Patent ID: 8328950
Filing Date: 2012-12-11
Classification: B08B,H01L,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method for detecting foreign particles in a semiconductor manufacturing process, the manufacturing process using a plurality of semiconductor manufacturing tools, the method comprising: categorizing at least one monitoring wafer according to one or more categories; supplying the categorized monitoring wafer to a semiconductor manufacturing tool; observing a level of contamination on the categorized monitoring wafer; comparing the level of contamination to a threshold; cleaning the tool in a response to determining that the level of contamination is larger than the threshold; determining which category of the categorized monitoring wafer leaves a highest level of contamination on the tool; and identifying, based on the determined category, a root cause of the highest level of contamination on the tool, wherein a processor performs one or more of: the categorizing, the supplying, the observing, the comparing, the cleaning, the determining, and the identifying.