Run-to-run control process for controlling critical dimensions

Details Run-to-run control process for controlling critical dimensions Run-to-run control process for controlling critical dimensions

1997-05-28

1999-07-20

Dutton, Brian

Semiconductor device manufacturing: process

With measuring or testing

Electrical characteristic sensed

G01R 3126, H01L 2166

Patent

active

059266902

ABSTRACT:
It has been discovered that all causes of critical dimension variation, both known and unknown, are compensated by adjusting the time of photoresist etch. Accordingly, a control method employs a control system using photoresist etch time as a manipulated variable in either a feedforward or a feedback control configuration to control critical dimension variation during semiconductor fabrication. By controlling critical dimensions through the adjustment of photoresist etch time, many advantages are achieved including a reduced lot-to-lot variation, an increased yield, and increased speed of the fabricated circuits. In one embodiment these advantages are achieved for polysilicon gate critical dimension control in microprocessor circuits. Polysilicon gate linewidth variability is reduced using a control method using either feedforward and feedback or feedback alone. In some embodiments, feedback control is implemented for controlling critical dimensions using photoresist etch time as a manipulated variable. In an alternative embodiment, critical dimensions are controlled using RF power as a manipulated variable. A run-to-run control technique is used to drive the critical dimensions of integrated circuits to a set specification. In a run-to-run control technique a wafer test or measurement is made and a process control recipe is adjusted based on the result of the test or measurement on a run-by-run basis. The run-to-run control technique is applied to drive the critical dimensions of a polysilicon gate structure to a target specification. The run-to-run control technique is applied to drive the critical dimensions in an integrated circuit to a defined specification using photoresist etch time as a manipulated variable.

REFERENCES:
patent: 5629772 (1997-05-01), Ausschnitt
patent: 5655110 (1997-08-01), Krivokapic et al.
patent: 5773174 (1998-06-01), Koizumi et al.
Hankinson et al., "Integrated Real-Time and Run-to-Run Control of Etch Depth in Reactive Ion Etching", Mar. 13, 1996, pp. 1-17.
1995 IEEE/SEMI Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing Conference--Boning et al., "Practical Issues in Run by Run Process Control", 1995, pp. 201-208.
187th ECS Meeting in Reno, NV--E. Zafiriou et al., "Nonlineal Model Based Run-To-Run Control For Rapid Thermal Processing With Unmeasured Variable Estimation", May 1995.
IEEE/CHMT International Electronics Manufacturing Technology Symposium, Austin, Texas--Boning et al., "Run by Run Control of Chemical-Mechanical Polishing", Oct. 2-4, 1995.
VMIC, Santa Clara, CA--Smith et al., "Compensating for CMP Pad Wear Using Run by Run Feedback Control", Jun. 18-20, 1996.
IEEE Transactions on Semiconductor Manufacturing--Sachs et al., "Process Control System For VLSI Fabrication", Apr. 5, 1990, pp. 1-31.

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