Adaptive Design of Experiments for Optimal Uniformity in Semiconductor Manufacturing

研究：微电子行业的工程师经常面临选择工具设计和/或操作条件(配方)的问题，这些条件和/或操作条件(配方)在薄膜蚀刻过程中产生高度的一致性。确定最优一致性条件的实验是昂贵的，并且对输入变量的约束必须满足在最优值。标准响应面方法(RSM)可以处理简单但不复杂的约束。这项工作旨在开发一种新的算法方法来求解不等式约束的响应面模型，并将其应用于等离子体刻蚀。这将包括开发高保真的基本等离子体反应堆模型。工作将包括：-将问题表述为基于线性或(如有必要)非线性模型的E-最优实验的自适应顺序设计；-为上述优化开发数值解技术；-为双线圈感应耦合等离子体(ICP)刻蚀工具开发高保真模型；-研究顺序RSM与自适应控制之间的联系；以及-研究通过计算机模拟以及实验室和工业实验开发的算法的特性。影响：与工业合作者的互动将确保专注于半导体行业遇到的现实问题。该项目具有潜在的基础设施好处，因为接受过开发这种方法培训的学生将对行业大有裨益。鉴于休斯顿大学超过50%的本科生是少数族裔，而且该项目将有大量本科生参与，来自代表性不足群体的学生参与是可以预期的。

Research:Engineers in the microelectronics industry are frequently faced with the problem of selecting tool design and/or operating conditions (recipes) that produce high uniformity in the etching of thin films. Experiments that determine optimal uniformity conditions are expensive and constraint on input variables have to be satisfied at the optimum. Standard response-surface-methodology (RSM) can handle simple but not complicated constraints. This work is aimed at developing a new algorithmic approach to inequality constrained RSM with application to plasma etching. This will include the development of a high-fidelity fundamental plasma reactor model.The work will consist of: -Formulation of the problem as an adaptive sequential design of E-optimal experiments based on linear, or if necessary, nonlinear models; -Development of numerical solution techniques for the above optimization; -Development of a high-fidelity model for a dual-coil inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching tool; -Investigation of connections between sequential RSM and adaptive control; and -Studying the properties of the algorithms developed through computer simulations and laboratory and industrial experiments.Impact:Interaction with an industrial collaborator will ensure focus on realistic problems encountered in the semiconductor industry. The project has potential infrastructure benefits in that students trained in developing this methodology would be of great use to industry. Given that over 50% of undergraduates at the University of Houston are minorities and that the project will have heavy undergraduate participation, the involvement of students from underrepresented groups can be expected.