JP2021519522A - In-line chamber metellologie - Google Patents

Abstract

An embodiment of the present disclosure relates to an inspection of a substrate to be evacuated. In one embodiment, the processing chamber has a first view port for allowing the electromagnetic radiation emitter to irradiate the substrate within the processing chamber, and the detector detecting electromagnetic radiation scattered from the substrate. It includes a second view port for enabling, an electromagnetic radiation emitter, and a detector. [Selection diagram] Fig. 4

Description

The embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to decompression treatment systems and treatment techniques. More specifically, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to techniques for direct in-line monitoring of substrates in decompression processing systems.

Semiconductor substrates are processed for a wide range of applications, including the manufacture of devices for integrated circuits and microdevices. One technique for processing a substrate involves exposing the substrate to a gas under reduced pressure and depositing a material such as a dielectric material or a conductive metal on the surface of the substrate. For example, epitaxy is a deposition process that can be used to grow high-purity thin films, often made of silicon or germanium, on the surface of a substrate (eg, a silicon wafer). The material allows a processing fluid (eg, a mixture of precursor gas and carrier gas) to flow parallel to and over the surface of the substrate placed on the support and the processing fluid (eg, treatment fluid). Can be deposited in a cross-flow chamber by decomposing (by heating to a high temperature) and depositing material from the processing fluid onto the surface of the substrate.

The quality of the deposited membrane can be inspected and / or measured at various times during the processing of the substrate. A previously known technique for inspecting and / or measuring a substrate involves removing the substrate from a processing chamber and placing the substrate in an instrument for inspecting and / or measuring the substrate. Removing the substrate from the processing chamber results in vacuuming the processing chamber with a vacuum pump before gas enters the processing chamber and, in some cases, continues processing in the chamber (of the substrate or other substrate). Need to be in a state.

In order to improve the throughput of the processing chamber and the quality of the substrate to be manufactured, there is a means to inspect and / or measure the substrate to be processed in the processing system without removing the substrate from the high vacuum environment of the processing system. is needed.

A device for processing the substrate is provided. The device generally includes a processing chamber body having a first viewport and a second viewport, a source connected to the processing chamber body for supplying the processing fluid, and a vacuum connected to the processing chamber body. Electromagnetic radiation scattered from the substrate through the pump, the substrate support in the processing chamber body, the electromagnetic radiation emitter capable of irradiating the substrate on the substrate support through the first viewport, and the second viewport. It comprises a detector that can operate to detect radiation.

A system for processing the substrate is provided. The system is generally
A processing chamber having a first slit valve opening configured to allow passage of the substrate and a second slit valve opening configured to allow passage of the substrate.
A first slit valve that can operate to open and close the first slit valve opening of the processing chamber, and a first slit valve that can operate to form a first airtight seal when the valve is closed.
A second slit valve that can operate to open and close the second slit valve opening of the processing chamber, and a second slit valve that can operate to form a second airtight seal when the valve is closed.
A transfer slit valve opening aligned with a second slit valve opening in the processing chamber, a load lock port, and a load lock with a substrate support.
With a mechanical arm with a housed probe
The mechanical arm can be operated to access the inside of the load lock through the load lock port, and the mechanical arm is an instrument in the contained probe so as to approach the substrate on the substrate support. The contained probe has an ejector that can operate to emit electromagnetic radiation to irradiate the substrate, and the contained probe detects electromagnetic radiation scattered from the substrate. It has a detector that can operate like this.

A more specific description of the embodiments briefly summarized above can be made by reference to embodiments so that the features listed above in aspects of the present disclosure can be understood in detail. Some of these are shown in the attached drawings. However, as the present disclosure may tolerate other equally valid embodiments, the accompanying drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of the present disclosure and should therefore be considered limiting the scope of the present disclosure. Note that it is not.

A cross-sectional view of the decompression chamber according to the aspect of the present disclosure is shown. A cross-sectional view of the decompression chamber according to the aspect of the present disclosure is shown. An exemplary processing system according to a particular aspect of the present disclosure is shown. A schematic isometric view of an exemplary load lock according to aspects of the present disclosure is shown. A schematic isometric view of the processing chamber according to the aspect of the present disclosure is shown. FIG. 500 is a set of graphs 500 showing monitoring of atomic layer deposition according to aspects of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary sum frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopic monitoring system configured to measure a substrate during processing according to an aspect of the present disclosure. It is the schematic of the example substrate handling blade which concerns on aspect of this disclosure.

For ease of understanding, the same reference numbers were used to point to the same elements that are common to multiple figures, where possible. The elements disclosed in one embodiment are intended to be usefully utilized in other embodiments without specific description.

Measure the layer thickness and layer uniformity of the substrate being treated in the processing system and / or inspect the substrate to detect defects without removing the substrate from the high vacuum environment of the processing system. , And / or methods and equipment for chemically characterizing the layers of the substrate and the interfaces between the layers are provided. The method and the device can measure and / or inspect the substrate in the processing chamber or in the load lock chamber connected to the processing chamber without breaking the vacuum in the processing chamber. To.

One embodiment disclosed herein is a load lock chamber connected to a processing system. The load lock chamber has a mechanical arm with a contained probe having one or more instruments that can be used to inspect and / or measure the attributes of particles on the substrate or the presence of such particles. The substrate can be removed from the processing chamber and moved into the load lock, where one or more instruments inspect and / or measure the substrate. The pressure in the load lock is maintained at a level similar to the pressure in the processing system or processing chamber, allowing the substrate to be measured and inspected without breaking the processing chamber vacuum.

In another embodiment, a plurality of viewports are arranged on the processing chamber. Lasers, X-ray emitters, and / or other emitters of electromagnetic radiation can irradiate the substrate through a first viewport in the processing chamber, and radiation scattered from the substrate is a second. It can exit the processing chamber through the viewport and be detected, collected, and / or measured by instruments outside the processing chamber. The substrate can be inspected and / or measured without breaking the vacuum in the processing chamber while the substrate is in the processing chamber.

As used herein, radiation "scattered" from a substrate refers to radiation that is reflected from the substrate, refracted from the substrate, emitted from the substrate as a result of illumination, and / or transmitted through the substrate.

Semiconductor substrates are processed for a wide range of applications, including the manufacture of devices for integrated circuits and microdevices. As mentioned above, one technique for treating a substrate involves exposing the substrate to a gas under reduced pressure and depositing a material such as a dielectric material or a conductive metal on the surface of the substrate. For example, epitaxy is a deposition process that can be used to grow high-purity thin films, often made of silicon or silicon dioxide, on the surface of a substrate (eg, a silicon wafer). The material allows a processing fluid (eg, a mixture of precursor gas and carrier gas) to flow parallel to and over the surface of the substrate placed on the support and the processing fluid (eg, treatment fluid). Can be deposited in a cross-flow chamber by decomposing (by heating to a high temperature) and depositing material from the processing fluid onto the surface of the substrate. Substrates processed according to the above epitaxy techniques can be measured and / or inspected in the processing chamber or load lock as described in more detail below.

The disclosed embodiments include atomic layer deposition (ALD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), etching, plasma chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), and plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. It can be used with techniques for processing substrates including, but not limited to, phase deposition (PVD), dielectric deposition, polymer layer deposition, and selective removal processes (SRP).

FIG. 1A shows a schematic cross-sectional view of an exemplary processing chamber 100 with components placed in positions for processing according to aspects of the present disclosure. The processing chamber shown is an epitaxial chamber. The processing chamber 100 is used to process one or more substrates (eg, perform epitaxial deposition on the substrate), which includes depositing material on the top surface of the substrate 108. The processing chamber 100 includes an array of radiant heating lamps 102 for heating and, among other components, a back surface 104 of a substrate support 106 (eg, a susceptor) disposed within the processing chamber 100. In some embodiments, an array of radiant heating lamps is placed above the upper dome 128 in addition to the array shown below the lower dome. The substrate support 106 may be a disk-shaped substrate support 106 having no central opening as shown in the figure, or may be a ring-shaped substrate support.

FIG. 1B shows a schematic side view of the processing chamber 100 cut along line 1B-1B of FIG. 1A. Liner assembly 163 and annular shield 167 have been omitted for clarity. The substrate support may be a disk-shaped substrate support 106 as shown in FIG. 1A, or as shown in FIG. 1B to facilitate exposure of the substrate to the thermal radiation of the lamp 102. It may be a ring-shaped substrate support 107 that supports the substrate from the edge of the substrate.

With reference to FIGS. 1A and 1B, the substrate support 106 or 107 is located within the processing chamber 100 between the upper dome 128 and the lower dome 114. An upper dome 128, a lower dome 114, and a base ring 136 located between the upper dome 128 and the lower dome 114 define an internal region of the processing chamber 100. Generally, the central portion of the upper dome 128 and the lower dome 114 is formed from an optically transparent material such as quartz. The internal region of the processing chamber 100 is roughly divided into a processing region 156 and a purge region 158.

The substrate 108 (not to scale) can be carried into the processing chamber 100 through the loading port 103 and placed on the substrate support 106. The loading port 103 is not visible on the substrate support 106 in FIG. 1A, but can be seen in FIG. 1B.

According to one embodiment, the substrate support 106 is supported by a central shaft 132 that can directly support the substrate support 106, as shown in FIG. 1A. According to another embodiment, the central shaft 132 supports the disk-shaped substrate support 107 by the arm portion 134, as shown in FIG. 1B.

According to one embodiment, the processing chamber 100 also includes a lamp head 145, which supports an array of lamps 102 and cools the lamps 102 during and / or after processing. Each lamp 102 is coupled to an electric distribution board (not shown) that supplies electricity to each lamp 102.

According to one embodiment, the processing chamber 100 also includes one or more photopyrometers 118 that measure the temperature inside the processing chamber 100 and on the surface of the substrate 108. A controller (not shown) controls the distribution of power from the switchboard to the lamp 102. The controller also controls the flow of cooling fluid within the processing chamber 100. The controller controls the temperature in the processing chamber by changing the voltage from the switchboard to the lamp 102 and by changing the flow of the cooling fluid.

The reflector 122 is arranged above the upper dome 128 and reflects the infrared rays emitted from the substrate 108 and the upper dome 128 and returns them into the processing chamber 100. The reflector 122 is fixed to the upper dome 128 by using a clamp ring 130. The reflector 122 has one or more connection ports 126 connected to a cooling fluid source (not shown). The connection port 126 is connected to one or more passages (not shown) in the reflector, allowing a cooling fluid (eg, water) to circulate in the reflector 122.

According to one embodiment, the processing chamber 100 includes a processing fluid inlet 174 connected to a processing fluid supply source 172. The processing fluid inlet 174 is configured to guide the processing fluid (eg, trimethylaluminum (TMA) or silane (SiH ₄ )) roughly over the entire surface of the substrate 108. The processing chamber also includes a processing fluid outlet 178 located on the side surface of the processing chamber 100 opposite the processing fluid inlet 174. The processing fluid outlet 178 is connected to the vacuum pump 180.

According to one embodiment, the processing chamber 100 includes a purge gas inlet 164 formed on the side wall of the base ring 136. The purge gas source 162 supplies the purge gas to the purge gas inlet 164. When the processing chamber 100 includes an annular shield 167, the annular shield 167 is arranged between the processing fluid inlet 174 and the purge gas inlet 164. For illustrative purposes, a treatment fluid inlet 174, a purge gas inlet 164, and a treatment fluid outlet 178 are shown, their location, size, fluid inlet and fluid to facilitate uniform deposition of material on substrate 108. The number of exits etc. can be adjusted.

The substrate support is shown in a position that allows processing of the substrate within the processing chamber 100. The central shaft 132, the substrate support 106 or 107, and the arm 134 can be lowered by an actuator (not shown). A plurality of lift pins 105 penetrate the substrate support 106 or 107. By lowering the board support to a loading position below the processing position, the lift pin 105 can come into contact with the lower dome 114, pass through the hole in the board support 106, and lift the board 108 from the board support 106. Become. A robot (not shown in FIG. 1, see robot 208 in FIG. 2) then enters the processing chamber 100 and engages and ejects the substrate 108 through the loading port 103. The robot or other robot from which the substrate 108 has been removed enters the processing chamber through the loading port 103 and places the unprocessed substrate on the substrate support 106. The substrate support 106 is then raised to the processing position by the actuator and the unprocessed substrate is placed in the processing position.

According to one embodiment, the processing of the substrate 108 in the processing chamber 100 involves inserting the substrate through the loading port 103, arranging the substrate 108 on the substrate support 106 or 107, and processing the substrate support 106. Alternatively, it includes raising the 107 and the substrate 108 to the processing position, heating the substrate 108 using the lamp 102, flowing the processing fluid 173 through the entire substrate 108, and rotating the substrate 108. In some cases, the substrate can be raised or lowered during processing.

According to some aspects of the present disclosure, the epitaxial treatment in the processing chamber 100 includes controlling the pressure in the processing chamber 100 to be lower than atmospheric pressure. According to one embodiment, the pressure in the processing chamber 100 is reduced to about 10 torr to 80 torr. According to another embodiment, the pressure in the processing chamber 100 is reduced to about 80 torr to 300 torr. According to one embodiment, the vacuum pump 180 is operated to reduce the pressure in the processing chamber 100 before and / or during the processing.

The processing fluid 173 is introduced into the processing chamber 100 from one or more processing fluid inlets 174 and exits the processing chamber 100 through one or more processing fluid outlets 178. The processing fluid 173 deposits one or more materials on the substrate 108, for example by thermal decomposition or other reaction. After depositing the material on the substrate 108, effluent (ie, exhaust gas) 166,175 is formed from the reaction. The effluent 166 and 175 exit the processing chamber 100 through the processing fluid outlet 178.

When the processing of the substrate 108 is completed, the processing chamber 100 is purged of the processing fluid 173 and the effluent 166 and 175 by introducing the purge gas 165 (for example, hydrogen or nitrogen) through the purge gas inlet 164. The purge gas 165 can be introduced in place of the purge gas inlet 164 or in addition to the purge gas inlet 164 through the processing fluid inlet 174. The purge gas 165 exits the processing chamber through the processing fluid outlet 178.

Illustrative In-line Chamber Metrology In embodiments of the present disclosure, the substrate can be processed, inspected and / or measured within the processing chamber without breaking the vacuum of the processing chamber. In one embodiment, the load lock chamber is connected to the processing chamber via a valve. The load lock has a mechanical arm with a contained probe having one or more instruments that can be used to inspect and / or measure the substrate. The substrate can be removed from the processing chamber and passed through a valve into the load lock, where one or more instruments inspect and / or measure the substrate. The pressure in the load lock is maintained at or reduced to the same level as the pressure in the processing chamber, allowing the substrate to be measured and inspected without breaking the vacuum in the processing chamber. The substrate may then be returned to the processing chamber for additional processing, and additional processing parameters (eg, temperature or gas flow rate) are determined based on measurements and inspections performed at the load lock.

Measurement and inspection techniques that can be used with the load lock according to aspects of the present disclosure include confocal fluorescence microscopy and imaging, infrared, ultraviolet, and visible line reflections (including ellipsometry), Raman scattering, and tip enhancement. Raman scattering, surface plasmon polaritone enhanced Raman scattering, second harmonic, sum frequency spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), terahertz wave scanning or millimeters. Wave scanning and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) are included.

In another embodiment, a plurality of viewports are arranged on the process chamber. Lasers, X-ray emitters, and / or other emitters of electromagnetic radiation can illuminate the substrate in the processing chamber through the first view port and scatter from the substrate (eg,). Radiation (reflected or refracted) can exit the processing chamber through a second view port and be detected, collected, and / or measured by an instrument outside the processing chamber. The substrate can be inspected and / or measured without breaking the vacuum in the processing chamber while the substrate is in the processing chamber.

In accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, measurement and inspection techniques that can be used with viewports located on the processing chamber include confocal fluorescence microscopy and imaging, infrared, ultraviolet, and visible radiation reflections (including ellipsometry). ), Raman scattering, second harmonics, confocal spectroscopy, terahertz or millimeter wave scanning, and X-ray fluorescence (XRF).

FIG. 2 is a top view showing an exemplary processing system 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The processing system 200 includes a load lock chamber 204, a transfer chamber 206, a handling robot 208 within the transfer chamber 206 (eg, tool and material handling or substrate handling), a first CVD processing chamber 210, and a second CVD. It includes a processing chamber 212, a control station 214, an ALD processing chamber 216, and a mask chamber 218. The first CVD processing chamber 210, the second CVD processing chamber 212, the ALD processing chamber 216, and the hardware associated with each chamber are preferably, for example, aluminum, anodized aluminum, nickel-plated aluminum, stainless steel, quartz. , As well as one or more process compatible materials such as combinations and alloys thereof. The first CVD processing chamber 210, the second CVD processing chamber 212, and the ALD processing chamber 216 have a circular, rectangular, or different shape as required by the shape of the substrate to be coated and other processing requirements. May be.

The transfer chamber 206 has slit valve openings 221 and 223 provided on the side wall adjacent to the load lock chamber 204, the first CVD processing chamber 210, the second CVD processing chamber 212, the ALD processing chamber 216, and the mask chamber 218. Includes 225, 227, and 229. The handling robot 208 may allow substrate handling blades 209 and / or one or more other tools to be inserted into adjacent chambers through slit valve openings 221 and 223, 225, 227, 229, respectively. Arrangement and composition. That is, the handling robot has a load lock chamber 204, a first CVD processing chamber 210, via slit valve openings 221 and 223, 225, 227, 229 in the walls of the transfer chamber 206 adjacent to each of the other chambers. , The tool can be inserted into the second CVD processing chamber 212, the ALD processing chamber 216, and the mask chamber 218. A substrate handling blade, also referred to herein as a "blade," may be equipped with a substrate monitoring device according to aspects of the present disclosure. An example of such a blade will be described below with reference to FIG. When a substrate, tool, or other article is inserted into or removed from one of the adjacent chambers, the slit valve openings 221, 223, 225, 227, 229 are inside the adjacent chamber. Slit valves 220, 222, 224, 226, 228 selectively open and close to allow access to.

The transfer chamber 206, load lock chamber 204, first CVD processing chamber 210, second CVD processing chamber 212, ALD processing chamber 216, and mask chamber 218 are one that communicates fluidly with a vacuum system (eg, a vacuum pump). Includes the above openings (not shown). The holes provide outlets for gas in various chambers. In some embodiments, each chamber is connected to a separate and independent vacuum system. In yet another embodiment, some of the chambers share a vacuum system, while others have a separate and independent vacuum system. The vacuum system may include a vacuum pump (not shown) and a throttle valve (not shown) to regulate the flow of gas through the various chambers.

According to aspects of the present disclosure, the first CVD processing chamber 210 may be connected to the load lock 211 via a valve 215. The load lock 211 may have a mechanical arm with a contained probe having one or more instruments that can be used to inspect and / or measure the substrate (see FIG. 3). The substrate is removed from the first CVD processing chamber 210 and enters the load lock 211 through valve 215, where one or more instruments can inspect and / or measure the substrate. The instrument is a confocal fluorescence microscope or imaging system, one or more infrared lasers, ultraviolet lasers, and / or visible light lasers, one or more charge-coupled device (CCD) detectors, and one or more. Mercury cadmium telluride (MCT) detector, one or more indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) detectors, mechanical probe with tip for tip-enhanced Raman scattering, atomic force microscope probe , A scanning tunnel microscope probe, a terahertz wave or millimeter wave transceiver antenna, and one or more of an X-ray emitter and an X-ray detector. The mechanical arm, the contained probe, and the instrument will be described in more detail below with reference to FIG. The pressure in the load lock 211 can be reduced to or maintained at the same level as the pressure in the first CVD processing chamber 210, without breaking the vacuum in the first CVD processing chamber 210. Can be measured and inspected.

Similarly, the second CVD processing chamber 212 may be connected to the load lock 213 via a valve 218 and the ALD processing chamber 216 may be connected to the load lock 217 via a valve 219. Each of the load locks 213 and 217 may have a mechanical arm with a contained probe having one or more instruments that can be used to inspect and / or measure the substrate (see Figure 3). .. As mentioned above, the substrate can be removed from the second CVD processing chamber 212 and into the load lock 213 through the valve 218 without breaking the vacuum of the second CVD processing chamber 212. Further, as described above, the substrate can be taken out of the ALD processing chamber 216 and entered into the load lock 217 through the valve 219 without breaking the vacuum of the ALD processing chamber 216. Once inside the load lock 213 or 217, the probe instrument can measure and / or inspect the substrate without breaking the vacuum in the second CVD processing chamber 212 or ALD processing chamber 216.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic isometric view of an exemplary load lock 300 according to aspects of the present disclosure. The load lock 300 may be an example of the load locks 211, 213, and 217 shown in FIG. A mechanical arm 302 with the contained probe 304 can access the substrate 306 via the load lockport 308. The substrate 306 may be placed on a substrate support 310 (eg, a substrate support blade or pedestal) in a load lock. The probe is a fiber optic or metal cable for carrying electromagnetic radiation (eg, infrared laser light, ultraviolet laser light, visible laser light, millimeter waves, or X-rays) from a laser source or other emitter to the substrate. Can include. Additional or alternative, the probe may include one or more laser sources, a terahertz or millimeter wave transceiver antenna, and an x-ray emitter. The probe also includes one or more charge-coupled device (CCD) detectors, a mercury cadmium tellurized (MCT) detector, an indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) detector, and a mechanical probe with a tip for tip-enhanced Raman scattering. Atomic force microscope probes, scanning tunneling microscope probes, X-ray detectors, and / or other types of instruments for measuring and / or inspecting substrates may be included. The load lock 300 may also include one or more turbo vacuum ports for draining gas from the load lock 300 (eg, a processing fluid that can enter the load lock from the processing chamber).

Since the mechanical arm portion 302 can bring the probe 304 close to the substrate, both the near-field inspection technique and the far-field inspection technique are suitable for being performed in the load lock 300.

According to aspects of the present disclosure, the probe 304 can be housed (encapsulated) in a material (eg, quartz) that releases only limited gas when exposed to vacuum, and the probe material (eg, quartz). , Fiber optic strands) to prevent substrate contamination from outgassing. Instruments that require close contact or contact with the substrate (eg, mechanical probe tips for tip-enhanced Raman scattering, atomic force microscopes, or scanning tunneling microscopes) are exposed to vacuum. It does not have to be housed in a material that emits only limited gas. Instead, instruments that require close proximity to or contact with the substrate can be constructed of materials that experience limited outgassing when exposed to vacuum (eg, steel).

FIG. 4 shows a schematic isometric view of a processing chamber 400 (eg, an ALD chamber) having a plurality of viewports 402 and 404 according to aspects of the present disclosure. Viewports can be made from quartz or other materials that are translucent to electromagnetic radiation 424 and 426 (eg, infrared, ultraviolet, visible, X-ray, and / or millimeter wave radiation). The first viewport 402 may be arranged to allow irradiation of the substrate 406 by electromagnetic radiation at a large glazing angle (ie, an angle measured perpendicular to the top surface of the substrate). The second viewport 404 may be arranged to allow the detector 430 to receive and / or detect the electromagnetic radiation 432 scattered from the substrate at an angle similar to the large glazing angle. The processing chamber 400 may be representative of the processing chamber 100 shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. The processing chamber may be connected to the processing fluid supply source 472 via one or more processing fluid inlets 474 and may include a processing fluid outlet 478 connected to a vacuum pump 480. The substrate 406 may be placed on a substrate support 410 (eg, a substrate support blade or pedestal) in the load lock. The substrate support 410 can be heated if desired for the performance of the processing chamber.

One or more lasers of the electromagnetic radiation beams 424 and 426 (eg, infrared lasers, ultraviolet lasers, visible light lasers, or X-ray lasers) 420, 422, or other emitters illuminate substrate 406 through viewport 402. sell. As shown, the lasers are femtosecond and picosecond (fs-ps) pulse visible lasers with wavelengths of 800 nanometers (nm) and fs-ps with wavelengths in the range of 1 to 4 micrometers (μm). A pulsed mid-infrared (mid-IR) laser may be included, but the present disclosure is not so limited and emitters of other wavelengths may be used. A laser or other emitter can be attached to the load lock so that the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the emitter illuminates the substrate at a consistent angle. One or more actuators with laser and other emitter attachments (not shown) to allow radiation to raster scan across the surface of the substrate in a controlled and reproducible manner during substrate measurements and inspections. ) Can be used to move. One or more mirrors 442A and 442B, half-wave plates 444A and 444B, polarizers 446A and 446B, and lenses (eg, focal lenses) 448A and 448B are actuators such that radiation causes raster scanning over the surface of the substrate. Can be moved by (not shown). Additional or alternative, electromagnetic radiation from the emitter may be directed by fiber optic cables or other conduits, which allow the radiation to raster scan over the surface of the substrate. , Moved by the actuator.

Electromagnetic radiation 432 scattered (eg, reflected or refracted) from the substrate as a result of irradiating the substrate can exit the processing chamber 400 via viewport 404. With one or more perforations 450, collimator 452, spectrometer 454, mirror 456, filter 458, and lens 460, the electromagnetic radiation 432 is one or more charge-coupling element (CCD) detectors 430, tellurized cadmium mercury ( It can be directed to MCT) detectors, indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) detectors, spectrometers, and other types of instruments for measuring and / or inspecting substrates. CCD detectors, MCT detectors, InGaAs detectors, spectrometers, and other instruments detect and / or measure electromagnetic radiation 432 exiting viewport 404 to determine measurements and other data about the substrate. It is possible. The detector or other instrument may be attached to the load lock so that electromagnetic radiation scattered from the substrate is measured or detected at a consistent angle. Installation of the detector and other instruments allows the detector and other instruments to emit radiation scattered from the substrate in response to the emitter being raster-scanned across the substrate during measurement and inspection of the substrate. It can be moved by one or more actuators (not shown) to receive. Additional or alternative, a hole 450, a collimator 452, a polarizer 454, a mirror 456, a filter 458, and a lens 460 provide an actuator to direct the electromagnetic radiation 432 towards the detector and / or instrument. May be moved through.

The substrate support 410 may move within the processing chamber as part of the substrate measurement and inspection. For example, the substrate support 410 scans the substrate in the processing chamber 400 such that one or more beams 424 and 426 incident through the viewport 402 are scanned over the surface of the substrate (eg, raster scanning). Can be moved. Additional or alternative, scanning galvanometer mirrors can be used to scan the beam from the emitter over the surface of the substrate. The galvanometer mirror may be located within the processing chamber 400 or may be located outside the processing chamber 400.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 4 shows a beam scanning the top surface of substrate 406, but the present disclosure is not limited in this way. According to aspects of the present disclosure, the substrate support 410 may have a cut-out portion or be translucent to the beam (eg, a prism), and viewports 402 and 404 may have the beam of the substrate. It may be arranged to allow scanning the bottom surface.

According to aspects of the present disclosure, second harmonic generation (SHG) and sum frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopy can be performed by ALD, CVD, PECVD, PVD, dielectric deposition, polymer layer deposition. , And can be used to monitor treated surfaces such as surfaces deposited via SRP. SFG spectroscopy examines the secondary molecular hyperpolarizability of the material and indicates which mode in the non-centrally symmetric medium is active. SFG and SHG are second-order nonlinear optical processes, where two incident photons interact with each other and with the surface when they overlap spatially and temporally at the surface or interface of the medium, as described in 2 above. Generates one photon with the sum frequency of the frequencies of one incident photon. When both incident photons come from the same light source (and thus have the same frequency), the resulting process is called second harmonic generation (SHG). When both incident photons are at different frequencies, the resulting optical process is called sum frequency generation (SFG). These secondary optical processes follow the conservation of photon energy and momentum. Conservation of photon momentum makes the process highly directional, so SFG or SHG photons can be spatially separated from incident photons, or other photons from other nonlinear optical processes. SFG and SHG are surface-sensitive processes because secondary hyperpolarity is active only in non-center-symmetrical media, such as at interfaces, surfaces, or even for molecules that do not have a center of symmetry. (See, for example, Nature 337 (6207), pp. 519-525, 1989). For example, SFG spectroscopy uses atomic layer deposition _{of hydrogen (H 2} ) on platinum by measuring the intensity of a particular wavenumber associated with a platinum-hydrogen bond, as described with reference to FIG. 5 below. Can be used to monitor. SFG spectroscopy is also used to monitor _{aluminum oxide / silicon oxide (AlO x} / SiO _x ) atomic layer deposition on silicon substrates by measuring the intensity of specific wavenumbers associated with _{AlO x bonds.} (For example, available at E. Kessels et al., Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology A35, 05C313 (2017), https://doi.org/10.1116.4993597).

FIG. 5 is a graph 500 showing a curve showing monitoring of hydrogen atomic layer deposition on platinum in the ALD process where platinum is exposed to different flows of hydrogen and sum frequency generation measurements are made on the surface of the platinum. .. Curve 510 shows a set of SFG intensities (measured in ^{s-1 units) for a set of wavenumbers (measured in cm-1} units) after exposure of platinum to hydrogen at the highest flow rate. After exposing platinum to hydrogen at the highest flow rate, SFG spectroscopy shows a relatively high intensity (ie, greater than 1.1) with ^{a wavenumber of 2020 cm-1 as shown at point 512.} After exposing platinum to hydrogen at a lower flow rate, SFG spectroscopy shows a ^{lower intensity of wavenumber 2020 cm-1} (ie, about 0.95), as shown at point 514. Subsequently, after each of the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth exposures of platinum to hydrogen at lower flow rates, SFG spectroscopy was performed, as shown at points 516, 518, and 520. It shows an even lower intensity (ie, less than 0.90) with a wave number of 2020 cm ^-1. After exposing platinum to hydrogen at the lowest flow rate, SFG spectroscopy shows the lowest intensity (ie 0.38) with ^{a wavenumber of 2020 cm-1 as shown at point 522.}

According to aspects of the present disclosure, SFG spectroscopy techniques are highly specialized in surfaces and interfaces, and therefore analysis of data from SFG spectroscopy typically involves a background signal from the measured signal. Does not need to be subtracted.

FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of an exemplary SFG spectroscopic system 600 configured to monitor substrate 670 (eg, platinum) during ALD processing according to aspects of the present disclosure (eg, ACS Catalysis, 2014, 4 (6), pp. 1964-1971). In an exemplary ALD processing chamber 680, hydrogen flows into the chamber at position 682 and further over the substrate, which causes dissociation of hydrogen to form a layer on the substrate. A mass spectrometer (MS) monitors the gas leaving the chamber to collect data on the amount of hydrogen deposited on the substrate. A heating rod 684 and a piston 686 control the temperature and pressure in the ALD chamber. In an exemplary SFG spectroscopic system, a variable wavelength laser system (ie, one or more electromagnetic emission emitters) 602 has an infrared range (ie, 1-9 micrometers, eg, 4-7 micrometers or 5-6 micrometers). ) And the first pulse of the laser beam 604, and the laser beam having a wavelength in the visible range (ie, 520-900 nanometers, eg, 600-900 nanometers, 750-850 nanometers, or 800 nanometers). Generates a second pulse of 606. The first pulse of the laser beam then passes through various filters 608 that fine-tune the frequency of the first pulse to the desired frequency. The first pulse is then aimed by the lens 610 and enters the first viewport 652 and enters the processing chamber. The second pulse passes through the filter 616 and the frequency of the second pulse is fine-tuned. Lens 620 directs a second pulse through the first viewport 652 into the processing chamber. The first pulse and the second pulse may be aimed through the prism 612 to illuminate the substrate 670. The first pulse and the second pulse interact as they illuminate the substrate to produce a second harmonic pulse 630. The second harmonic pulse can be aimed through the prism 612 to exit the processing chamber via the second viewport 654. The lens 640 and filter 642 can direct the second harmonic pulse and filter out the reflections of the first and second pulses, which allows the photomultiplier tube (PMT). However, it is possible to collect the second harmonic pulse. The PMT supplies the boxcar integrator 634 with information about the second harmonic pulse. Finally, the boxcar integrator supplies a signal to the computer 636 for interpretation.

According to aspects of the present disclosure, the first viewport 652 and the second viewport 654 can be formed from _{magnesium fluoride (MgF 2} ) or calcium fluoride (CaF _2). This is because these materials allow transmission of both a first pulse having a wavelength in the infrared range and a second pulse having a wavelength in the visible range.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of an exemplary substrate handling blade 700 according to aspects of the present disclosure. An exemplary substrate handling blade may include a substrate support blade 702 and an instrument support arm portion 704. The instrument support arm supports a laser source 706 (eg, another source of laser light, such as one or more electromagnetic emission emitters, a laser, or a fiber optic cable that carries the laser light from a remote laser) and a spectrometer 708. Can be done. As shown in FIG. 6, the laser source can emit two pulses of laser light 710, 712 having different wavelengths. As shown in FIG. 6, the laser source may include one or more mirrors, filters, etalons, and lenses to direct the pulse of the laser light to the substrate on the substrate handling blade. The spectrometer also blocks both the reflections 720 and 722 of the first and second pulses, and one or more apertures, filters to direct the second harmonic pulse 724 to the detector in the spectrometer. , Lens, and spectrometer.

According to aspects of the present disclosure, the instrument support arm portion 704 and the substrate handling blade 702 can move together into the processing chamber (eg, the processing chamber 100 shown in FIG. 1). Additional or alternative, the instrument support arm may move independently of the board handling blade (eg, rotate away) as the board handling blade enters the processing chamber.

In aspects of the present disclosure, the instrument on the instrument support arm 704, such as the laser source 706 and / or the spectrometer 708, is a substrate while the substrate handling blade is in the transfer chamber (eg, transfer chamber 206 shown in FIG. 2). It is possible to monitor the substrate supported by the handling blades, allowing monitoring and / or inspection of the substrate without the need to break the vacuum in the processing system.

According to aspects of the present disclosure, the spectrometer can be a complementary metal oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) spectrometer or a photonic crystal fiber (PCF) based spectrometer. ..

To provide a better understanding of the above discussion, the non-limiting example above is provided. Although the examples may be directed to a particular embodiment, the examples should not be construed as limiting the present disclosure in any particular respect.

Although the above description is intended for embodiments of the present disclosure, other and further embodiments of the present disclosure may be devised without departing from the basic scope of the present disclosure. The scope of the present disclosure is determined by the following claims.

Claims (15)

A processing chamber body having a first viewport and a second viewport,
The substrate support in the processing chamber body and
An electromagnetic radiation emitter capable of operating to illuminate the substrate on the substrate support through the first viewport.
A device for processing a substrate, comprising a detector capable of detecting electromagnetic radiation scattered from the substrate through the second viewport. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the substrate support can operate to move the substrate so that a beam from the electromagnetic radiation emitter is scanned over the surface of the substrate. The device of claim 1, further comprising a galvanometer mirror capable of directing a beam from the electromagnetic radiation emitter onto the surface of the substrate. The electromagnetic radiation emitter produces a first laser source capable of operating to generate a first pulse of laser light having a first wavelength and a second pulse of laser light having a second wavelength. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second laser source that can operate in such a manner. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the first wavelength is 1 micrometer or more and 4 micrometers or less, and the second wavelength is 750 nanometers or more and 850 nanometers or less. The detector can operate to measure the intensity of sum frequency generation (SFG) pulses generated by the interaction of the first pulse, the second pulse, and the substrate. , The apparatus according to claim 4. A system for processing substrates
A processing chamber having a first slit valve opening configured to allow passage of the substrate and a second slit valve opening configured to allow passage of the substrate.
A first slit valve that can operate to open and close the first slit valve opening of the processing chamber, and a first slit valve that can operate to form a first airtight seal when the valve is closed.
A second slit valve that can operate to open and close the second slit valve opening of the processing chamber, and a second slit valve that can operate to form a second airtight seal when the valve is closed.
A transfer slit valve opening aligned with the second slit valve opening of the processing chamber, a load lock port, and a load lock having a substrate support.
With a mechanical arm with a housed probe
The mechanical arm portion can operate to access the inside of the load lock through the load lock port.
The mechanical arm can be operated to move the instrument in the contained probe so as to approach the substrate on the substrate support.
The contained probe has an ejector capable of emitting electromagnetic radiation to irradiate the substrate.
The contained probe is a system for processing a substrate having a detector capable of detecting electromagnetic radiation scattered from the substrate. Further equipped with a board handling robot having a board handling blade,
The mechanical arm portion is connected to the substrate handling robot and is connected to the substrate handling robot.
7. The system of claim 7, wherein the mechanical arm is capable of moving the instrument within the contained probe so as to approach the substrate on the substrate handling blade. The emitter operates to generate a first pulse of laser light having a first wavelength and a second pulse of laser light having a second wavelength. The system of claim 7, comprising a possible second laser source. The system according to claim 9, wherein the first wavelength is 1 micrometer or more and 4 micrometers or less, and the second wavelength is 750 nanometers or more and 850 nanometers or less. The detector measures the intensity of sum frequency generation (SFG) pulses generated by the interaction of the first pulse, the second pulse, and the substrate on the substrate support. The system according to claim 9, which is capable of operating to do so. A device for measuring substrates in a processing system.
A mechanical arm that can operate to access the inside of the load lock of the processing system,
With the housed probe on the mechanical arm
An ejector in the contained probe that can operate to emit electromagnetic radiation to irradiate the substrate.
A detector in the contained probe, comprising a detector capable of detecting electromagnetic radiation scattered from the substrate.
The mechanical arm is a device for measuring a substrate in a processing system capable of operating at least one of the ejector or the detector to move it closer to the substrate. The emitter operates to generate a first pulse of laser light having a first wavelength and a second pulse of laser light having a second wavelength. 12. The apparatus of claim 12, comprising a possible second laser source. 13. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first wavelength is 1 micrometer or more and 4 micrometers or less, and the second wavelength is 750 nanometers or more and 850 nanometers or less. The detector can operate to measure the intensity of sum frequency generation (SFG) pulses generated by the interaction of the first pulse, the second pulse, and the substrate. The device according to claim 13.

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