Patent ID: 6684172
Filing Date: 2004-01-27
Classification: C23C,C25D,H01L

Abstract:
A metal fill process, comprisingproviding a standard calibration wafer comprising a first area of fill features having a first known dimension and a first fill characteristic, a second area of fill features having a second known dimension and a second fill characteristic, and a third area having a third known dimension and a third characteristic, the first, second, and third known dimensions and fill characteristics different from each other in a metalization tool; depositing a metal material into the fill features of the standard calibration wafer; monitoring the deposition of metal material using a sensor system coupled to the metalization tool, the sensor system directing light toward one or more gratings located on at least one portion of the standard calibration wafer and operable to measure one or more fill process parameters from light reflected from the one or more gratings wherein the sensor system generates fill process data that is saved in a data store; controlling the deposition of metal material to minimize void formation using a control system coupled to the metalization tool and the sensor system wherein the control system receives fill process data from the sensor system and analyzes the fill process data by comparing the fill process data to stored fill process data to generate a feed-forward control data operative to control the metalization tool; and depositing metal material into fill features of a production wafer in the metalization tool using the fill process data generated by the sensor system and the control system.