JPH0215647A - Semiconductor manufacturing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable the measurement of foreign matters generated near the surface of wafers without interrupting the processing of wafers by a method wherein signals are caused to pass through the atmosphere near the wafer surface and changes in the signals are evaluated after the passage. CONSTITUTION:Plural real wafers including a monitor wafer 1 are simultaneously processed. During the process, testing signals 4 are caused to pass through the atmosphere 2 near the surface of the monitor wafer 1. The signals 4 are converted into signals 4a or 5 during the passage. The signals 4a and 5 are examined by an examining means over the generation of foreign matters. When the number of signals 5 is beyond the allowable limit, a judgment is passed that there exist abnormalities. The judgment results in an alarm, which alarm interrupts the monitoring work. A process follows wherein such remedies are undertaking as the replacement of deteriorated parts. The number of signals 5 falling within the allowable limit results in a judgment that there exist no abnormalities, the judgment terminating the monitoring work. In this way, the wafer processing is interrupted only upon the generation of foreign matters beyond tolerance, which improves the throughput.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus capable of measuring foreign matter generated near the surface of a wafer while processing the wafer.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for manufacturing a semiconductor device using this type of conventional semiconductor manufacturing equipment. First, a set of actual wafers to be subjected to a diffusion process, etc. is transported into a reaction chamber by a transport system (III transport process).

In this case, a part of the actual wafer is used as a monitor wafer. Thereafter, the air is exhausted from the reaction chamber by an exhaust system (exhaust step), and after that, while heating the reaction chamber, a predetermined gas is introduced into the reaction chamber and diffused, etc. (actual processing step). In this specification, these transport steps, exhaust steps, and actual processing steps are collectively referred to as monitor processing S1 or simply processing.

During the monitor process S1, the monitor process]! [! Foreign matter caused by deterioration of parts of the equipment that performs 81 may adhere to the surface of the monitor wafer. In order to measure the number of foreign substances, monitor processing yf! 82. Judgment S3
I do. After the monitoring process S1 is completed, the monitor wafer is taken out from the reaction chamber, and using a cheap inspection device, for example, the surface of the monitor wafer is irradiated with Sea 1F-light, and the number of foreign substances attached to the wafer surface is measured based on the scattered light. Measurement 32) After that, the number of foreign particles measured falls within the allowable range (
It is determined whether the semiconductor device is in a range in which the characteristics of the semiconductor device do not deteriorate (determination 83).

Note that the t-wafer measured in the monitor measurement S2 may be an actual wafer.

[Problem that the invention aims to solve]

Manufacturing of semiconductor devices using conventional semiconductor manufacturing equipment is performed through the above-mentioned steps, and the monitor measurement S2 is performed after the monitor processing S1, that is, after the actual processing step. It is attached to the flower 1-ha.

Therefore, for example, when measuring the number of foreign objects based on the scattered light of the laser beam in monitor measurement S2, the brll scattered light changes depending on the thickness of the film formed on the wafer, so the measurement sensitivity of the number of foreign objects deteriorates, and the judgment There is a problem that S3 may become weak. Further, there is a problem in that it is a problem that the throughput 1- performs the monitor measurement S2 and the judgment S3 after the monitor processing S1 is completed. For example, even if foreign matter exceeding the allowable range adheres to the surface of the wafer during the conveyance process, the throughput is poor because the determination is made by monitor measurement S2 and determination S3 performed after the completion of the 72-meter process.

In addition, if the actual processing process is finished, the actual wafer may be damaged beyond the allowable range.
The 5゛shi thing is i-J? The problem was that even if it was found that ``+L'' was present, it would be too late since these fruits could not be converted into one eel product.

On the other hand, in order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the monitor measurement S2 should be performed after the actual processing process, that is, the transport process and the exhaust IP?
Although it is conceivable to carry out this method in a similar manner, there is a problem in that the number of foreign particles generated in the actual treatment process cannot be measured and the number of foreign particles generated in the actual treatment process is not reflected in the determination S3.

This invention has been made in order to overcome the problems described in item L and to provide a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus that can measure foreign matter generated near the surface of a wafer while processing the wafer. The purpose is to !7.

[Means to solve the problem]

A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention is a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus that manufactures semiconductor devices by processing a wafer, and includes the steps of: passing a signal into an atmosphere near the surface of the wafer during processing of the wafer; The structure is such that foreign matter generated near the surface of the wafer can be measured by sensing changes in the signal after passing through the wafer.

(Function) The present invention is capable of - passing a signal into the atmosphere near the surface of the 1 quafer during wafer processing, and detecting the change in the signal after passing, thereby generating 1 J near the wafer surface at the same time as the wafer processing; Measure foreign matter.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing one embodiment of the present invention. Phase with conventional method) At point n, monitor processing, monitor measurement, and judgment are performed at the same time (step AI).If the judgment result in step △1 is abnormal, the process is interrupted in the middle of the monitor processing. That's true.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of step A1 shown in FIG. 1. In the figure, 1 is a monitor wafer, 2 is a processing atmosphere near the surface of the monitor wafer 1, and 3 is a foreign substance existing in the processing atmosphere 2. 4 is an inspection signal emitted into the processing atmosphere 2 near the surface of the monitor wafer 1;
4a is handled by inspection signal 4! 1! A signal 5 is a signal changed by passing through the atmosphere 2, and a signal 5 is a signal changed by the inspection signal 4 interfering with a foreign object 3.

Next, the operation will be explained using FIG. 2. First, a set of real wafers including the monitor wafer 1 are processed simultaneously as in the conventional case. At the same time as this processing, an inspection signal 4 is passed through the processing atmosphere 2 near the surface of the monitor wafer 1. Then, the test signal 4 changes to signal j34a or signal 5.

The signal /Ia and the bow 5 are inspected by an inspection function (not shown) to monitor the occurrence of foreign matter. If the generation of signal 5 exceeds the allowable range, it is determined that there is an abnormality and an alarm is issued, and the monitoring process is interrupted even during the middle of the monitoring process (for example, during the conveyance process) (step °A2). Thereafter, for example, the deteriorated part R is replaced, and step A1 consisting of monitoring processing and monitoring measurement 9 is started again.

If the occurrence of signal 5 is within the allowable range, it is determined that there is no abnormality.
Monitor processing ends.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, a signal is passed through the atmosphere near the surface of the L-fer during wafer processing, and the change in the signal after passing is sensed. Since foreign particles generated in the vicinity are measured, wafer processing can be interrupted at that point if foreign particles occur in the vicinity during wafer processing, which improves throughput and allows the processing to be carried out while the actual processing process is being carried out. At the same time, this has the effect of making it impossible to measure foreign substances.

Further, since the generated foreign matter can be measured before it is attached to the wafer, there is an effect that the foreign matter measurement sensitivity is improved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 shows a flow diagram when manufacturing a semiconductor device using the semiconductor manufacturing equipment according to the present invention, Fig. 2 shows an embodiment of the invention, and Fig. 3 shows a diagram of a conventional semiconductor manufacturing equipment. Flowchart i when manufacturing a semiconductor device using
It is. In the figure, 1 is a monitor wafer, 2 is a processing atmosphere,
3 f, L 7I: Object, 4 (inspection signal, 4a and 5 are signals. In each figure, the same reference numerals are the same - J: or the corresponding parts are small. Agent: Iwa Masuo No. 1 Figure 3Figure 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus that manufactures semiconductor devices by processing a wafer, in which a signal is passed through an atmosphere near the surface of the wafer during processing of the wafer, and a change in the signal after passing is sensed. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus characterized in that foreign matter generated near the surface of the wafer is measured by measuring the foreign matter generated near the surface of the wafer.