Claims
- 1. A system configured to form shallow trench isolation regions in a substrate, the system comprising:
an etch subsystem configured to etch a substrate, the etch subsystem having an integrated inspection system configured to inspect the substrate; a deposition subsystem configured to receive the substrate after the substrate has been etched and to deposit an insulating material on the substrate, the deposition subsystem having an integrated inspection system configured to inspect the substrate; a planarization subsystem configured to receive the substrate after the insulating material has been deposited on the substrate and to planarize the substrate; and a controller coupled to the etch subsystem, the deposition subsystem and the planarization subsystem, the controller having computer program code configured to communicate with each subsystem and to perform the steps of:
receiving information about a substrate etched within the etch subsystem from the inspection system of the etch subsystem; determining a deposition process to perform within the deposition subsystem based at least in part on the information received from the inspection system of the etch subsystem; directing the deposition subsystem to deposit an insulating material on the substrate based on the deposition process; receiving information about the insulating material deposited on the substrate from the inspection system of the deposition subsystem; determining a planarization process to perform within the planarization subsystem based at least in part on the information received from the inspection system of the deposition subsystem; and directing the planarization subsystem to planarize the substrate based on the planarization process.
- 2. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller further comprises computer program code configured to perform the steps of:
determining an etch process to perform within the etch subsystem based at least in part on information received from the inspection system of the etch subsystem about a substrate previously processed within the etch subsystem; and directing the etch subsystem to etch a substrate based on the etch process.
- 3. The system of claim 2 wherein determining an etch process includes determining at least one of:
(a) a CHF3 flow rate; (b) an SF6 flow rate; (c) a Cl2 flow rate; and (d) an O2 flow rate; based on the information received about the substrate previously processed within the etch subsystem.
- 4. The system of claim 2 wherein determining an etch process includes determining a chamber pressure based on the information received about the substrate previously processed within the etch subsystem.
- 5. The system of claim 2 wherein determining an etch process includes determining at least one of a substrate bias power and source power based on the information received about the substrate previously processed within the etch subsystem.
- 6. The system of claim 2 wherein the controller further comprises computer program code configured to perform the steps of:
determining at least one of a clean time for an etch chamber, an O2 flow for an ashing process and a source power for an ashing process based on information received about a defect density of the substrate previously processed within the etch subsystem.
- 7. The system of claim 1 wherein determining a deposition process to perform within the deposition subsystem comprises determining a deposition process based at least in part on information received from the inspection system of the deposition subsystem about a substrate previously processed within the deposition subsystem.
- 8. The system of claim 7 wherein determining a deposition process includes determining at least one of:
(a) a top/center SiH4 flow ratio; (b) a top/side source power ratio; and (c) center SiH4 and O2 flow rates; based on the information received about the substrate previously processed within the deposition subsystem.
- 9. The system of claim 7 wherein the controller further comprises computer program code configured to perform the steps of:
determining at least one of a clean time and a season time for deposition chamber based on information received about a defect density of the substrate previously processed within the deposition subsystem.
- 10. The system of claim 1 wherein the planarization subsystem includes an integrated inspection system configured to inspect the substrate after the substrate has been planarized; and
wherein the controller further comprises computer program code configured to perform the step of receiving information about the planarized substrate from the inspection system of the planarization subsystem.
- 11. The system of claim 11 wherein determining a planarization process to perform within the planarization subsystem comprises determining a planarization process based at least in part on information received from the inspection system of the planarization subsystem about a substrate previously processed within the planarization subsystem.
- 12. The system of claim 11 wherein determining a planarization process includes determining at least one of:
(a) a polish time; (b) a head pressure; (c) slurry type; (d) slurry concentration; and (e) overpolish time; based on the information received about the substrate previously processed within the planarization subsystem.
- 13. The system of claim 11 wherein the controller further comprises computer program code configured to perform the steps of:
determining at least one of rinse pressure, rinse time and slurry concentration based on information received about a defect density of the substrate previously processed within the planarization subsystem.
- 14. The system of claim 1 wherein the inspection system of the etch subsystem is configured to inspect a patterned masking layer formed on a substrate before the substrate is etched within the etch subsystem; and
wherein the controller further comprises computer program code configured to perform the steps of:
receiving information about the patterned masking layer from the inspection system of the etch subsystem; determining an etch process to perform within the etch subsystem based at least in part on the information received from the inspection system of the etch subsystem about the patterned masking layer; and directing the etch subsystem to etch the substrate based on the etch process.
- 15. The system of claim 14 wherein determining an etch process to perform includes selecting a one of a plurality of etch processes based on information received about a patterned masking layer.
- 16. The system of claim 14 wherein determining an etch process to perform includes selecting at least one of a CHF3 flow rate, an SF6 flow rate, an O2 flow rate, a Cl2 flow rate and chamber pressure based on information received about a patterned masking layer.
- 17. The system of claim 1 wherein the inspection system of at least one of the subsystems is coupled to a factory interface of the subsystem.
- 18. The system of claim 1 wherein the inspection system of at least one of the subsystems comprises a metrology system.
- 19. The system of claim 1 wherein the inspection system of at least one of the subsystems comprises a defect detection system.
- 20. The system of claim 1 wherein the inspection system of at least one of the subsystems comprises both a defect detection system and a metrology system.
- 21. The system of claim 1 wherein determining a deposition process includes determining substrate power based on information received about trenches etched in the substrate.
- 22. The system of claim 1 wherein determining a deposition process includes determining SiH4 and O2 flow rates based on information received about trenches etched in the substrate.
- 23. The system of claim 1 wherein determining a deposition process includes determining deposition time based on information received about trenches etched in the substrate.
- 24. The system of claim 1 wherein determining a planarization process includes determining polish time based on information received about the insulating material deposited on the substrate.
- 25. The system of claim 1 wherein determining a planarization process includes determining head pressure based on information received about the insulating material deposited on the substrate.
- 26. The system of claim 1 wherein determining a planarization process includes determining slurry type based on information received about the insulating material deposited on the substrate.
- 27. The system of claim 1 wherein determining a planarization process includes determining slurry concentration based on information received about the insulating material deposited on the substrate.
- 28. The system of claim 1 wherein determining a planarization process includes determining overpolish time based on information received about the insulating material deposited on the substrate.
- 29. A method of forming shallow trench isolation regions in a substrate comprising:
receiving information about a substrate etched within an etch subsystem from an integrated inspection system of the etch subsystem; determining a deposition process to perform within a deposition subsystem based at least in part on the information received from the inspection system of the etch subsystem; directing the deposition subsystem to deposit an insulating material on the substrate based on the deposition process; receiving information about the insulating material deposited on the substrate from an integrated inspection system of the deposition subsystem; determining a planarization process to perform within a planarization subsystem based at least in part on the information received from the inspection system of the deposition subsystem; and directing the planarization subsystem to planarize the substrate based on the planarization process.
- 30. The method of claim 29 further comprising receiving information about the planarized substrate from an inspection system of the planarization subsystem.
- 31. The method of claim 30 further comprising: determining an etch process to perform within the etch subsystem based at least in part on information received from the inspection system of the etch subsystem about a substrate previously processed within the etch subsystem;
wherein determining a deposition process to perform within a deposition subsystem comprises determining a deposition process based at least in part on information received from the inspection system of the deposition subsystem about a substrate previously processed within the deposition subsystem; and wherein determining a planarization process to perform within a planarization subsystem comprises determining a planarization process based at least in part on information received from the inspection system of the planarization subsystem about a substrate previously processed within the planarization subsystem.
- 32. The method of claim 29 further comprising:
receiving information from the inspection system of the etch subsystem about a patterned masking layer formed on a substrate before the substrate is etched within the etch subsystem; determining an etch process to perform within the etch subsystem based at least in part on the information received from the inspection system of the etch subsystem about the patterned masking layer; and directing the etch subsystem to etch the substrate based on the etch process.
- 33. A computer program product comprising:
a medium readable by a computer, the computer readable medium having computer program code adapted to:
receive information about a substrate etched with an etch subsystem from an integrated inspection system of the etch subsystem; determine a deposition process to perform within a deposition subsystem based at least in part on the information received from the inspection system of the etch subsystem; direct the deposition subsystem to deposit an insulating material on the substrate based on the deposition process; receive information about the insulating material deposited on the substrate from an integrated inspection system of the deposition subsystem; determine a planarization process to perform within a planarization subsystem based at least in part on the information received from the inspection system of the deposition subsystem; and direct the planarization subsystem to planarize the substrate based on the planarization process.
- 34. The computer program product of claim 33 further comprising computer program code adapted to receive information about the planarized substrate from an inspection system of the planarization subsystem.
- 35. The computer program product of claim 34 further comprising:
computer program code adapted to determine an etch process to perform within the etch subsystem based at least in part on information received from the inspection system of the etch subsystem about a substrate previously processed within the etch subsystem;
wherein the computer program code adapted to determine a deposition process to perform within a deposition subsystem comprises computer program code adapted to determine a deposition process based at least in part on information received from the inspection system of the deposition subsystem about a substrate previously processed within the deposition subsystem; and wherein the computer program code adapted to determine a planarization process to perform within a planarization subsystem comprises computer program code adapted to determine a planarization process based at least in part on information received from the inspection system of the planarization subsystem about a substrate previously processed within the planarization subsystem.
- 36. The computer program product of claim 33 further comprising computer program code adapted to:
receive information from the inspection system of the etch subsystem about a patterned masking layer formed on a substrate before the substrate is etched within the etch subsystem; determine an etch process to perform within the etch subsystem based at least in part on the information received from the inspection system of the etch subsystem about the patterned masking layer; and direct the etch subsystem to etch the substrate based on the etch process.
- 37. A system for forming shallow trench isolation regions in a substrate comprising:
means for determining an etch process to perform within an etch subsystem; means for directing the etch subsystem to etch a substrate based on the etch process; means for receiving information about the etched substrate from an integrated inspection system of the etch subsystem; means for determining a deposition process to perform within a deposition subsystem based at least in part on the information received from the inspection system of the etch subsystem; means for directing the deposition subsystem to deposit an insulating material on the substrate based on the deposition process; means for receiving information about the insulating material deposited on the substrate from an integrated inspection system of the deposition subsystem; means for determining a planarization process to perform within a planarization subsystem based at least in part on the information received from the inspection system of the deposition subsystem; and means for directing the planarization subsystem to planarize the substrate based on the planarization process.
- 38. A method for forming shallow trench isolation regions in a substrate comprising:
a step for determining an etch process to perform within an etch subsystem; a step for directing the etch subsystem to etch a substrate based on the etch process; a step for receiving information about the etched substrate from an integrated inspection system of the etch subsystem; a step for determining a deposition process to perform within a deposition subsystem based at least in part on the information received from the inspection system of the etch subsystem; a step for directing the deposition subsystem to deposit an insulating material on the substrate based on the deposition process; a step for receiving information about the insulating material deposited on the substrate from an integrated inspection system of the deposition subsystem; a step for determining a planarization process to perform within a planarization subsystem based at least in part on the information received from the inspection system of the deposition subsystem; and a step for directing the planarization subsystem to planarize the substrate based on the planarization process.
- 39. A system configured to form shallow trench isolation regions in a substrate, the system comprising:
an etch subsystem configured to etch a substrate having a patterned masking layer and to remove the patterned masking layer from the substrate, the etch subsystem having an integrated inspection system configured to inspect the substrate after the patterned masking layer has been removed from the substrate; a cleaning subsystem configured to receive the substrate from the etch subsystem and to clean the substrate; an oxidation subsystem configured to receive the substrate from the cleaning subsystem and to form an oxide layer on the substrate; a deposition subsystem configured to receive the substrate from the oxidation subsystem and to deposit an insulating material on the substrate, the deposition subsystem having an integrated inspection system configured to inspect the substrate after the insulating material has been deposited on the substrate; a planarization subsystem configured to receive the substrate from the deposition subsystem and to planarize the substrate; and a controller coupled to the etch subsystem, the cleaning subsystem, the oxidation subsystem, the deposition subsystem and the planarization subsystem, the controller having computer program code configured to communicate with each subsystem and to perform the steps of:
determining an etch process to perform within the etch subsystem; directing the etch subsystem to etch a substrate having a patterned masking layer based on the etch process; directing the etch subsystem to remove the patterned masking layer from the substrate; receiving information about the etched substrate from the inspection system of the etch subsystem; directing the cleaning subsystem to clean the substrate; determining an oxidation process to perform within the oxidation subsystem; directing the oxidation subsystem to form an oxide layer on the substrate based on the oxidation process; determining a deposition process to perform within the deposition subsystem based at least in part on the information received from the inspection system of the etch subsystem about the etched substrate; directing the deposition subsystem to deposit an insulating material on the substrate based on the deposition process; receiving information about the insulating material deposited on the substrate from the inspection system of the deposition subsystem; determining a planarization process to perform within the planarization subsystem based at least in part on the information received from the inspection system of the deposition subsystem about the deposited insulating material; and directing the planarization subsystem to planarize the substrate based on the planarization process.
- 40. The system of claim 39 wherein the planarization subsystem includes an integrated inspection system configured to inspect a substrate after the substrate is planarized; and
wherein the controller further comprises computer program code configured to perform the step of receiving information about the planarized substrate from the inspection system of the planarization subsystem.
- 41. The system of claim 40 wherein:
determining an etch process to perform within an etch subsystem comprises determining an etch process based at least in part on information received from the inspection system of the etch subsystem about a substrate previously processed within the etch subsystem; determining a deposition process to perform within a deposition subsystem comprises determining a deposition process based at least in part on information received from the inspection system of the deposition subsystem about a substrate previously processed within the deposition subsystem; and determining a planarization process to perform within a planarization subsystem comprises determining a planarization process based at least in part on information received from the inspection system of the planarization subsystem about a substrate previously processed within the planarization subsystem.
- 42. A method of forming shallow trench isolation regions in a substrate comprising:
determining an etch process to perform within an etch subsystem; directing the etch subsystem to etch a substrate having a patterned masking layer based on the etch process; directing the etch subsystem to remove the patterned masking layer from the substrate; receiving information about the etched substrate from an integrated inspection system of the etch subsystem; directing a cleaning subsystem to clean the substrate; determining an oxidation process to perform within an oxidation subsystem; directing the oxidation subsystem to form an oxide layer on the substrate based on the oxidation process; determining a deposition process to perform within a deposition subsystem based at least in part on the information received from the inspection system of the etch subsystem about the etched substrate; directing the deposition subsystem to deposit an insulating material on the substrate based on the deposition process; receiving information about the insulating material deposited on the substrate from an integrated inspection system of the deposition subsystem; determining a planarization process to perform within a planarization subsystem based at least in part on the information received from the inspection system of the deposition subsystem about the deposited insulating material; and directing the planarization subsystem to planarize the substrate based on the planarization process.
- 43. The method of claim 42 further comprising receiving information about the planarized substrate from an inspection system of the planarization subsystem.
- 44. The method of claim 43 wherein:
determining an etch process to perform within an etch subsystem comprises determining an etch process based at least in part on information received from the inspection system of the etch subsystem about a substrate previously processed within the etch subsystem; determining a deposition process to perform within a deposition subsystem comprises determining a deposition process based at least in part on information received from the inspection system of the deposition subsystem about a substrate previously processed within the deposition subsystem; and determining a planarization process to perform within a planarization subsystem comprises determining a planarization process based at least in part on information received from the inspection system of the planarization subsystem about a substrate previously processed within the planarization subsystem.
- 45. The method of claim 42 further comprising receiving information about the patterned masking layer from the inspection system of the etch subsystem, and wherein determining an etch process comprises determining an etch process based at least in part on the information about the patterned masking layer received from the inspection system of the etch subsystem.
- 46. A computer program product comprising:
a medium readable by a computer, the computer readable medium having computer program code adapted to:
determine an etch process to perform within an etch subsystem; direct the etch subsystem to etch a substrate having a patterned masking layer based on the etch process; direct the etch subsystem to remove the patterned masking layer from the substrate; receive information about the etched substrate from an integrated inspection system of the etch subsystem; direct a cleaning subsystem to clean the substrate; determine an oxidation process to perform within an oxidation subsystem; direct the oxidation subsystem to form an oxide layer on the substrate based on the oxidation process; determine a deposition process to perform within a deposition subsystem based at least in part on the information received from the inspection system of the etch subsystem about the etched substrate; direct the deposition subsystem to deposit an insulating material on the substrate based on the deposition process; receive information about the insulating material deposited on the substrate from an integrated inspection system of the deposition subsystem; determine a planarization process to perform within a planarization subsystem based at least in part on the information received from the inspection system of the deposition subsystem about the deposited insulating material; and direct the planarization subsystem to planarize the substrate based on the planarization process.
- 47. An apparatus configured to form shallow trench isolation regions in a substrate, the apparatus comprising:
a controller configured to communicate with a plurality of subsystems including: (1) an etch subsystem configured to etch a substrate and having an integrated inspection system; (2) an oxidation subsystem configured to form an oxide layer on the substrate; (3) a deposition subsystem configured to deposit a material layer on the substrate and having an integrated inspection system; and (5) a planarization subsystem configured to planarize the substrate and having an integrated inspection system; and a data structure which causes the controller to control the formation of the shallow trench isolation regions via one or more communications with the plurality of subsystems and via one or more communications with the inspection systems of the etch subsystem, the deposition subsystem and the planarization subsystem.
- 48. The apparatus of claim 47 wherein the one or more communications with the inspection systems of the etch subsystem and the deposition subsystem comprise receiving feedforward information.
- 49. The apparatus of claim 47 wherein the one or more communications with the inspection systems of the etch subsystem, the deposition subsystem and planarization subsystem comprise receiving feedback information.
- 50. A system comprising:
an etch subsystem configured to etch a substrate, the etch subsystem having an integrated inspection system configured to inspect a substrate after the substrate has been etched within the etch subsystem; a deposition subsystem configured to receive the substrate after the substrate has been etched within the etch subsystem and to deposit a material layer on the substrate; and a controller coupled to the etch subsystem and the deposition subsystem, the controller having computer program code configured to communicate with each subsystem and to perform the steps of:
receiving information about an etched substrate from the inspection system of the etch subsystem; determining a deposition process to perform within the deposition subsystem based at least in part on the information received from the inspection system of the etch subsystem; and directing the deposition subsystem to deposit a material layer on the substrate based on the deposition process.
- 51. A method comprising:
receiving information about an etched substrate from an integrated inspection system of an etch subsystem; determining a deposition process to perform within a deposition subsystem based at least in part on the information received from the inspection system of the etch subsystem; and directing the deposition subsystem to deposit a material layer on the substrate based on the deposition process.
- 52. A computer program product comprising:
a medium readable by a computer, the computer readable medium having computer program code adapted to:
receive information about an etched substrate from an integrated inspection system of an etch subsystem; determine a deposition process to perform within a deposition subsystem based at least in part on the information received from the inspection system of the etch subsystem; and direct the deposition subsystem to deposit a material layer on the substrate based on the deposition process.
- 53. A system comprising:
a deposition subsystem configured to receive a substrate and to deposit a material layer on the substrate, the deposition subsystem having an integrated inspection system configured to inspect the substrate after deposition of the material layer; a planarization subsystem configured to receive the substrate after a material layer has been deposited on the substrate within the deposition subsystem and to planarize the substrate; and a controller coupled to the deposition subsystem and the planarization subsystem, the controller having computer program code configured to communicate with each subsystem and to perform the steps of:
receiving information about a material layer deposited on a substrate from the inspection system of the deposition subsystem; determining a planarization process to perform within the planarization subsystem based at least in part on the information received from the inspection system of the deposition subsystem; and directing the planarization subsystem to planarize the substrate based on the planarization process.
- 54. A method comprising:
receiving information about a material layer deposited on a substrate from an integrated inspection system of a deposition subsystem; determining a planarization process to perform within a planarization subsystem based at least in part on the information received from the inspection system of the deposition subsystem; and directing the planarization subsystem to planarize the substrate based on the planarization process.
- 55. A computer program product comprising:
a medium readable by a computer, the computer readable medium having computer program code adapted to:
receive information about a material layer deposited on a substrate from an integrated inspection system of a deposition subsystem; determine a planarization process to perform within a planarization subsystem based at least in part on the information received from the inspection system of the deposition subsystem and direct the planarization subsystem to planarize the substrate based on the planarization process.
- 56. A system configured to form shallow trench isolation regions in a substrate, the system comprising:
an etch subsystem configured to etch a substrate, the etch subsystem having an integrated inspection system configured to inspect a substrate after the substrate has been etched within the etch subsystem; a deposition subsystem configured to receive the substrate after the substrate has been etched and to deposit an insulating material on the substrate, the deposition subsystem having an integrated inspection system configured to inspect the substrate after deposition of the insulating material; a planarization subsystem configured to receive the substrate after an insulating material has been deposited on the substrate and to planarize the substrate; and a controller coupled to the etch subsystem, the deposition subsystem and the planarization subsystem, the controller having computer program code configured to communicate with each subsystem and to perform the steps of:
determining an etch process to perform within the etch subsystem based at least in part on information received from the inspection system of the etch subsystem about a substrate previously processed within the etch subsystem; directing the etch subsystem to etch a substrate based on the etch process; determining a deposition process to perform within the deposition subsystem based at least in part on information received from the inspection system of the deposition subsystem about a substrate previously processed within the deposition subsystem; directing the deposition subsystem to deposit an insulating material on the substrate based on the deposition process; determining a planarization process to perform within the planarization subsystem; and directing the planarization subsystem to planarize the substrate based on the planarization process.
- 57. A method for forming shallow trench isolation regions in a substrate comprising:
determining an etch process to perform within an etch subsystem based at least in part on information received from an integrated inspection system of the etch subsystem about a substrate previously processed within the etch subsystem; directing the etch subsystem to etch a substrate based on the etch process; determining a deposition process to perform within a deposition subsystem based at least in part on information received from an integrated inspection system of the deposition subsystem about a substrate previously processed within the deposition subsystem; directing the deposition subsystem to deposit an insulating material on the substrate based on the deposition process; determining a planarization process to perform within a planarization subsystem; and directing the planarization subsystem to planarize the substrate based on the planarization process.
- 58. A computer program product comprising:
a medium readable by a computer, the computer readable medium having computer program code adapted to:
determine an etch process to perform within an etch subsystem based at least in part on information received from an integrated inspection system of the etch subsystem about a substrate previously processed within the etch subsystem; direct the etch subsystem to etch a substrate based on the etch process; determine a deposition process to perform within a deposition subsystem based at least in part on information received from an integrated inspection system of the deposition subsystem about a substrate previously processed within the deposition subsystem; direct the deposition subsystem to deposit an insulating material on the substrate based on the deposition process; determine a planarization process to perform within a planarization subsystem; and direct the planarization subsystem to planarize the substrate based on the planarization process.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/333,901, filed Nov. 28, 2001, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
[0002] This application is related to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/323,065, filed Sep. 18, 2001 and titled “INTEGRATED EQUIPMENT SET FOR FORMING AN INTERCONNECT ON A SUBSTRATE”, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60333901 |
Nov 2001 |
US |