Imaging in Silicon: Tomography based Sensors for Semiconductor Manufacturing

本提案涉及研究开发一种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成像（EIT）。EIT是一种在生物医学应用中广泛使用的体内成像技术，但在本提案中建议的半导体制造应用中使用它是新颖的。更广泛的影响半导体制造是一个重要的工业引擎，继续推动全球生态，下一代集成电子技术要求在300 mm的大衬底上制造出可靠的、具有成本效益的0.13微米线宽电路。人们普遍认为，传感器将在实现这一目标方面发挥至关重要的作用，它提供了优化工艺参数的手段，工程师更复杂的设备，并通过使集成的过程控制。拟议的研究提供了原位传感器的可能性，用于监测处理条件在晶圆表面在半导体加工过程中。EIT为基础的传感器，将在这项工作中开发可以提供前所未有的空间分辨率与适度的拥有成本。这些传感器将使快速设备诊断，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，达到产量的时间和产量。拟议的研究是这一整体愿景中的种子组成部分。最后，也是最重要的，是拟议工作带来的直接和直接影响-使学生在半导体工业的硬件和系统方面都具有独特的多才多艺。智力上的优点这项建议的智力上的优点是它的新奇。拟议的工作是跨学科的性质，将生物医学应用中的技术和思想引入半导体工业。这将需要将分析思想与硬件设计进行富有想象力的融合。传感器传统上被视为独立的硬件组件。拟议的工作采取了一种更加细致入微的方法，其中传感器的系统方面对其功能至关重要。在此提议的背景下出现的特定断层扫描问题是新颖的，将需要创新的分析方法。与生物医学断层扫描相比，被成像的物体（建议的传感器）具有优化的奢侈品。医学模拟是能够将骨骼，器官和组织排列在有利于成像技术的位置。第一原理分析将允许设计建议的传感器以获得最佳灵敏度。

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.