10 measurement points per 1 mm2 of the surface area of the substrate 26, preferably of at least 25 measurement points per mm2.
As can be seen in Figure 5a, the layer of coating material 24 is not uniform but has a spirally formed deviation from the desired flat shape.
Figure 5b shows a situation, in which the layer of coating material 24 has been applied onto a structure 38.
-12The structure 38 may be a structure of conductors or the like onto which the layer of coating material 24 has been applied.
As can be seen in Figure 5b, the substrate 26 is divided into several dies 40, each having the same structure 38. Streets 42 are formed between the dies 40 where the dies 40 will be separated from each other.
The structure 38 has a topology by itself so that the thickness measurement of the layer of coating material 24 may be disturbed by this structure.
For this reason, the evaluation unit 32 is provided with the topography of the structure 38, and the evaluation unit 32 normalizes each measurement point of the thickness measurement. For normalization, the evaluation unit 32 subtracts the height of the structure 38 at the location of the measurement point from the thickness value obtained at this measurement point.
With the normalized thicknesses, a topological image may be created. In the example of Figure 5b, the layer of coating material 24 shows radially extending deviations from a flat surface that would become more apparent in a topological image of normalized thicknesses.
Further, for a quick but reliable measurement, the spiral measurement path 36 may be chosen such that each die 40 is passed exactly once and preferably passed at identical spots of the structure 38 in the dies 40.
Figure 6 shows a flow-chart of a method for controlling the substrate processing device 10.
In a first step S2.1, a first substrate 26 is coated with the coating material 24, meaning that a layer of the coating material 24 is formed on the first substrate 26 by the coating unit 12. The coating step may include (soft-)baking the substrate 26 and the coating material 24.
For coating the substrate 26, various process parameters are to be regarded and adjusted appropriately. The process parameters include, for example, the spinning speed, the spinning time (if a spin coater is used in the coating unit 12), the amount of coating material 24 applied, the recipe of the coating material, like the concentration of solvent in the coating material 24, the temperature of a (soft-) bake, the duration of such a baking step, or the like.
-13After the first substrate 26 has been coated, the coated substrate 26 is then transferred to the measurement device 14 (step S2.2), for example automatically by the robotic arm 23.
The measurement device 14 then performs a thickness measurement of the layer of coating material as explained in the context of Figure 3 (step S2.3; steps
S1.1 -S1.5).
The results of the thickness measurements, for example the topological image, is transmitted to the analysis module 16, where the thickness measurements are analyzed (step S2.4).
The analysis module 16 comprises a Spatial Signature Analysis submodule for Spatial Signature Analysis (SSA), a pattern recognition submodule for pattern recognition and/or an artificial neural network.
The thickness measurements received are fed to the Spatial Signature Analysis submodule, the pattern recognition submodule and/or the artificial neural network. The Spatial Signature Analysis submodule, the pattern recognition submodule and/or the artificial neural network analyze the thickness measurements and provide a result as an output.
The results may be obtained by feeding the Spatial Signature Analysis submodule, the pattern recognition submodule and/or the artificial neural network with the topological image received from the measurement device 14.
If, for example, an artificial neural network is used, the artificial neural network has been trained beforehand with a test dataset of topological images to classify the topological images correctly.
Figures 7a to 7c show three different topological images measured on layers of different substrates 26.
In the situation of Figure 7a, the layer of the coating material 24 shows radially extending deviations from a flat surface, like ridges, in the edge region of the substrate 26. In this situation, the result of the analysis may be that the layer thickness is classified as having a significant edge bead.
- 14In the situation of Figure 7b, the layer thickness shows isolated deviations that may be classified as so-called comet tail defects.
In the situation of Figure 7c, a plurality of smaller deviations from a uniform layer thickness are scattered throughout the substrate, which may be caused by bubbles. The layer thickness may be classified as “bubbles”.
In the next step S2.5, the results of the analysis are used to adjust the process parameters for coating the substrates 26.
For example for the situation of Figure 7c, the temperature for the bake may be reduced so that the coating material has more time to gas out before the coating material 24 hardens.
The process parameters are then adjusted accordingly, for example automatically by the analysis module 16 or the coating control module 18.
It is also possible, that the Spatial Signature Analysis submodule, the pattern recognition submodule and/or the artificial neural network already output modifications of the process parameter that shall be applied for the coating process. The analysis module 16 or the coating control module 18 then apply the suggested modification to the process parameters automatically.
In an alternative or additional way to analyze the layer thickness, defects and deviations of the layer thickness from a desired thickness are detected numerically, and the process parameters are modified based on the determined deviation and defects.
For example, if the layer thickness is too large, i.e. the layer of the coated material 24 is too thick, the spinning time and/or the process parameters may be adjusted so that the spinning time and/or the spinning speed is increased.
Once the process parameters are adjusted, in the next step S2.6, a second substrate 26 is then coated with a layer of the coating material 24 in the coating unit 12 using the adjusted process parameters.
After the substrate 26 has been coated, and optionally measured by the measurement device 14, the substrate 26 is then processed further. For example via photolithography, if the substrate processing device 10 is a coating device for
-15lithography, or the substrate 26 may be bonded to another layer, in case the substrate processing device 10 is a bonding device.
The adjustment of the process parameters is performed in real-time meaning that the substrate processing device 10 does not have to slow down or pause the processing of substrates 26 in order for the processed parameters to be adjusted.
The analysis can be performed at such a speed, that the second substrate 26, which has been coated with adjusted processed parameters, immediately follows the first substrate 26 on which the analysis is based.
Of course, if more complex analysis has to be performed, it is also possible, that the adjustment of the process parameters is done a bit later so that the second substrate is coated with the adjusted processed parameters within the next five or three substrates 26 after coating of the first substrate 26.
Due to the fact that the measurement device 14 is integrated in the subject processing device 10, it is possible to repeat steps S2.3 to S2.5 after every substrate so that the process parameters can be adjusted anew for each substrate to be coated.
Of course, the steps S2.3 to S2.5 may be repeated every two, five or ten substrates that have been coated and/or the process parameters are adjusted at the same rate.
Thus, it is possible to achieve a high-density thickness measurement of the layer of coating material 24 applied to the substrate 26, and to adjust the process parameters of the coating process continuously so that the quality of the coating process and the reliability of the process are increased drastically.
At the same time, the footprint of the machineries used is not increased, as the measurement device 14 is integrated in the substrate processing device 10.

Claims (18)

1. Werkwijze voor het meten van een dikte van een laag die is aangebracht op een substraat (26), in het bijzonder een wafer, omvattende de volgende stappen:A method for measuring a thickness of a layer applied to a substrate (26), in particular a wafer, comprising the following steps: a) verschaffen van het substraat (26) met de te meten laag,a) providing the substrate (26) with the layer to be measured, b) verschaffen van een meetinrichting (14) met een sonde (30),b) providing a measuring device (14) with a probe (30), c) het richten van de sonde (30) naar het substraat (26),c) directing the probe (30) towards the substrate (26), d) continu roteren van het substraat (26) onder het radiaal bewegen van de sonde (30), end) rotating the substrate (26) continuously while moving the probe (30) radially, and e) uitvoeren van diktemetingen van de te meten laag gebruikmakend van de sonde (30) terwijl het substraat (26) roteert.e) performing thickness measurements of the layer to be measured using the probe (30) while the substrate (26) rotates. 2. Werkwijze volgens conclusie 1, waarbij de diktemeting wordt uitgevoerd met een meetpuntdichtheid van ten minste 10 meetpunten per 1 mm2 van de oppervlakte van het substraat (26), bij voorkeur van ten minste 25 meetpunten per mm2, en/of waarbij de diktemeting wordt uitgevoerd met een meetsnelheid van ten minste 100 meetpunten per seconde, in het bijzonder van ten minste 1000 meetpunten per seconde.A method according to claim 1, wherein the thickness measurement is performed with a measuring point density of at least 10 measuring points per 1 mm 2 of the surface of the substrate (26), preferably of at least 25 measuring points per mm 2 , and / or wherein the thickness measurement is carried out at a measuring speed of at least 100 measuring points per second, in particular of at least 1000 measuring points per second. 3. Werkwijze volgens conclusie 1 of 2, waarbij een topologisch beeld van de laagdikte wordt gecreëerd, in het bijzonder waarbij het topologische beeld een meetpuntdichtheid van ten minste 10 meetpunten per 1 mm2 van de oppervlakte van het substraat (26), bij voorkeur van ten minste 25 meetpunten per mm2 heeft.A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a topological image of the layer thickness is created, in particular wherein the topological image has a measuring point density of at least 10 measuring points per 1 mm 2 of the surface of the substrate (26), preferably of has at least 25 measuring points per mm 2 . 4. Werkwijze volgens een van de voorgaande conclusies, waarbij de diktemeting wordt uitgevoerd langs een spiraalvormig meetpad (36) op het substraat (26).The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein the thickness measurement is performed along a spiral measuring path (36) on the substrate (26). 5. Werkwijze volgens een van de voorgaande conclusies, waarbij de meetinrichting (14) een optische meetinrichting is, die in het bijzonder gebruik maakt van zichtbaar licht en/of infrarood licht.Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the measuring device (14) is an optical measuring device, which in particular makes use of visible light and / or infrared light. 6. Werkwijze volgens conclusie 5, waarbij de dikte van de laag wordt bepaald gebruikmakend van een gemeten faseverschuiving en/of een spectroscopische analyse.The method of claim 5, wherein the thickness of the layer is determined using a measured phase shift and / or a spectroscopic analysis. 7. Werkwijze volgens een van de voorgaande conclusies, waarbij het substraat (26) wordt geroteerd met 50 omwentelingen per minuut tot en met 150 omwentelingen per minuut, in het bijzonder met 60 omwentelingen per minuut tot en met 120 omwentelingen per minuut.The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the substrate (26) is rotated at 50 revolutions per minute up to and including 150 revolutions per minute, especially at 60 revolutions per minute up to and including 120 revolutions per minute. 8. Werkwijze volgens een van de voorgaande conclusies, waarbij het substraat (26) wordt vastgehouden en/of geroteerd gebruikmakend van een substraathouder (28), in het bijzonder een chuck, bijvoorbeeld een vacuümchuck of een elektrostatische chuck en/of een randgrijper.Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the substrate (26) is held and / or rotated using a substrate holder (28), in particular a chuck, for example a vacuum chuck or an electrostatic chuck and / or an edge gripper. 9. Werkwijze volgens een van de voorgaande conclusies, waarbij het substraat een structuur (38) omvat die onder de te meten laag ligt, waarbij de hoogte van de structuur (38) op een locatie van een meetpunt wordt afgetrokken van de gemeten diktewaarde op hetzelfde meetpunt.The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the substrate comprises a structure (38) underlying the layer to be measured, the height of the structure (38) at a location of a measuring point being subtracted from the measured thickness value at the same measuring point. 10. Werkwijze voor het besturen van een substraatverwerkingsinrichting (10), in het bijzonder een coatinrichting of een verbindingsinrichting, omvattende de volgende stappen:A method for controlling a substrate processing device (10), in particular a coating device or a connecting device, comprising the following steps: a) het coaten van een eerste substraat (26) met een laag van een coatingmateriaal (24) gebruikmakend van een coateenheid (12) van de substraatverwerkingsinrichting (10),a) coating a first substrate (26) with a layer of a coating material (24) using a coating unit (12) of the substrate processing device (10), b) het uitvoeren van diktemetingen van de laag van het coatingmateriaal (24) die is aangebracht op het eerste substraat (26), in het bijzonder door gebruik te maken van de werkwijze volgens een van de voorgaande conclusies, gebruikmakend van een meetinrichting (14), in het bijzonder een meetinrichting (14) van de substraatverwerkingsinrichting (10),b) performing thickness measurements of the layer of the coating material (24) applied to the first substrate (26), in particular by using the method according to any of the preceding claims, using a measuring device (14) in particular a measuring device (14) of the substrate processing device (10), c) het analyseren van de diktemetingen gebruikmakend van een analysemodule (16),c) analyzing the thickness measurements using an analysis module (16), d) het op basis van de resultaten van de analyse aanpassen van de procesparameters voor coaten, en(d) adapting the process parameters for coating based on the results of the analysis, and e) het coaten van een tweede substraat (26) met een laag van het coatingmateriaal (24) gebruikmakend van de aangepaste procesparameters gebruikmakend van de coateenheid (12).e) coating a second substrate (26) with a layer of the coating material (24) using the adjusted process parameters using the coating unit (12). 11. Werkwijze volgens conclusie 10, waarbij het aanpassen van de procesparameters onvertraagd wordt uitgevoerd, en/of waarbij het tweede substraat (26) wordt gecoat met de aangepaste procesparameters binnen de volgende vijf, in het bijzonder drie substraten (26) die worden gecoat na het coaten van het eerste substraat (26), bij voorkeur onmiddellijk volgend op het eerste substraat (26).The method of claim 10, wherein the adjustment of the process parameters is performed real-time, and / or wherein the second substrate (26) is coated with the adjusted process parameters within the following five, in particular three substrates (26), which are coated after coating the first substrate (26), preferably immediately following the first substrate (26). 12. Werkwijze volgens conclusie 10 of 11, waarbij stappen b) tot en met c) na ten minste een van tien, in het bijzonder na ten minste een van twee, bij voorkeur nadat elk substraat (26) dat is gecoat, worden herhaald.A method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein steps b) to c) are repeated after at least one of ten, in particular after at least one of two, preferably after each substrate (26) that has been coated. 13. Werkwijze volgens een van de conclusies 10 tot en met 12, waarbij de analyse van de diktemetingen wordt uitgevoerd gebruikmakend van Spatial Signature Analysis, patroonherkenning, een kunstmatig neuraal netwerk en/of het bepalen van defecten en afwijkingen van de dikte van een gewenste dikte.A method according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the analysis of the thickness measurements is performed using Spatial Signature Analysis, pattern recognition, an artificial neural network and / or determining defects and thickness deviations of a desired thickness . 14. Werkwijze volgens conclusie 13, waarbij de Spatial Signature Analysis, de patroonherkenning en/of het kunstmatige neurale netwerk het topologische beeld van de laagdikte voor analyse ontvangen, en/of waarbij de Spatial Signature Analysis, de patroonherkenning en/of het kunstmatige neurale netwerk een classificatie van de laag en/of wijzigingen van de procesparameters afgeven.A method according to claim 13, wherein the Spatial Signature Analysis, the pattern recognition and / or the artificial neural network receive the topological image of the layer thickness for analysis, and / or wherein the Spatial Signature Analysis, the pattern recognition and / or the artificial neural network issue a classification of the layer and / or changes to the process parameters. 15. Substraatverwerkingsinrichting voor het aanbrengen van een laag van een coatingmateriaal (24) op een substraat (26), in het bijzonder een coatinrichting of een verbindingsinrichting, omvattende:Substrate processing device for applying a layer of a coating material (24) to a substrate (26), in particular a coating device or a connecting device, comprising: een coateenheid (12) voor het aanbrengen van het coatingmateriaal (24) op het substraat (26), een meetinrichting (14) die is geconfigureerd om de dikte van de laag coatingmateriaal (24) te meten, een analysemodule (16) die is geconfigureerd voor het analyseren van de diktemetingen en voor het aanpassen van de procesparameters voor coaten op basis van het resultaat van de analyse.a coating unit (12) for applying the coating material (24) to the substrate (26), a measuring device (14) configured to measure the thickness of the layer of coating material (24), an analysis module (16) configured for analyzing the thickness measurements and for adjusting the process parameters for coating based on the result of the analysis. 16. Substraatverwerkingsinrichting volgens conclusie 15, waarbij de meetinrichting (14) een roteerbare substraathouder (28) en een sonde (30) die boven de substraathouder (28) is opgesteld, omvat, waarbij de sonde (30) in een radiale richting beweegbaar is.Substrate processing device according to claim 15, wherein the measuring device (14) comprises a rotatable substrate holder (28) and a probe (30) disposed above the substrate holder (28), the probe (30) being movable in a radial direction. 17. Substraatverwerkingsinrichting volgens conclusie 15 of 16, waarbij de substraathouder (28) een chuck kan zijn, bijvoorbeeld een vacuümchuck of een elektrostatische chuck, en/of een randgrijper, en/of waarbij de substraathouder (28) is geconfigureerd om het substraat (26) te roteren met 50 omwentelingen per minuut tot en met 150 omwentelingen per minuut, in het bijzonder met 60 omwentelingen per minuut tot en met 120 omwentelingen per minuut.Substrate processing device according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the substrate holder (28) may be a chuck, for example a vacuum chuck or an electrostatic chuck, and / or an edge gripper, and / or wherein the substrate holder (28) is configured to support the substrate (26 ) rotate at 50 revolutions per minute up to and including 150 revolutions per minute, in particular at 60 revolutions per minute up to and including 120 revolutions per minute. 18. Substraatverwerkingsinrichting volgens een van de conclusies 15 tot en met 17, waarbij de meetinrichting is geconfigureerd voor het creëren van een topologisch beeld van de laagdikte, in het bijzonder waarbij het topologische beeld een meetpuntdichtheid heeft van ten minste 10 meetpunten per 1 mm2 van de oppervlakte van het substraat, bij voorkeur van ten minste 25 meetpunten per mm2.Substrate processing device according to any of claims 15 to 17, wherein the measuring device is configured to create a topological image of the layer thickness, in particular wherein the topological image has a measuring point density of at least 10 measuring points per 1 mm 2 of the area of the substrate, preferably at least 25 measuring points per mm 2 .
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