초록 ▼

A method of monitoring a dual damascene procedure that includes calculating a pre-processing confidence map for a damascene process, the pre-processing confidence map including confidence data for a first set of dies on the wafer. An expanded pre-processing measurement recipe is established for the

A method of monitoring a dual damascene procedure that includes calculating a pre-processing confidence map for a damascene process, the pre-processing confidence map including confidence data for a first set of dies on the wafer. An expanded pre-processing measurement recipe is established for the damascene process when one or more values in the pre-processing confidence map are not within confidence limits established for the damascene process. A reduced pre-processing measurement recipe for the first damascene process is established when one or more values in the pre-processing confidence map are within confidence limits established for the damascene process.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A method of monitoring a dual damascene procedure comprising: receiving a wafer and/or wafer data, wherein the wafer comprises a plurality of dies and a number of measurement sites, each die having a patterned damascene layer on top of at least one other layer, and at least o

What is claimed is: 1. A method of monitoring a dual damascene procedure comprising: receiving a wafer and/or wafer data, wherein the wafer comprises a plurality of dies and a number of measurement sites, each die having a patterned damascene layer on top of at least one other layer, and at least one measurement site having a periodic structure therein; calculating a pre-processing confidence map for a damascene process, the pre-processing confidence map including confidence data for a set of dies on the wafer; establishing an expanded pre-processing measurement recipe for the damascene process when one or more values in the pre-processing confidence map are not within confidence limits established for the damascene process, wherein the number of measurement sites is increased for the damascene process by establishing a new prioritized pre-processing measurement site for the damascene process; and establishing a reduced pre-processing measurement recipe for the damascene process when one or more values in the pre-processing confidence map are within confidence limits established for the damascene process, wherein the number of measurement sites is decreased for the damascene process by eliminating at least one de-prioritized pre-processing measurement site for the damascene process. 2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: measuring the wafer using the expanded pre-processing measurement recipe for the damascene process when new measurement data is required; creating an expanded pre-processing measurement map for the damascene process using the new measurement data; and storing the expanded pre-processing measurement recipe for the damascene process when new measurement data is not required. 3. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: storing the reduced pre-processing measurement recipe for the damascene process; and performing the damascene process when one or more values in the pre-processing confidence map are within confidence limits established for the damascene process. 4. The method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising: calculating a second pre-processing confidence map for a second damascene process, the second pre-processing confidence map including confidence data for a second set of dies on the wafer; establishing an expanded pre-processing measurement recipe for the second damascene process when one or more values in the second pre-processing confidence map are not within confidence limits established for the second damascene process, wherein the number of measurement sites is increased for the second damascene process by establishing a new prioritized pre-processing measurement site for the second damascene process; and establishing a reduced pre-processing measurement recipe for the second damascene process when one or more values in the second pre-processing confidence map are within confidence limits established for the second damascene process, wherein the number of measurement sites is decreased for the second damascene process by eliminating at least one de-prioritized pre-processing measurement site for the second damascene process. 5. The method as claimed in claim 4, further comprising: measuring the wafer using the expanded pre-processing measurement recipe for the second damascene process when new measurement data is required; and storing the expanded pre-processing measurement recipe for the second damascene process when new measurement data is not required. 6. The method as claimed in claim 4, further comprising: storing the reduced pre-processing measurement recipe for the second damascene process; and performing the second damascene process when one or more values in the second pre-processing confidence map are within confidence limits established for the second damascene process. 7. The method as claimed in claim 6, further comprising: calculating a post-processing confidence map for the second damascene process, the post-processing confidence map including confidence data for a third set of dies on the wafer; establishing an expanded post-processing measurement recipe for the second damascene process when one or more values in the post-processing confidence map are not within confidence limits established for the second damascene process, wherein the number of measurement sites is increased for the second damascene process by establishing a new prioritized post-processing measurement site for the second damascene process; and establishing a reduced post-processing measurement recipe for the second damascene process when one or more values in the post-processing confidence map are within confidence limits established for the second damascene process, wherein the number of measurement sites is decreased for the second damascene process by eliminating at least one de-prioritized post-processing measurement site for the second damascene process. 8. The method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising: measuring the wafer using the expanded post-processing measurement recipe for the second damascene process when new measurement data is required; and storing the expanded post-processing measurement recipe for the second damascene process when new measurement data is not required. 9. The method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising: storing the reduced post-processing measurement recipe for the second damascene process; transferring the wafer to a first holding area when one or more values in the post-processing confidence map are within confidence limits established for the second damascene process; and transferring the wafer to a second holding area when one or more values in the post-processing confidence map are not within confidence limits established for the second damascene process. 10. The method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising: calculating a post-processing confidence map for the damascene process, the post-processing confidence map including confidence data for a second set of dies on the wafer; establishing an expanded post-processing measurement recipe for the damascene process when one or more values in the post-processing confidence map are not within confidence limits established for the damascene process, wherein the number of measurement sites is increased for the damascene process by establishing a new prioritized post-processing measurement site for the damascene process; and establishing a reduced post-processing measurement recipe for the damascene process when one or more values in the post-processing confidence map are within confidence limits established for the damascene process, wherein the number of measurement sites is decreased for the damascene process by eliminating at least one de-prioritized post-processing measurement site for the damascene process. 11. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising: measuring the wafer using the expanded post-processing measurement recipe for the damascene process when new measurement data is required; and storing the expanded post-processing measurement recipe for the damascene process when new measurement data is not required. 12. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising: storing the reduced post-processing measurement recipe for the damascene process; and performing a second damascene process when one or more values in the post-processing confidence map are within confidence limits established for the damascene process. 13. The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising: calculating a post-processing confidence map for the second damascene process, the post-processing confidence map including confidence data for a third set of dies on the wafer; establishing an expanded post-processing measurement recipe for the second damascene process when one or more values in the post-processing confidence map are not within confidence limits established for the second damascene process, wherein the number of measurement sites is increased for the second damascene process by establishing a new prioritized post-processing measurement site for the second damascene process; and establishing a reduced post-processing measurement recipe for the second damascene process when one or more values in the post-processing confidence map are within confidence limits established for the second damascene process, wherein the number of measurement sites is decreased for the second damascene process by eliminating at least one de-prioritized post-processing measurement site for the second damascene process. 14. The method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising: measuring the wafer using the expanded post-processing measurement recipe for the second damascene process when new measurement data is required; and storing the expanded post-processing measurement recipe for the second damascene process when new measurement data is not required. 15. The method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising: storing the reduced post-processing measurement recipe for the second damascene process; transferring the wafer to a first holding area when one or more values in the post-processing confidence map are within confidence limits established for the second damascene process; and transferring the wafer to a second holding area when one or more values in the post-processing confidence map are not within confidence limits established for the second damascene process. 16. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the calculating of the pre-processing confidence map further comprises: calculating a pre-processing prediction map for the wafer, wherein the pre-processing prediction map is determined using a pre-processing map, a post-processing map, a reference map, a process map, a process results map, or a historical map, or a combination of two or more thereof; calculating the pre-processing confidence map for the damascene process, the pre-processing confidence map including confidence data for a first set of dies on the wafer, wherein the confidence map is determined using a difference between the pre-processing prediction map and historical data. 17. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the calculating of the pre-processing confidence map further comprises: calculating the first pre-processing confidence map using a pre-processing map, a post-processing map, a reference map, a process map, a process results map, or a historical map, or a combination of two or more thereof. 18. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the calculating of the pre-processing confidence map further comprises: creating a pre-processing measurement map for a first region of the wafer using measured data for at least one of the measurement sites on the wafer; calculating a pre-processing prediction map for the first region of the wafer using the pre-processing measurement map for a first region of the wafer, the pre-processing prediction map including a first set of predicted measured data for at least one die in the first region of the wafer; calculating the pre-processing confidence map for the first damascene process using a difference between the pre-processing prediction map and historical data. 19. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the first region comprises a circular shape, an annular shape, a pie shape, a square shape, or a rectangular shape. 20. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the calculating of the post-processing confidence map for the second damascene process further comprises: calculating a post-processing prediction map for the wafer, wherein the post-processing prediction map is determined using a pre-processing map, a post-processing map, a reference map, a process map, a process results map, or a historical map, or a combination of two or more thereof; calculating the post-processing confidence map for the second damascene process, the post-processing confidence map including confidence data for a second set of dies on the wafer, wherein the post-processing confidence map is determined using a difference between the post-processing prediction map and historical data. 21. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the calculating of the post-processing confidence map for the second damascene further comprises: calculating the post-processing confidence map using a pre-processing map, a post-processing map, a reference map, a process map, a process results map, or a historical map, or a combination of two or more thereof. 22. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the calculating of the post-processing confidence map for the second damascene further comprises: creating a post-processing measurement map for a first region of the wafer using measured data for at least one of the measurement sites on the wafer; calculating a post-processing prediction map for the first region of the wafer using the post-processing measurement map for a first region of the wafer, the post-processing prediction map including a first set of predicted measured data for at least one die in the first region of the wafer; calculating the post-processing confidence map for the second damascene process using a difference between the post-processing prediction map and historical data. 23. The method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the first region comprises a circular shape, an annular shape, a pie shape, a square shape, or a rectangular shape. 24. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: measuring the periodic structure in at least one of the measurement sites using polarizing reflectometry, spectroscopic ellipsometry, reflectometry, and/or optical digital profilometry (ODP) techniques; and calculating measured data for at least one of the first set of dies on the wafer that is proximate to the at least one of the measurement sites. 25. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: positioning at least one of the measurement sites in a scribe line on the wafer. 26. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a confidence value associated with the first set of dies on the wafer is higher than a confidence value for the other dies on the wafer. 27. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pre-processing confidence map for the wafer is created in real-time when the wafer is received by a measurement module. 28. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wafer data includes critical dimension (CD) data, depth data, sidewall data, sidewall angle data, thickness data, material data, trench data, via data, or n and k value data or any combination of two or more thereof. 29. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dual damascene procedure comprises a Via First Trench Last (VFTL) and the damascene process comprise a via etching process. 30. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dual damascene procedure comprises a Trench First Via Last (TFVL) and the damascene process comprises a trench etching process. 31. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the calculating of the pre-processing confidence map comprises: comparing one or more uniformity limits to a first pre-processing prediction map, a second pre-processing prediction map, or a averaged pre-processing prediction map. 32. The method as claimed in claim 31, further comprising: calculating the first pre-processing prediction map for the wafer using a first pre-processing equation, the first pre-processing equation being determined using measured data from two or more measurement sites located in a first direction; and calculating the second pre-processing prediction map for the wafer using a second pre-processing equation, the second pre-processing equation being determined using measured data from two or more measurement sites located in a second direction. 33. The method as claimed in claim 31, further comprising: calculating the first pre-processing prediction map for the wafer using a first pre-processing surface, the first pre-processing surface being determined using measured data from two or more measurement sites located in a first radial direction; and calculating the second pre-processing prediction map for the wafer using a second pre-processing surface, the second pre-processing surface being determined using measured data from two or more measurement sites located in a second radial direction.