IC Industry Awards Preview 2009
AutoClean has been validated and from hours to effectively minutes — the time gap measurements in vacuum
released for most major implant makes staff and equipment downtime for set chambers under process-like conditions,
and models with little if any significant up, preventative maintenance (PM) and allowing engineers, in minutes, to adjust
hardware or software changes. The troubleshooting tied to gapping. The showerheads or pedestals without
cleaning reagent has proven effective AGS also gives engineers objective and opening up chambers.
for cleaning process residues created reproducible gap data to establish
when running arsenic, phosphorus, and process- and equipment-specific A key differentiator between the AGS
boron implant processes. controls fab-wide. The AGS claims to be and existing gap-measurement methods
AutoClean is comprised of the chemical the first wireless gap-measurement is the AGS’ companion GapView
reagent, a non-pressurised solid source device available to fabs, and its creation software. The AGS’ three sensors each
delivery cylinder and process recipes is inline with the 300 Prime Initiative. report separate readings in numerical
tailored to each customer application and graphical form to set the exact gap
based on best known methods. If the 300 Prime Initiative has shifted the required for a process. Each graphic is
focus of semiconductor fabs to colour-coded on GapView’s GUI to
productivity, efficiency and bottom-line reflect good readings. The interface
CyberOptics
profitability, the AGS helps 300mm fabs makes it easy for engineers to quickly
Semiconductor
achieve their automation-focused see when the gap is above, below or
objectives: The AGS enables fabs to set within the user-defined target gap range
Auto Gapping Sensor
and monitor showerhead gaps with based on optimal process parameters.
greater accuracy and efficiency. The
The WaferSense AGS device is used to wireless method adds more
The IC Industry Awards
wirelessly measure critical gaps between predictability, reliability and control to
will be presented at
showerheads and wafer pedestals in equipment to ensure wafers are
SEMICON Europa 2009
process chambers that perform chemical processed in optimal conditions for
vapor deposition (CVD), physical vapor optimal yield and throughput.
Cymer
deposition (PVD) and etching. At 200mm fabs facing pressure to
extend the productivity of their existing
Gas Lifetime eXtension
The AGS allows process engineers to capital equipment, the AGS200 plays a
38
establish true parallelism between key role in their efficient use of staff and The Gas Lifetime eXtension (GLX)
process showerheads and wafer process chambers by, again, significantly product is a stand-alone upgrade for
www
pedestals or heaters to significantly reducing downtime and improving new and installed XLA laser systems.
.eur improve uniformity during thin-film process uniformity. GLX is designed to increase scanner
oasiasemiconductor
deposition/removal, sputtering and etch. output and availability by extending the
The AGS improves die yield and The company claims customer reports of time between excimer laser gas
significantly reduces staff and 400% improvements in PM turn around exchanges by a factor of 10.
equipment downtime required for times. At a leading technology centre
electrode gapping. up to 40% improvement in CVD film Memory device makers have particularly
uniformity was achieved using AGS. At high system utilisation and require high
.com
The AGS comes in a wafer-like form one of the world’s largest levels of system uptime and availability.
factor and travels through process semiconductor manufacturers film Laser gas exchanges typically occur two
equipment just like a semiconductor uniformity was improved 36% after to three times each week (or every
square4
Issue IV 2009
wafer. Once inside, it uses three non- implementing the AGS to measure and 100M pulses), with each exchange
contact distance sensors to measure adjust critical showerhead gaps! lasting approximately 20 minutes.
real-time gaps between showerheads Scanner downtime from frequent gas
and pedestals. The AGS represents an innovation in exchanges is reduced - with a GLX-
semiconductor manufacturing that gives enabled laser - by a factor of 10.
The vacuum-compatible device then process engineers a new way to
transmits the measurements wirelessly precisely and efficiently set, adjust and A 4kHz scanner system will typically see
via a Bluetooth connection to a check gaps between showerheads and increases from 2600 to 7800 wafer
computer displaying the GUI of its pedestals to establish parallelism that’s passes, and a 6kHz scanner system from
companion software. Engineers review essential for optimal wafer processing. 2400 to 7500 wafer passes annually.
the AGS measurements and graphical Internally, we don’t believe that there’s a Similar performance improvement is
display to make precise real-time device or methodology that competes realized by logic- and foundry-based
adjustments to equipment and optimize with or compares to the AGS and the systems, according to the company.
their chamber processes. AGS is displacing other methods of
Process engineers use the AGS’ precise measuring showerhead gaps. GLX is an upgrade package consisting
real-time showerhead gap of both software and hardware to
measurements to significantly improve The AGS, with its wireless, capacitive- support increased intervals between gas
process uniformity, as well as reduce — sensing design, is able to obtain real- exchanges for lithography laser systems.
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