JP2006156263A - Sample holder and analyzer using it - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize sure information transmission and easy handling, in an analyzer including SEM and TEM devices which is used in off-line inspection separated from a semiconductor fabrication line and for which transmission of information and a reasonable handling means become problematic. <P>SOLUTION: In this application for solving the above issue, sample pieces are handled based on the sample holder unit; a plurality of meshes for mounting the sample pieces thereon are allowed to be attached; an SEM and a TEM are used in common; each sample piece holder is provided with a storage medium; and specific information of the sample pieces such as processes, an ID and coordinates of a wafer and information associated therewith are stored and associated with one another. Thereby, sure information transmission from the online inspection to off-line inspection and handling are facilitated. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a sample holder in which the same sample holder (sample stage) can be used in a plurality of analyzers, and an analyzer using the sample holder, and more particularly to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and inspection / processing apparatus in a semiconductor manufacturing process including line inspection. The present invention relates to a sample holder and an analyzer used in the above.

Along with the high integration of semiconductor devices, transmission electron microscopes (hereinafter referred to as TEM) and high-resolution scanning electron microscopes (hereinafter referred to as SEM) having high observation resolution are used as means for analyzing, observing and evaluating electronic elements. It has been. As a sample preparation method for TEM and SEM, for example, means utilizing a focused ion beam (hereinafter referred to as FIB) processing described in Patent Document 1 has been devised. In this means, a side entry type sample stage with a sample piece attached is loaded into a sample stage fine movement means and introduced into a vacuum vessel. The side entry type sample stage can be taken in and out of the vacuum vessel without exposing the inside of the vacuum vessel to the atmosphere. After this, the region including the desired observation part of the sample piece is FIB processed to a desired size of several μm to several tens of μm, and then the probe moving mechanism is driven to bring the probe into contact with the corresponding sample piece. After removing and holding, a side entry type sample stage is introduced. After replacement of the side entry type sample stage, the sample piece held by the probe of the probe moving mechanism is fixed by forming a deposition film on the TEM sample piece holder. After fixing, it is a means for TEM observation by pulling out from the vacuum container and loading it into a TEM apparatus. In this means, an observation sample such as a high-resolution SEM or TEM is prepared by cleaving the wafer using a dicing apparatus or the like. However, in recent years, from the viewpoint of cost reduction per chip, the diameter of the wafer has been increased, and the unit price of the wafer becomes high, and discarding due to wafer cleaving becomes very uneconomical. In addition, the chips other than the inspection target are defective due to the wafer cleaving, and the yield is also deteriorated. Therefore, realization of an in-line sampling technique for observing and analyzing only defective portions without breaking the wafer and returning the wafer to the production process has been demanded. As means for realizing this, for example, a micro sample processing and observation apparatus described in Patent Document 2 has been devised. This apparatus moves to the defect coordinates obtained from the defect inspection apparatus, and observes a predetermined defect with an electron beam optical system. Then, using the focused ion beam optical system, a region including a desired observation site is processed into a desired size of several μm to several tens of μm, the probe moving mechanism is driven, and the probe is moved to the corresponding sample piece. To remove and hold once. After that, the side entry type sample stage and the removable cartridge are moved directly below the beam by moving the sample stage. Then, the sample piece held by the probe of the moving mechanism is fixed by forming a deposition film on the mesh attached to the cartridge. After fixing, the cartridge is transferred to the cartridge station by the cartridge transfer means and loaded into the TEM apparatus to perform TEM observation. By this means, a TEM sample can be created without cleaving the wafer. However, even with this means, it is difficult to perform measurement by incorporating TEM observation into the production line, and since it is an off-line inspection that is off the line, the sample process, specific information (hereinafter referred to as ID), coordinates, etc. It is difficult to manage specific information and accompanying information. Conventionally, Patent Document 3 discloses a focused ion beam apparatus having a function of coding related information of a TEM sample and writing it on the sample as a rational means for handling the TEM sample. In this method, when information specifying a sample and information accompanying the sample are input, the information is converted into a coded mark, and the mark is processed on the surface of the TEM sample.

Japanese Patent No. 2774884 JP 2002-365182 A JP 2004-164966 A

In order to improve the yield of the semiconductor manufacturing line, a short turnaround time inspection / analysis technique is very important. However, with the recent miniaturization of semiconductor elements, high-resolution observation by high-resolution SEM or TEM has been demanded, and a wafer in the middle of the semiconductor manufacturing process is extracted from the process, and a desired minute region is used as a sample for TEM observation. Cut out and thinned for observation. For this reason, it is difficult to perform measurement by incorporating TEM observation into the production line, resulting in off-line inspection off the line. Therefore, it is difficult to manage the specific information of the sample piece such as the wafer process, ID, coordinates, and the accompanying information. In addition, the TEM sample has a small sample size and is very difficult to handle. For this reason, there is a demand for the transmission of information from on-line inspection of TEM samples to off-line inspection and the development of rational handling means.

  The object of the present invention is to use a common sample holder that can be used by a plurality of analyzers, and to specify specific information of a sample piece such as a wafer process, ID, and coordinates, and accompanying information across a plurality of analyzers. An object of the present invention is to provide a sample holder that can be managed and an analyzer using the same.

  The configuration of the present invention for achieving the above object is as follows.

  A sample holder that can be used in common with a plurality of analyzers including at least a charged particle beam processing device and a transmission type charged particle beam observation device, and at least information on coordinates at which the sample is collected about the sample held in the sample holder. A sample holder comprising a storage medium for storing sample information.

  In particular, the present invention is suitable for an analyzer capable of observing a sample at a high magnification such as SEM and TEM.

A sample (piece) holder with a storage medium that can be shared (shared) in these analyzers is used to identify information such as wafer process, ID, coordinates, etc., information associated with the sample piece, analysis results, acquired images, etc. , And can be directly stored in a storage medium provided in the sample holder. Information management in the offline inspection can be facilitated by associating the identification ID of the storage medium with the information stored in the storage medium and storing it in the host computer. Also,
The TEM sample piece is attached to a mesh with a diameter of about 3 mm and is very difficult to handle. However, since it is managed in units of about 5 cm in length, it is easy to handle the sample piece. can do. By using the specimen holder with a storage medium that can be shared with the SEM and TEM of the present invention, the handling of the specimen specimen of the SEM and TEM is facilitated, and the analysis by the SEM and TEM, which has been an off-line inspection until now, can be performed on-line Information can be organized like this. This greatly contributes to the short turnaround time inspection and analysis for improving the yield of the semiconductor production line. Moreover, it can be set as a sample piece holder shared with SEM and TEM by sticking a some mesh to a sample piece holder.

  The sample piece holder of the present invention can be shared between SEM and TEM and facilitates information management in off-line inspection, and thus greatly contributes to short turnaround time inspection and analysis for improving the yield of the semiconductor manufacturing line.

  The present invention is applicable to a sample holder that can use the same sample holder (sample stage) in a plurality of analyzers, and an analyzer that uses the sample holder. In the following embodiments, a TEM and SEM apparatus for analyzing a semiconductor sample have been described as an example. However, in other analysis apparatuses such as a mass spectrometer and an Auger electron spectrometer, the sample to be analyzed is a common sample holder. Any analyzer that can be mounted and analyzed can be applied. It is desirable that each analysis apparatus sharing the sample holder is electrically connected to a host computer, and each piece of information (including information read from a storage medium provided in the sample holder) is shared and managed.

FIG. 1 is a top view of a sample preparation apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention. The sample preparation apparatus of this embodiment includes a sample chamber 1, a sample exchange chamber 2, a sample piece holder moving chamber 3, and an atmospheric sample transfer chamber 4. The inside of the sample chamber is kept in a vacuum state, and a sample stage 6 on which the wafer 5 is loaded and driven is stored. In the upper part of the sample chamber, a sample piece is taken out from the wafer and moved to the sample piece holder, a sample piece separating means comprising a probe moving mechanism 7 and a deposition gas source 8 for deposition film formation, focusing mainly for cutting out the sample piece from the wafer. An ion beam source for irradiating the wafer with an ion beam, an ion beam optical system 9 comprising an ion beam irradiation system, a secondary particle detector 10 for detecting secondary particles generated by the irradiation of the ion beam, and an electron beam for observing the wafer surface , An electron beam optical system 11 comprising an electron beam irradiation system, and a secondary particle detector 10 for detecting secondary particles generated by the electron beam irradiation. Adjacent to the side surface of the sample chamber is a sample exchange chamber 2 that houses a wafer moving mechanism for moving the wafer to the sample stage via a gate valve 12 that can be hermetically shielded. In this embodiment, the semiconductor wafer is moved by the sample holder 13 to the sample stage while being held by the sample holder 13. The movement of the wafer from the cassette 14 to the sample exchange chamber 2 is performed using an air sample transfer device 15. A sample piece holder moving chamber 3 is installed adjacent to the sample exchange chamber 2 via a small gate valve 16 capable of hermetically shielding. The sample piece holder moving chamber holds the sample piece holder tray 18 for storing a plurality of sample piece holders 17 and the sample piece holder 17, moves between the sample piece holder tray 18 and the sample holder 13, and moves the sample piece holder 17 to the sample. A sample piece holder transport mechanism 19 to be mounted on the holder 13 is accommodated. The present invention is characterized in that a storage medium is attached to the sample piece holder 17 and a means for recognizing the storage medium attached to the sample piece holder 17 is attached to the sample piece holder tray 18. By adopting the above configuration, information for specifying the sample piece such as wafer process, ID, coordinates, etc., information associated with the sample piece, analysis results, and acquired image are directly stored in the storage medium provided in the sample piece holder. Let Alternatively, the storage medium and the information thereof are associated with each other and stored in the host computer, thereby facilitating the handling and information management of the sample piece in the off-line inspection. As a result, the analysis by SEM or TEM, which has been an off-line inspection until now, can organize information as in the on-line inspection, and greatly contributes to the short turnaround time inspection / analysis for improving the yield of the semiconductor manufacturing line.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of an embodiment of the sample piece holder 17 having a related information storage medium that can be shared by the SEM and TEM of the present invention. The mesh 20 to which the sample piece is attached is held by being sandwiched between the mesh spring 21 and the sample piece holder 17. The mesh leather 21 has a slope surface, and the mesh leather 21 is pressed by a slider 22 having the same slope surface as the mesh leather 21 elastically supported on the surface, thereby holding the mesh 20. By providing an IC chip 23 as a storage medium, the sample piece holder 17 stores, for example, information for specifying the sample piece such as a wafer process, ID, coordinates, information associated with the sample piece, analysis result, and acquired image. Let Alternatively, the storage medium and the information thereof are associated with each other and stored in the host computer, thereby facilitating the handling and information management of the sample piece in the off-line inspection. Moreover, since this invention is used in a vacuum, each member uses a member with a small amount of released gas. Furthermore, if each member is charged and magnetized, it adversely affects the specifications of the apparatus. Therefore, it is desirable to use a material that is difficult to be charged and magnetized, or to perform a charging process, a demagnetizing process, or the like.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. The only difference from the embodiment of FIG. 2 is the storage medium, and the other points are the same as in the embodiment of FIG. The sample piece holder of the embodiment of FIG. 3 is an example in which the present invention is implemented by providing an IC tag 24 as an example of a storage medium.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. The only difference from the embodiment of FIG. 2 is the storage medium, and the other points are the same as in the embodiment of FIG. The sample piece holder of the embodiment of FIG. 4 is an example in which the present invention is implemented by providing a magnetic storage device 25 as an example of a storage medium.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. The only difference from the embodiment of FIG. 2 is the storage medium, and the other points are the same as in the embodiment of FIG. The sample piece holder of the embodiment of FIG. 5 is an example in which the present invention is implemented by providing a barcode 26 as an example of a storage medium. In this case, since it cannot be stored in the barcode 26, information identifying the sample piece such as the barcode 26 and wafer process, ID, coordinates and the like, information associated with the sample piece, and analysis result in the host computer of the semiconductor manufacturing factory. The problem can be solved by associating and storing the acquired images.

  FIG. 6 shows a sample piece holder tray 18 used in the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. A plurality of sample piece holders 17 can be stored in the sample piece holder tray 18, and storage medium recognition means 27 provided for the sample piece holder 17 is provided. By adopting this configuration, necessary information can be associated with the sample piece when the sample piece holder is discharged from the apparatus. Similarly, by attaching the storage medium recognition means 27 provided in the sample piece holder tray 18 to the TEM or SEM, information on the sample piece can be acquired without putting the sample piece into the apparatus, and the sample piece can be reliably obtained without returning work. Can be inspected. In addition, inspection can be performed while referring to related information on the sample piece, and the efficiency of inspection and analysis is improved.

1 is a top view of an example of a semiconductor inspection / analysis apparatus in which the present invention is implemented. The block diagram of the sample piece holder of this invention. The block diagram of the sample piece holder which becomes another Example similarly. The block diagram of the sample piece holder which becomes another Example similarly. The block diagram of the sample piece holder which becomes another Example similarly. The block diagram of the sample piece holder tray of the semiconductor test | inspection analyzer of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Sample chamber, 2 ... Sample exchange chamber, 3 ... Sample piece holder moving chamber, 4 ... Air | atmosphere sample conveyance chamber, 5 ... Sample, 6 ... Sample stage, 7 ... Probe moving mechanism, 8 ... Deposition gas for deposition film formation Source: 9 ... Ion beam optical system, 10 ... Secondary particle detector, 11 ... Electron beam optical system, 12 ... Gate valve, 13 ... Sample holder, 14 ... Cassette, 15 ... Air sample transport device, 16 ... Small gate valve , 17 ... Sample piece holder, 18 ... Sample piece holder tray, 19 ... Sample piece holder transport mechanism, 20 ... Mesh, 21 ... Mesh fly, 22 ... Slider, 23 ... IC chip, 24 ... IC tag, 25 ... Magnetic storage device , 26 ... Bar code, 27 ... Storage medium recognition means.

Claims (6)

A sample holder that can be shared with a plurality of analyzers including at least a charged particle beam processing device and a transmission type charged particle beam observation device,
A sample holder comprising a storage medium for storing sample information about the sample held by the sample holder, including at least information of coordinates at which the sample is collected. The sample holder according to claim 1,
The sample holder further includes any one of a sample process, wafer identification information, and chip identification information. The sample holder according to claim 1, wherein
A sample holder, wherein the storage medium is a semiconductor storage medium. The sample holder according to claim 1, wherein
The sample piece holder, wherein the storage medium is a magnetic storage medium. The sample holder according to claim 1, wherein
A sample holder, wherein the storage medium is a recording medium for reading a print pattern with an optical reader. 6. An analyzer comprising a sample holder tray provided with storage medium reading means for reading information recorded on the storage medium of the sample holder according to claim 1.

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