Semiconductor equipment monitoring apparatus, and semiconductor equipment including the semiconductor equipment monitoring apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12555757-B2
Application number	US-202318124954-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 22, 2023
Priority date	Aug 12, 2022
Publication date	Feb 17, 2026
Grant date	Feb 17, 2026

Abstract

A semiconductor equipment monitoring apparatus including a wafer-type sensor inside a process chamber and configured to sense a plasma state inside the process chamber; a light detector and analyzer configured to detect and analyze light sensed by the wafer-type sensor; and a light coupler between the wafer-type sensor and the light detector and analyzer and configured to transmit the light sensed by the wafer-type sensor to the light detector and analyzer. The wafer-type sensor includes a plurality of sensors each comprising a passive element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A semiconductor equipment monitoring apparatus comprising:
a wafer-type sensor inside a process chamber and configured to sense a plasma state inside the process chamber; a light detector and analyzer configured to detect and analyze a light sensed by the wafer-type sensor; and a light coupler, between the wafer-type sensor and the light detector and analyzer, configured to transmit the light sensed by the wafer-type sensor to the light detector and analyzer, wherein the wafer-type sensor comprises a plurality of sensors each comprising a passive element, wherein the wafer-type sensor comprises:
a body having a wafer shape;
the plurality of sensors at different positions on an upper surface of the body;
a plurality of first waveguides inside the body and configured to connect the plurality of sensors and the light coupler to each other; and
a protective layer configured to cover the upper surface of the body and the plurality of sensors, and
wherein the wafer-type sensor further comprises a wavelength distribution device configured to split light from the light coupler for each wavelength and supply the split light to the plurality of first waveguides.

2 . The semiconductor equipment monitoring apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the wavelength distribution device comprises an arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) device,
wherein the wavelength distribution device comprises a free space area to which light from the light coupler is incident, an output area, and a plurality of second waveguides having different lengths and configured to transmit light from the free space area to the output area, and wherein the output area is configured to split light from the plurality of second waveguides into light for each wavelength through constructive interference, and supply the split light to the plurality of first waveguides.

3 . The semiconductor equipment monitoring apparatus of claim 1 , wherein lengths of the plurality of first waveguides from an output position of the light coupler to the plurality of sensors are all different.

4 . The semiconductor equipment monitoring apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the light coupler comprises a first light transmission device in an electro-stack chuck (ESC) of the process chamber, and a second light transmission device in the body of the wafer-type sensor, and
wherein the light detector and analyzer comprises a light detector configured to detect the light sensed by the wafer-type sensor, and an analyzer configured to signal-process and analyze the light sensed by the wafer-type sensor.

5 . The semiconductor equipment monitoring apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the first light transmission device comprises a lift-pin or radio frequency (RF) rod disposed in the electro-stack chuck (ESC) and having a waveguide disposed therein, and a first lens on an upper portion of the lift-pin or radio frequency (RF) rod, and
wherein the second light transmission device comprises a mirror configured to reflect light from the first light transmission device, and a second lens configured to make light from the mirror be incident to a waveguide in the body.

6 . The semiconductor equipment monitoring apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the light detector and analyzer further comprises a light source configured to generate light, and
wherein each of the plurality of sensors comprises a reflective coating layer configured to reflect light from the light source.

7 . The semiconductor equipment monitoring apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the light detector and analyzer is further configured to analyze a plasma state for each position in the process chamber according to an analysis based on at least one of a wavelength and a time, and
wherein, when the analysis is based on the time, the analysis comprises generating a pulsed light to be incident to the wafer-type sensor.

8 . The semiconductor equipment monitoring apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the wafer-type sensor is further configured to sense the plasma state by sensing at least one of a temperature, an electric field, an electron density, and a pressure in the process chamber during a semiconductor operation.

9 . A semiconductor equipment monitoring apparatus comprising:
a wafer-type sensor comprising a body having a wafer shape, and comprising a plurality of sensors at different positions on an upper surface of the body, and a plurality of waveguides inside the body and respectively connected to the plurality of sensors; and a light coupler between the wafer-type sensor and a light detector, the light coupler comprising a first light transmission device in an electro-static chuck (ESC) of a process chamber, and a second light transmission device inside the body of the wafer-type sensor, wherein each of the plurality of sensors comprises a passive element, and wherein the wafer-type sensor is inside the process chamber and configured to sense a plasma state inside the process chamber.

10 . The semiconductor equipment monitoring apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the wafer-type sensor further comprises a wavelength distribution device configured to split light from the light coupler by each wavelength into a split light and supply the split light to the plurality of waveguides.

11 . The semiconductor equipment monitoring apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the first light transmission device comprises a lift-pin or radio frequency (RF) rod disposed in the ESC and having a waveguide disposed therein, and a first lens on an upper portion of the lift-pin or radio frequency (RF) rod, and
the second light transmission device comprises a mirror configured to reflect light from the first light transmission device, and a second lens configured to make light from the mirror be incident to a waveguide in the body.

12 . The semiconductor equipment monitoring apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising a light source configured to generate light for input to the wafer-type sensor,
wherein each of the plurality of sensors comprises a reflective coating layer configured to reflect light from the light source.

13 . The semiconductor equipment monitoring apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the semiconductor equipment monitoring apparatus is configured to analyze a plasma state for each position in the process chamber according to an analysis based on at least one of a wavelength and a time of light detected by the light detector, and
wherein, when the analysis is based on at least the time of light detected by the light detector, the analysis comprises generating a pulsed light to be incident to the wafer-type sensor.

14 . A semiconductor equipment comprising:
a process chamber configured to perform a semiconductor operation using plasma; and a semiconductor equipment monitoring apparatus comprising components inside the process chamber and configured to monitor a plasma state of the inside of the process chamber, wherein the semiconductor equipment monitoring apparatus comprises:
a wafer-type sensor inside the process chamber and configured to sense a plasma state inside the process chamber;
a light detector and analyzer configured to detect and analyze light sensed by the wafer-type sensor; and
a light coupler between the wafer-type sensor and the light detector and analyzer and configured to transmit the light sensed by the wafer-type sensor to the light detector and analyzer,
wherein the wafer-type sensor comprises a plurality of sensors each comprising a passive element, wherein the light coupler comprises a first light transmission device in an electro-static chuck (ESC) of the process chamber, and a second light transmission devi

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Taekjin
• Lim Meehyun
• Kim Sungyeol
• Park Junbum
• Yoon Sungyoung
• Yun Jinyeong
• Lee Jungchul
• Lim Sungyong
• Cho Sunghwi

Classifications

• H10P72/72

  using electrostatic chucks · CPC title

• H10P72/0604

  Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring · CPC title

• H10P72/722 Primary

  Details of electrostatic chucks · CPC title

• H10P72/0421

  for drying etching · CPC title

• H01J2237/24495

  Signal processing, e.g. mixing of two or more signals · CPC title