Method and apparatus for inspecting process solution, and sample preparation apparatus in inspection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10746635-B2
Application number	US-201414475164-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 2, 2014
Priority date	Sep 2, 2014
Publication date	Aug 18, 2020
Grant date	Aug 18, 2020

Abstract

A method for inspecting a process solution is provided. In this method, a process solution is disposed on a surface of a substrate. A liquid of the process solution is removed to form an inspection sample by a spinning method. The surface of the substrate of the inspection sample is inspected by the surface inspection device to identify whether a residue of the process solution is left on the surface of the substrate after removing the liquid of the process solution. Further, an apparatus for inspecting a process solution and a sample preparation apparatus in inspection are also provided herein.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for inspecting a process solution, the method comprising:
applying, on a surface of a substrate on a spinning sample preparation device, a process solution selected from a group consisting of a photoresist solution, a developing solution, an electroplating solution, a cleaning solution, and an etching solution;
removing a liquid of the process solution from the surface of the substrate by a spinning process such that a residue of the process solution remains on the surface of the substrate;
detecting a change of a cantilever of a surface inspection device vertically above the surface of the substrate on the spinning sample preparation device; and
identifying the residue of the process solution left on the surface of the substrate as a defect by the surface inspection device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the process solution on the surface of the substrate is coating the process solution on the surface of the substrate by a coating process.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein removing the liquid of the process solution by the spinning process is removing the liquid of the process solution by spinning the substrate.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein removing the liquid of the process solution further comprises performing an evaporating process for evaporating the liquid of the process solution by an evaporating device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying by the surface inspection device is identifying by an atomic force microscope.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising performing a qualitative analysis of the residue of the process solution by a qualitative analysis device.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein performing a qualitative analysis of the residue of the process solution comprises measuring a dielectric value, a magnetic force, a friction force, conductivity, a piezoelectric force or a combination thereof of the residue of the process solution, by a qualitative analysis device equipped with the surface inspection device.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a material made of mica, glass, highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG), semiconductor, metal or a combination thereof.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising calculating a three-dimensional profile of the residue by a calculating device coupled to the surface inspection device.

10. An apparatus for inspecting a process solution on a substrate, comprising:
a spinning sample preparation device configured to apply the process solution on a surface of the substrate and to remove a liquid of the process solution;
a surface inspection device coupled to the spinning sample preparation device and configured to identify a residue left on the surface of the substrate on the spinning sample preparation device by bringing a probe needle of the surface inspection device toward the surface of the substrate on the spinning sample preparation device; and
a qualitative analysis device equipped with the surface inspection device and configured to perform a qualitative analysis on the residue.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the spinning sample preparation device comprises a spin-coating device.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the surface inspection device comprises an atomic force microscope.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the qualitative analysis device is further configured to measure a dielectric value, a magnetic force, a friction force, a conductivity, a piezoelectric force or a combination thereof of the residue and wherein the qualitative analysis device comprises a capacitance microscope, a magnetic force microscope (MFM), a friction force microscope (FFM), an electrostatic force microscope (EFM), a piezoelectric force microscope (PFM), or a combination thereof.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising an evaporating device coupled to the spinning sample preparation device and configured to evaporate a liquid of the process solution.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the evaporating device comprises an infra-red heating device or a microwave device.

16. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the spinning sample preparation device includes a spinning table and the surface inspection device is directed toward the spinning table.

17. An apparatus for inspection of a process solution on a substrate, comprising:
a spinning device configured to remove a liquid from the process solution and comprising:
a spinning table configured to hold the substrate;
a solution supplying unit coupled to the spinning table and configured to apply the process solution on a surface of the substrate; and
a motor connected to the spinning table and configured to spin the spinning table;

an evaporating device coupled to the spinning device, positioned over the substrate, and configured to evaporate a liquid of the process solution;
a surface inspection device coupled to the spinning device and configured to identify a residue left on the surface of the substrate on the spinning table by bringing a probe needle of the surface inspection device toward the surface of the substrate on the spinning sample preparation device; and
a calculating device coupled to the surface inspection device and configured to calculate a profile of the residue.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the spinning device comprises a spin-coating device configured to coat the process solution on the surface of the substrate.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the evaporating device comprises an infra-red heating device or a microwave device.

20. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the surface inspection device is directed toward the spinning table.

Assignees

• Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Chuang Tzu-Sou
• Kuo Chi-Wen

Classifications

• G01N2021/8427

  Coatings · CPC title

• G01N1/2813 Primary

  Producing thin layers of samples on a substrate, e.g. smearing, spinning-on (G01N1/30 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01Q60/50

  MFM [Magnetic Force Microscopy] or apparatus therefor, e.g. MFM probes · CPC title

• G01Q60/24

  AFM [Atomic Force Microscopy] or apparatus therefor, e.g. AFM probes · CPC title

• G01N21/65

  Raman scattering · CPC title