Claims
- 1. A method of processing a semiconductor wafer, comprising:
(a) measuring a CD and sidewall profile of a pattern on a patterned layer formed on an underlying layer on the wafer; (b) selecting a first set of process parameter values for a first process to be performed on the wafer, based on the measurements of the CD and profile; and (c) performing the first process on the wafer at a processing tool using the first set of process parameter values.
- 2. The method of claim 1, comprising optically measuring the CD and profile of the pattern.
- 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first process is an etch process for forming a structure in the underlying layer.
- 4. The method of claim 1, comprising forming the patterned layer by photolithographically forming a photoresist mask having a photoresist pattern, wherein the measuring step comprises measuring a CD and profile of the photoresist pattern.
- 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first process is a photoresist trim process, and the first set of process parameter values includes a trim time.
- 6. The method of claim 5, comprising selecting the trim time based on the measured CD and profile of the photoresist pattern and further based on a desired post-trim photoresist CD.
- 7. The method of claim 6, comprising developing a mathematical expression wherein the trim time is a function of the photoresist pattern CD, the photoresist pattern profile, and a difference between the photoresist pattern CD and the desired post-trim photoresist CD, wherein the photoresist pattern profile comprises a sidewall angle.
- 8. The method of claim 6, further comprising etching the underlying layer using the trimmed photoresist pattern as a mask.
- 9. The method of claim 8, comprising performing the trim process and the etch process on the wafer at the processing tool.
- 10. The method of claim 8, comprising cleaning the wafer after performing the etch process.
- 11. The method of claim 8, comprising measuring a CD of a structure formed in the underlying layer by the etch process, and selecting a second set of process parameter values for a subsequently processed wafer using the CD measurement of the structure.
- 12. The method of claim 3, comprising measuring a CD of the structure formed in the underlying layer by the first process, and selecting a second set of process parameter values for a subsequently processed wafer using the CD measurement of the structure.
- 13. The method of claim 8, comprising choosing an etch recipe for the etch process based on the measured CD and profile of the photoresist pattern.
- 14. The method of claim 6, wherein the photoresist mask comprises a plurality of the photoresist patterns, the method comprising:
measuring the CD and profile of the plurality of the photoresist patterns; averaging the CD and profile measurements; and using the average CD and profile measurements to select the trim time.
- 15. The method of claim 7, wherein an amount of photoresist trimmed varies nonlinearly over time, the method comprising selecting the trim time further based on the trim nonlinearity.
- 16. An apparatus for processing a semiconductor wafer, comprising:
a measuring tool for measuring a CD and sidewall profile of a pattern on a patterned layer formed on an underlying layer on the wafer; a processing tool for performing a process on the wafer using a first set of process parameter values; and a processor configured to select the first set of process parameter values based on the measurements of the CD and profile.
- 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the measurement tool comprises an optical measuring tool.
- 18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the optical measuring tool is for employing scatterometry or reflectometry.
- 19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the processing tool is an etcher.
- 20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the patterned layer is a photoresist mask having a photoresist pattern, and the measuring tool is for measuring a CD and profile of the photoresist pattern.
- 21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the etcher is for performing a photoresist trim process on the photoresist mask, and one of the first set of process parameters selected by the processor is a photoresist trim time.
- 22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the processor is configured to select the trim time based on the measured CD and profile of the photoresist pattern and further based on a desired post-trim photoresist CD.
- 23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the processor is configured to select the trim time using a mathematical expression wherein the trim time is a function of the photoresist pattern CD, the photoresist pattern profile, and a difference between the photoresist pattern CD and the desired post-trim photoresist CD, wherein photoresist pattern profile comprises a sidewall angle.
- 24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the etcher is for etching the underlying layer using the trimmed photoresist pattern as a mask.
- 25. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising a stripping tool for removing residue from the wafer after etching the underlying layer.
- 26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the measuring tool is for measuring a CD of a structure formed in the underlying layer by the etch process, and the processor is configured to select a second set of process parameter values for a subsequently processed wafer using the CD measurement of the structure.
- 27. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the etcher is for performing the first process to form a structure in the underlying layer, wherein the measuring tool is for measuring a CD of the structure formed in the underlying layer, and the processor is configured to select a second set of process parameter values for a subsequently processed wafer using the CD measurement of the structure.
- 28. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the processor is configured to choose an etch recipe for the etch process based on the measured CD and profile of the photoresist pattern.
- 29. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the photoresist mask comprises a plurality of the photoresist patterns, wherein the measuring tool is for measuring the CD and profile of the plurality of the photoresist patterns, and the processor is configured to:
average the CD and profile measurements; and use the average CD and profile measurements to select the trim time.
- 30. The method of claim 23, wherein an amount of photoresist trimmed varies nonlinearly over time, and the processor is configured to select the trim time further based on the trim nonlinearity.
- 31. An apparatus for processing a semiconductor wafer, comprising:
a measuring tool for measuring a CD and sidewall profile of a pattern on a patterned layer formed on an underlying layer on the wafer; a processing tool for performing a process on the wafer using a first set of process parameter values; a processor configured to select the first set of process parameter values based on the measurements of the CD and profile; a transfer mechanism for transferring the wafer between the measuring tool and the processing tool; and a chamber for enclosing the transfer mechanism and allowing communication between the transfer mechanism, the measuring tool and the processing tool in a clean environment.
- 32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the measurement tool is an optical measurement tool.
- 33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the measurement tool employs scatterometry or reflectometry.
- 34. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the chamber comprises:
a mainframe for mounting a plurality of processing tools, including the first processing tool; a factory interface for mounting a wafer cassette; and a transfer chamber between and in communication with the mainframe and the factory interface; wherein the transfer mechanism comprises a first robot for transferring the wafer between the measurement tool, the transfer chamber and the wafer cassette, and a second robot for transferring the wafer between the transfer chamber and the processing tool; wherein the measurement tool is mounted on the factory interface or the mainframe.
- 35. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the process tool comprises an etcher.
- 36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the processor is configured to:
control the transfer mechanism to transfer the wafer from the etcher to the measuring tool after the process is performed on the wafer; and control the measuring tool to measure the CD of a structure formed in the underlying layer at the etcher.
- 37. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the process tool comprises an etcher, the process is a photoresist trim process, the first process parameter values comprise a photoresist trim recipe, and the processor is configured to control the etcher to perform an etch process on the wafer after the photoresist trim process is performed on the wafer.
- 38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the processor is configured to:
control the transfer mechanism to transfer the wafer from the etcher to the measuring tool after the etch process is performed on the wafer; and control the measuring tool to measure the CD of a structure formed in the underlying layer during the etch process.
- 39. The apparatus of claim 37, further comprising an ashing strip processing unit mounted to the mainframe or the factory interface for removing residue from the wafer, wherein the processor is configured to control the transfer mechanism to transfer the wafer to the ashing strip processing unit after the etch process is performed on the wafer.
- 40. The apparatus of claim 39, further comprising a cleaning chamber mounted to the factory interface for cleaning the wafer, wherein the processor is configured to control the transfer mechanism to transfer the wafer to the cleaning chamber after the ashing strip process is performed on the wafer at the ashing strip processing unit.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is based on and claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/361,064, filed Mar. 1, 2002.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60361064 |
Mar 2002 |
US |