Surface oxide tabulation and photo process control and cost...

Details Surface oxide tabulation and photo process control and cost... Surface oxide tabulation and photo process control and cost...

2006-09-19

2006-09-19

Coleman, W. David (Department: 2823)

Semiconductor device manufacturing: process

Including control responsive to sensed condition

C257SE21526

Reexamination Certificate

active

07109046

ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates generally to semiconductor processing, and more particularly to methods and systems for reducing costs of wafer production by analyzing key aspects of wafer status to determine whether to initiate corrective measures to salvage a wafer at an early stage and before substantial costs are incurred in fabricating a defective wafer. One aspect of the present invention provides for growing an oxide layer on a wafer upon a determination that an oxide layer on the wafer surface is absent or is present but inadequate. Another aspect of the present invention provides for a determination of whether to apply preemptory corrective treatment(s) to a wafer surface based on the presence and/or magnitude of nitrogen signatures in an extant oxide surface layer, which can indicate that an undesirable defect known as “footing” will occur during a post-exposure delay period. Thus, the invention advantageously reduces production costs by facilitating a most correct decision to mitigate the source(s) of potential defects at an early stage and, thus, before substantial costs are incurred in production of the wafer.

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