SBIR Phase II: In-Line Process Monitoring & Control for Poly-Silicon Formation Inside Cluster Tools

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*** 9631216 Solomon This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II Project will develop Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) instrumentation for in-line monitoring and control of poly-silicon and dielectric fabrications processes within a cluster tool.. An FT-IR based method to determine polysilicon and dielectric film thicknesses, and free carrier concentrations and scattering rates of doped poly films has been developed. The technique is adaptable to multilayered and patterned samples, and the measurement and analysis can be performed in real-time, while the wafer is in the cooldown chamber of the cluster tool. Field tests in Phase I on a cluster tool at Texas Instruments established the capability to measure doped and undoped poly films, relatively thich ((250 nm) field oxides, thin ((10nm) gate oxides, and patterned wafers. A collaborative effort will be made to: 1) develop test a refined in-line FT-IR process monitor on the cluster tool, 2) Develop robust automated software for analysis of multilayered poly/dielectric films on blanket and patterned wafers, 3) Develop a high speed wafer mapping system for measuring uniformity of dielectric and poly properties, and 4) Develop process monitoring, optimization and control software and analysis methodology. This project will result in rugged multi-applications instrumentation for in-line monitoring and control of a wide range of fabrication processes performed in a cluster tool. This project can increase integrated circuits (IC) production yield, eliminate scrapped batches due to undetected out-of-spec wafers, reduce manpower requirements, and reduce the time between start-up and high yield production. The wafer mapping tool will also be useful for quality control of many other IC fabrication processes such as epi and ion implantation. ***