Unconsumed precursor monitoring
Inventors
Rinzan, Mohamed Buhary • Song, Chunhua • Lakeman, Steve James
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11929270-B2
Publication Date
2024-03-12
Expiration Date
Abstract
A monitoring device for monitoring a fabrication process in a fabrication system. The monitored fabrication system includes a process chamber and a plurality of flow components. A quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor monitors one flow component of the plurality of flow components of the fabrication system and is configured for exposure to a process chemistry in the one flow component during the fabrication process. A controller measures resonance frequency shifts of the QCM sensor due to interactions between the QCM sensor and the process chemistry in the one flow component during the fabrication process. The controller determines a parameter of the fabrication process in the process chamber as a function of the measured resonance frequency shifts of the QCM sensor within the one flow component.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a monitoring device for monitoring a fabrication process in a fabrication system. The fabrication system includes a process chamber and a plurality of flow components, and a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor is configured for exposure to process chemistry in one flow component during the fabrication process. A material layer is accumulated in situ on the QCM sensor during the fabrication process.
A controller measures resonance frequency shifts of the QCM sensor due to interactions between the material layer of the QCM sensor and the process chemistry in the one flow component during the fabrication process. The controller determines a parameter of the fabrication process in the process chamber as a function of the measured resonance frequency shifts. The fabrication process comprises accumulating a material layer on a substrate, where the material layer on the substrate is the same material as the material layer of the QCM sensor.
In an exhaust line or supply line embodiment, the QCM sensor monitors the exhaust line or the supply line and is exposed to process chemistry including a precursor gas. The exhaust line or the supply line comprises an unconsumed portion of the precursor gas in the process chamber, and the mass of the QCM sensor changes due to the unconsumed portion interacting with the material layer of the QCM sensor. The controller determines the parameter of the fabrication process due to the measured resonance frequency shifts indicating changing mass of the QCM sensor.
A corresponding method is also provided for monitoring a fabrication process by deploying a QCM sensor, accumulating a material layer on the QCM sensor in situ, exposing the QCM sensor to process chemistry in one flow component, measuring resonance frequency shifts due to interactions, and determining a parameter of the fabrication process in the process chamber based on the measured resonance frequency shifts. The fabrication process includes accumulating a material layer on a substrate, where the material layer on the substrate is the same material as the material layer of the QCM sensor.
Claims Coverage
The partial content provides two independent device claims and one independent method claim. Across these independent claims, four main inventive aspects are covered: in situ QCM material-layer accumulation in a selected flow component, controller-based determination of a fabrication-process parameter from QCM resonance frequency shifts, a material correspondence requirement between the QCM sensor layer and the substrate layer, and an exhaust line or supply line embodiment involving an unconsumed portion of a precursor gas.
In situ QCM material layer in one flow component for monitoring
A quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor for monitoring one flow component of the plurality of flow components and configured for exposure to a process chemistry in the one flow component during the fabrication process, the QCM sensor comprising a material layer, the material layer being accumulated in situ on the QCM sensor during the fabrication process.
Controller-based parameter determination from resonance frequency shifts
A controller for measuring resonance frequency shifts of the QCM sensor due to interactions between the material layer of the QCM sensor and the process chemistry in the one flow component during the fabrication process, and determining a parameter of the fabrication process in the process chamber as a function of the measured resonance frequency shifts of the QCM sensor within the one flow component.
Same material on substrate and QCM sensor material layer
The fabrication process comprises accumulating a material layer on a substrate, wherein the material layer on the substrate is the same material as the material layer of the QCM sensor.
QCM in exhaust line or supply line with unconsumed precursor gas
A quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor for monitoring the exhaust line or the supply line of the plurality of flow components, configured for exposure to a process chemistry in the exhaust line or the supply line during the fabrication process, the process chemistry including a precursor gas, wherein the exhaust line or the supply line comprises an unconsumed portion of the precursor gas in the process chamber, and a mass of the QCM sensor changes due to the unconsumed portion interacting with the material layer of the QCM sensor.
Deploy QCM sensor, accumulate material layer, measure frequency shifts, and determine parameter
Deploying a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor for monitoring one flow component of the plurality of flow components; accumulating a material layer on the QCM sensor in situ during the fabrication process; exposing the QCM sensor to a process chemistry in the one flow component during the fabrication process; measuring resonance frequency shifts of the QCM sensor due to interactions between the material layer of the QCM sensor and the process chemistry in the one flow component during the fabrication process; and determining a parameter of the fabrication process in the process chamber as a function of the measured resonance frequency shifts of the QCM sensor within the one flow component.
The claim coverage centers on using a QCM sensor exposed to process chemistry in a selected flow component to accumulate a matching material layer in situ, measuring resonance frequency shifts caused by interactions with that material layer, and determining a fabrication-process parameter in the process chamber based on those resonance frequency shifts, with an exhaust line or supply line embodiment involving an unconsumed portion of a precursor gas.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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