Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7149643?ie=ISO-8859-1&dq=6,370,566
Timestamp: 2014-03-16 23:28:27
Document Index: 83221913

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60']

Patent US7149643 - Integrated process condition sensing wafer and data analysis system - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsA process condition measuring device and a handling system may be highly integrated with a production environment where the dimensions of the process condition measuring device are close to those of a production substrate and the handling system is similar to a substrate carrier used for production substrates....http://www.google.com/patents/US7149643?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7149643 - Integrated process condition sensing wafer and data analysis systemAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS7149643 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 11/158,983Publication dateDec 12, 2006Filing dateJun 21, 2005Priority dateDec 3, 2002Fee statusPaidAlso published asUS7151366, US20040154417, US20050246127, WO2004051713A2, WO2004051713A3Publication number11158983, 158983, US 7149643 B2, US 7149643B2, US-B2-7149643, US7149643 B2, US7149643B2InventorsWayne Glenn Renken, Earl Jensen, Roy GordonOriginal AssigneeSensarray CorporationExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (50), Non-Patent Citations (12), Referenced by (5), Classifications (21), Legal Events (1) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetIntegrated process condition sensing wafer and data analysis systemUS 7149643 B2Abstract A process condition measuring device and a handling system may be highly integrated with a production environment where the dimensions of the process condition measuring device are close to those of a production substrate and the handling system is similar to a substrate carrier used for production substrates. A process condition measuring device surveys conditions in a target environment and records them in a memory for later transmission or downloading.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a divisional of pending U.S. Patent Publication No. 2004-0154417-A1 application Ser. No. 10/718,269, filed Nov. 19, 2003; which application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/430,858 filed on Dec. 3, 2002; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/496,294 filed on Aug. 19, 2003; and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/512,243 filed on Oct. 17, 2003.
Within the processing chamber a robot transports the test wafer or substrate. One example of a device incorporating a robot is manufactured by the TEL Corporation. For more information about the robot and processing chamber, please refer to U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,889 to Araki, entitled �Semiconductor Treatment System and Method for Exchanging and Treating Substrate,� which is hereby incorporated by this reference in its entirety. This application relates to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/430,858 filed on Dec. 3, 2002; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/496,294 filed on Aug. 19, 2003; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/512,243 entitled �Integrated Process Condition Sensing Wafer and Data Analysis System� by Wayne G. Renken et al, filed on Oct. 17, 2003; and to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/056,906, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,889,568, to Renken, which are hereby incorporated by this reference in their entirety.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A process condition measuring device (PCMD) is disclosed that may be delivered to a target environment, acquire a wide range of data and return to a handling system with little disruption to the target environment or the tool containing the target environment. The PCMD is designed to have similar characteristics to the substrates normally handled by the tool. The characteristics of such substrates are generally specified by industry standards. Thus, for a system designed for 300 mm silicon wafers, the PCMD-has a silicon substrate and has similar physical dimensions to those of a 300 mm wafer. Components may be located within cavities in the substrate to keep the profile of the PCMD the same as, or close to that of a 300 mm wafer. Because of its dimensions and its wireless design, the PCMD may be handled by a robot as if it were a 300 mm wafer. It may undergo the process steps undergone by wafers such as etch, clean, photolithography etc. The PCMD records process conditions such as temperature, pressure and gas flow rate during processing and uploads the data when requested. Conditions during transport and storage may also be monitored and recorded.
FIG. 7 shows a PCMD 700 having-four transmitters 728�731.
FIG. 1A illustrates process condition measuring device (�PCMD�) 100, an embodiment of the present invention. PCMD 100 is part of a process measurement system, the other components of which will be described later with reference to FIGS. 2. PCMD 100 comprises a substrate such as a silicon wafer, glass substrate, or other substrates well known in the art. Substrate 102 (not visible in plan view) is preferably a silicon wafer and may be of any diameter but is preferably an 8, 10, or 12 inch diameter wafer.
Amplifier 662 provides positive feedback to maintain the oscillator signal. Amplifiers available in commercially produced ICs, such as amplifier 662, are specified as working over a certain range of temperature, for example 0�85 degrees centigrade. When the temperature is higher than the specified range, conventional oscillator circuit 661 may no longer function correctly. Threshold voltages of components in the amplifier may shift which eventually causes oscillation to, cease or startup to fail. When amplifier 662 is working within its specified temperature range it produces a signal with a 50% duty cycle. With increasing temperature the duty cycle increases and as the duty cycle approaches 100% conventional oscillator circuit 661 ceases to function.
Biasing circuit 670 overcomes this problem by biasing the input of amplifier 662 in order to maintain a 50% duty cycle. Counter 671 uses the input from ring oscillator 672 to determine the duty cycle. Counter 671 counts the number of clock cycles of ring oscillator 672 during the �on� phase of the output of amplifier 662. It then counts the number of clock cycles of ring oscillator 672 during the �off� phase of the output of amplifier 662. The counts are sent to the bias control unit 673 where the duty cycle is determined. If these counts are equal then the duty cycle is 50%. If the count for the �on� phase exceeds the count for the �off� phase, then the duty cycle is greater than 50%. The frequency of ring oscillator 672 is greater than the frequency of the output of conventional oscillator circuit 661. Typically, the conventional oscillator circuit has an output frequency of about 32 kHz while the ring oscillator has an output frequency of about 400 kHz�4 MHz. Ring oscillator 672 may suffer from a change in frequency at high temperature. However, because the output for two periods are compared, the absolute value of the output over a given period does not affect the determination of duty cycle.
In another embodiment shown in FIG. 7, four transmitters 728�731 are located around coil 708. This example also uses LEDs as transmitters 728�731. Using multiple LEDs allows a receiving unit 777 in an electronics module 778 to receive a good signal even where receiving unit 777 is not aligned with the center of PCMD 700. Where one LED at the center of a PCMD is used (as in FIG. 1A) but the receiving unit in the electronics module is offset from the center, a poor signal or no signal may be received because the LED directs light in a limited cone. The receiving unit 777 may be offset because the E-coil occupies a space covering the center of the PCMD. Thus, it is desirable to have one of LEDs 728�731 aligned with the offset position of the receiving unit 777. This requires more than one LED (four, in this example) so that one LED is below the receiving unit regardless of the rotational orientation of the PCMD 700. However, for energy efficiency it is desirable to transmit via only one LED. Therefore, a technique is provided for determining the optimum LED to transmit data.
The optimum LED is determined as part of a hand-shaking routine between the electronics module 708 and the PCMD 700. First, the electronics module 708 sends a signal to the PCMD 700 via the RF coil 708, telling PCMD 700 to begin transmission. The PCMD 700 begins transmitting using LED 728. If the electronics module 708 does not receive a signal after a predetermined time, another signal is sent to the PCMD 700 requesting a transmission. The PCMD 700 transmits using LED 729. If receiving unit 777 receives no signal, then LED 730 is used. If no signal is received from LED 730, then 731 is used. Because LED 731 is directly below receiving unit 777, the signal is received and LED 731 is identified as the optimum LED The PCMD then uses only the optimum LED 73 land may turn off the other LEDs 728�730 to conserve energy. More LEDs may be used depending on the configuration of the receiving unit or units. LEDs maybe arrayed in different locations and pointed in different directions depending on where the data is to be sent.
FIGS. 8F�8H show alignment module 881 aligning PCMD 800. Each of FIGS. 8F�8H shows two perspectives. The left view is from above and to one side. The right view is a corresponding cross-sectional view. FIG. 8F shows PCMD 800 positioned above alignment module 881. PCMD 800 is held at its edges as in FIG. 8D. Arm 888 is retracted and is therefore not visible in this view. Rotation stage 883 is clear of PCMD 800. PCMD 800 may not be centered correctly at this point. This means that the center of PCMD 800 may not be directly under the center of an electronics module. Also, PCMD 800 may not have the desired rotational orientation. Either linear or rotational misalignment of PCMD 800 may be detected by greycode readers as described above. In order to obtain an accurate map of conditions measured by PCMD 800 the positions of the sensors on PCMD 800 must be known. Thus, any map generated assumes a certain rotational orientation. It is generally desirable that PCMD 800 be returned to this orientation if any change occurs.
FIG. 4B describes the process of making an embodiment with two conductive layers coupled by inter-level vias. Steps 404 and 408 are the same as those in FIG. 4A. In step 412, the first conductive layer 312A is formed on insulating layer 304. In step 413, a dielectric layer 310 is formed upon conductive layer 312A. After that, openings for vias 312C are formed in dielectric layer 310 instep 414. Next, instep 415, conductive layer 312B and vias 312C are formed on/in the dielectric layer 310. In step 416 electrical traces are patterned and etched in the exposed portion of conductive layers 312A and 312B. Steps 420�436 are the same as in FIG. 4A.
FIGS. 10A and 101B show examples of lids 1010�1013 protecting components 1020�1022 of the PCMD from the environment. In FIG. 10A a single lid is used for three components. The number of components covered by a single lid depends on the sizes and locations of the components but may be anything from one component to all the components in the PCMD. FIG. 10A shows three components 1020�1022 and the attached wire bonds 1048 covered by a single lid 1010. In FIG. 101B separate lids 1011�1013 are used for each component 1020�1022. Various materials may be used to form lids such as lids 1010�1013. For example, a ceramic lid similar to that used for packaging integrated circuits may be adapted to cover a component or group of components in a PCMD. For particularly harsh chemical environments lids may be made from materials such as sapphire that resist chemical attack. Where protection from electromagnetic fields is required, lids may be made of conductive material such as metal or doped silicon. For some applications, plastic lids may be used. Lids 1010�1013 are bonded to the substrate 1002 in a conventional manner.
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No. 60/354,710, filed Nov. 29, 2003, to Mundt et al., entitled "Sensor Apparatus Automated Management Methods and Apparatus".Referenced byCiting PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS7283255Mar 1, 2006Oct 16, 2007Cyberoptics Semiconductor, Inc.Wireless substrate-like sensorUS7289230Jan 31, 2003Oct 30, 2007Cyberoptics Semiconductors, Inc.Wireless substrate-like sensorUS7456977Mar 15, 2006Nov 25, 2008Cyberoptics Semiconductor, Inc.Wireless substrate-like sensorUS7778793Mar 11, 2008Aug 17, 2010Cyberoptics Semiconductor, Inc.Wireless sensor for semiconductor processing systemsUS7992734Jan 11, 2008Aug 9, 2011International Business Machines CorporationSemiconductor automation buffer storage identification system and methodClassifications U.S. Classification702/122, 702/130, 700/245, 702/127International ClassificationH01L21/00, G06F19/00Cooperative ClassificationH01L2924/12041, H01L2924/16152, H01L2924/15165, H01L2224/48091, H01L2924/19041, H01L2924/3025, H01L2924/01087, H01L2924/16195, H01L2924/15157, H01L2924/3011, H01L2924/16153, H01L21/67253, H01L2924/15153, H01L2924/10253European ClassificationH01L21/67S8BLegal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionJun 14, 2010FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 4RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services©2012 Google