John Yamartino, Vivien Chang, James Holland & Andrey Poliektov, Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA, USA

ABSTRACT

Device scaling is posing new challenges for many aspects of semiconductor processing. More sophisticated and flexible advanced process controls (APC) are needed for sub-90-nm applications to overcome limitations inherent in techniques that have proven effective for larger nodes. Not only must next-generation process-tool-based APC systems be able to receive metrology data from more than one source and translate them into process-control parameters to reduce performance variations, they must provide the fab host with features for designating the entire process control sequence for wafers passing through the system. Such APC systems will give fabs the highly desirable versatility needed for tailoring APC implementation to best advantage for its particular production lines.