Imaging in Silicon: Tomography based Sensors for Semiconductor Manufacturing

本提案涉及研究开发一类新型传感器的可行性。这些传感器的目标应用是半导体制造。这类传感器的共同主题是它们基于电阻抗断层扫描（EIT）。EIT是一种体内成像技术，已在生物医学应用中得到广泛应用，但其在半导体制造应用中的应用，如本提案所建议的是新颖的。更广泛的影响半导体制造业是一个重要的工业引擎，继续推动全球经济增长。下一代集成电子产品需要可靠且具有成本效益的制造。13微米线宽电路横跨大型300毫米基板。人们普遍认为，传感器将在实现这一目标中发挥至关重要的作用，通过提供优化工艺参数的手段，设计更复杂的设备，并通过实现集成过程控制。提出的研究提供了在半导体加工过程中监测晶圆表面加工条件的原位传感器的可能性。在这项工作中开发的基于EIT的传感器可以以适度的拥有成本提供前所未有的空间分辨率。这些传感器将实现快速设备诊断，配方优化，并最终实现闭环设备控制。有效地，这将导致提高产量，时间到产量和吞吐量。拟议的研究是这一整体愿景的种子部分。最后，也是最重要的是，所提议的工作在为半导体行业带来硬件和系统方面独特的通用学生方面的直接影响。这个建议在思想上的优点在于它的新颖性。拟议的工作本质上是跨学科的，将生物医学应用的技术和想法引入半导体工业。这需要将分析思想与硬件设计相结合。传感器传统上被视为独立的硬件组件。提出的工作采取了更细致入微的方法，其中传感器的系统方面对其功能至关重要。在本提案的背景下出现的特殊断层扫描问题是新颖的，需要创新的分析方法。与生物医学断层扫描相比，被成像的对象（提议的传感器）具有被优化的奢侈。医学上的类似物是能够将骨骼、器官和组织排列在有利于成像技术的位置上。第一性原理分析将允许设计出最佳灵敏度的传感器。

This proposal deals with investigating the feasibility of developing a new class of sensors.Thetarget application of these sensors is semiconductor manufacturing.The common theme shared bythis class of sensors is that they are based on Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT).EIT is anin vivo imaging technology that has found widespread use in biomedical applications, but its usein semiconductor manufacturing applications as suggested in this proposal is novel.Broader ImpactSemiconductor manufacturing is a vital industrial engine that continues to drive worldwide eco-nomic growth.The next generation of integrated electronics calls for the reliable and cost-effectivemanufacture of 0 .13 micron linewidth circuits across large 300 mm substrates.It is widely recog-nized that sensors will play a vital role in realizing this objective,by providing the means to optimizeprocess parameters,engineer more complex equipment,and by enabling integrated process control.The proposed research offers the possibility of in situ sensors for monitoring processing conditions atthe wafer surface during semiconductor processing.The EIT based sensors that will be developedin this work can offer unprecedented spatial resolution with modest cost-of-ownership.Thesesensors would enable rapid equipmen diagnostics,recipe optimization,and eventually closed-loopequipmen control.Effectively,this would lead to improved yield,time-to-yield,and throughput.The proposed research is the seed componen in this overall vision.Finally,and most importantly,is the immediate and direct impact of the proposed work in bring-ing students uniquely versatile in both hardware and system aspects to the semiconductor industry.Intellectual MeritThe intellectual merit of this proposal is its novelty.The proposed work is interdisciplinary innature,bringing techniques and ideas from biomedical applications to the semiconductor industry.This will require the imaginative blend of analytical ideas with hardware design.Sensors are traditionally viewed as stand alone hardware components.The proposed work takesa more nuanced approach where the systems aspect of sensors is vital to their function.Theparticular tomography problems that arise in the context of this proposal are novel and will requireinnovative analytical approaches.In contrast with biomedical tomography,the objects being imaged(the proposed sensors)have the luxury of being optimized.The medical analogue is that of beingable to arrange bones,organs,and tissue in positions that are favorable to the imaging technique.First principles analysis will permit the design of the proposed sensors for optimal sensitivity.