Patent ID: 8808788

Claim:
A method of processing a wafer using a Post Application Bake (PAB)) procedure, the method comprising: transferring a plurality of selected wafers to one or more deposition modules, wherein a plurality of coated wafers are created by depositing a first material layer on each of the selected wafers; transferring at least one coated wafer to an inspection module coupled to at least one of the deposition modules, wherein pre-processing inspection data is determine by the inspection module; transferring a first coated wafer to a bake plate in a thermal processing unit coupled to one or more of the deposition modules, wherein a first wafer thermal profile is established for the first coated wafer using a pro heated bake plate, and wherein the first wafer thermal profile includes a measured exhaust gas value (EG.sub.n) is associated with each processing time from t.sub.1 to (t.sub.n); determining first exhaust gas data (EG.sub.1) for the first coated wafer at a first processing time (t.sub.1), the first processing time (t.sub.1) obtained from the first thermal profile, wherein the bake plate is configured within a processing chamber in the thermal processing unit and an Exhaust Gas Analyzer (EGA) subsystem is coupled to a top portion of the processing chamber, the EGA subsystem being configured to determine the first exhaust gas data (EG.sub.1), the first exhaust gas data (EG.sub.1) comprising two or more of exhaust gas data, temperature data, and/or critical dimension (CD) metrology data; comparing the first exhaust gas data (EG.sub.1) to corresponding processing lower limit and/or upper limit of historical data to the two or more of exhaust gas data, temperature data, and/or critical dimension (CD) metrology data established for the first coated wafer for the first processing time (t.sub.1) and comparing the first exhaust gas data (EC sub to corresponding processing lower limit and/or upper limit of real time data to the two or more of exhaust gas data, temperature data, and/or critical dimension (CD) metrology data, the comparing performed for at least two of exhaust gas data, temperature data, and/or critical dimension (CD) metrology data; continuing to process the first coated wafer if the first exhaust gas data (EG.sub.1) does not exceed at least one of the corresponding processing limits established for the first coated wafer; and stopping the PAS procedure if the first exhaust as data (EG.sub.1) exceeds one or more of the corresponding processing limits established for the first coated wafer and for the first processing time (t.sub.1); and wherein values of the corresponding processing lower and upper limits are established for each value of the first processing time from (t.sub.1) to t.sub.n.