公开(公告)号：US20230366857A1

公开(公告)日：2023-11-16

申请号：US18354786

申请日：2023-07-19

Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.

Inventor： Jun-Hao Deng ,  Kuan-Wen Lin ,  Sheng-Chi Chin ,  Yu-Ching Lee

IPC: G01N29/44 ,  H01L21/288 ,  H01L21/02 ,  G01B21/16 ,  G01B17/00 ,  B08B3/04 ,  G01B17/02 ,  H01L21/66 ,  B08B13/00 ,  B08B5/02 ,  H01L21/67

CPC classification number: G01N29/44 ,  H01L21/288 ,  H01L21/02623 ,  G01B21/16 ,  G01B17/00 ,  B08B3/04 ,  H01L21/02041 ,  G01B17/025 ,  H01L21/02282 ,  H01L22/10 ,  B08B13/00 ,  B08B5/02 ,  G01B17/02 ,  H01L21/67253 ,  G01N2291/044

Abstract: Methods and systems disclosed herein use acoustic energy to determine a gap between a wafer and an integrated circuit (IC) processing system and/or determine a thickness of a material layer of the wafer during IC processing implemented by the IC processing system. An exemplary method includes emitting acoustic energy through a substrate and a material layer disposed thereover. The substrate is positioned within an IC processing system. The method further includes receiving reflected acoustic energy from a surface of the substrate and a surface of the material layer disposed thereover and converting the reflected acoustic energy into electrical signals. The electrical signals indicate a thickness of the material layer.

公开(公告)号：US11709153B2

公开(公告)日：2023-07-25

申请号：US17102255

申请日：2020-11-23

Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.

Inventor： Jun-Hao Deng ,  Kuan-Wen Lin ,  Sheng-Chi Chin ,  Yu-Ching Lee

IPC: G01N29/44 ,  B08B13/00 ,  G01B17/00 ,  G01B21/16 ,  B08B3/04 ,  B08B5/02 ,  H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/288 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/66 ,  G01B17/02

CPC classification number: G01N29/44 ,  B08B3/04 ,  B08B5/02 ,  B08B13/00 ,  G01B17/00 ,  G01B17/02 ,  G01B17/025 ,  G01B21/16 ,  H01L21/02041 ,  H01L21/02282 ,  H01L21/02623 ,  H01L21/288 ,  H01L21/67253 ,  H01L22/10 ,  G01N2291/044

Abstract: Methods and systems disclosed herein use acoustic energy to determine a gap between a wafer and an integrated circuit (IC) processing system and/or determine a thickness of a material layer of the wafer during IC processing implemented by the IC processing system. An exemplary method includes emitting acoustic energy through a substrate and a material layer disposed thereover. The substrate is positioned within an IC processing system. The method further includes receiving reflected acoustic energy from a surface of the substrate and a surface of the material layer disposed thereover and converting the reflected acoustic energy into electrical signals. The electrical signals indicate a thickness of the material layer.

公开(公告)号：US20170138911A1

公开(公告)日：2017-05-18

申请号：US14942402

申请日：2015-11-16

Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.

Inventor： Jun-Hao Deng ,  Kuan-Wen Lin ,  Sheng-Chi Chin ,  Yu-Ching Lee

IPC: G01N29/44 ,  H01L21/02 ,  B08B3/04 ,  H01L21/67 ,  B08B5/02 ,  H01L21/66 ,  H01L21/288

Abstract: A system and method for determining clearance between a fabrication tool and a workpiece is provided. In an exemplary embodiment, the method includes receiving a substrate within a tool such that a gap is defined there between. A transducer disposed on a bottom surface of the substrate opposite the gap provides an acoustic signal that is conducted through the substrate. The transducer also receives a first echo from a top surface of the substrate that defines the gap and a second echo from a bottom surface of the tool that further defines the gap. A width of the gap is measured based on the first echo and the second echo. In some embodiments, the bottom surface of the tool is a bottom surface of a nozzle, and the nozzle provides a liquid or a gas in the gap while the transducer is receiving the first and second echoes.

公开(公告)号：US20210072196A1

公开(公告)日：2021-03-11

申请号：US17102255

申请日：2020-11-23

Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.

Inventor： Jun-Hao Deng ,  Kuan-Wen Lin ,  Sheng-Chi Chin ,  Yu-Ching Lee

IPC: G01N29/44 ,  B08B13/00 ,  G01B17/00 ,  G01B21/16 ,  G01B17/02 ,  B08B3/04 ,  B08B5/02 ,  H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/288 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/66

Abstract: Methods and systems disclosed herein use acoustic energy to determine a gap between a wafer and an integrated circuit (IC) processing system and/or determine a thickness of a material layer of the wafer during IC processing implemented by the IC processing system. An exemplary method includes emitting acoustic energy through a substrate and a material layer disposed thereover. The substrate is positioned within an IC processing system. The method further includes receiving reflected acoustic energy from a surface of the substrate and a surface of the material layer disposed thereover and converting the reflected acoustic energy into electrical signals. The electrical signals indicate a thickness of the material layer.

公开(公告)号：US10794872B2

公开(公告)日：2020-10-06

申请号：US14942402

申请日：2015-11-16

Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.

Inventor： Jun-Hao Deng ,  Kuan-Wen Lin ,  Sheng-Chi Chin ,  Yu-Ching Lee

IPC: G01N29/44 ,  B08B13/00 ,  G01B17/00 ,  G01B21/16 ,  B08B3/04 ,  B08B5/02 ,  H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/288 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/66

Abstract: A system and method for determining clearance between a fabrication tool and a workpiece is provided. In an exemplary embodiment, the method includes receiving a substrate within a tool such that a gap is defined there between. A transducer disposed on a bottom surface of the substrate opposite the gap provides an acoustic signal that is conducted through the substrate. The transducer also receives a first echo from a top surface of the substrate that defines the gap and a second echo from a bottom surface of the tool that further defines the gap. A width of the gap is measured based on the first echo and the second echo. In some embodiments, the bottom surface of the tool is a bottom surface of a nozzle, and the nozzle provides a liquid or a gas in the gap while the transducer is receiving the first and second echoes.

公开(公告)号：US20180348171A1

公开(公告)日：2018-12-06

申请号：US16047828

申请日：2018-07-27

Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.

Inventor： Jun-Hao Deng ,  Kuan-Wen Lin ,  Sheng-Chi Chin ,  Yu-Ching Lee

IPC: G01N29/44 ,  B08B13/00 ,  H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/66 ,  B08B3/04 ,  H01L21/67 ,  G01B17/00 ,  B08B5/02 ,  H01L21/288

CPC classification number: G01N29/44 ,  B08B3/04 ,  B08B5/02 ,  B08B13/00 ,  G01B17/00 ,  G01B21/16 ,  G01N2291/044 ,  H01L21/02041 ,  H01L21/02282 ,  H01L21/02623 ,  H01L21/288 ,  H01L21/67253 ,  H01L22/10

Abstract: Methods and systems disclosed herein use acoustic energy to determine a gap between a wafer and an integrated circuit (IC) processing system and/or determine a thickness of a material layer of the wafer during IC processing implemented by the IC processing system. An exemplary method includes emitting acoustic energy through a substrate and a material layer disposed thereover. The substrate is positioned within an IC processing system. The method further includes receiving reflected acoustic energy from a surface of the substrate and a surface of the material layer disposed thereover and converting the reflected acoustic energy into electrical signals. The electrical signals indicate a thickness of the material layer.