System and method for detecting semiconductor processing error

1 . A method, comprising:

during a semiconductor fabrication process performed using a semiconductor processing device comprising a liquid distribution component configured to dispense a liquid flowing with an intact curtain profile, capturing first images of a view of a chamber of the semiconductor processing device;

determining first curtain profile classifications of the first images, wherein a curtain profile classification of the first curtain profile classifications indicates:

a first value indicating that an image exhibits the liquid flowing with the intact curtain profile; or

a second value indicating that the image does not exhibit the liquid flowing with the intact curtain profile;

determining a plurality of groups of images based upon an order of the first images and the first curtain profile classifications of the first images;

determining, based upon the plurality of groups, whether the semiconductor fabrication process is associated with a potential processing error, wherein determining whether the semiconductor fabrication process is associated with the potential processing error comprises:

filtering one or more groups from the plurality of groups to determine a filtered set of groups associated with the first value; and

comparing a quantity of groups of the filtered set of groups with a predefined quantity of groups; and

in response to determining that the semiconductor fabrication process is associated with the potential processing error, at least one of:

displaying an alert, indicative of the potential processing error, via a display; or

providing a signal indicative of the potential processing error.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the first curtain profile classifications comprises:

determining the first curtain profile classifications using a trained machine learning model.

3 . The method of claim 2 , comprising:

capturing a training image exhibiting flow of liquid with the intact curtain profile; and

training a machine learning model using the training image to generate the trained machine learning model.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

each group of the plurality of groups comprises contiguous images associated with curtain profile classifications that indicate the first value.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the semiconductor fabrication process is determined to not be associated with the potential processing error based upon the quantity of groups of the filtered set of groups matching the predefined quantity of groups.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the semiconductor fabrication process comprises a plurality of flow cycles, wherein each flow cycle of the plurality of flow cycles comprises:

a flow activation event in which the liquid distribution component starts dispensing the liquid; and

a flow deactivation event in which the liquid distribution component ceases dispensing the liquid; and

the predefined quantity of groups is equal to a quantity of flow cycles of the plurality of flow cycles.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the semiconductor fabrication process is determined to be associated with the potential processing error based upon the quantity of groups of the filtered set of groups not matching the predefined quantity of groups.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the liquid treats a wafer in the chamber.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the semiconductor fabrication process comprises a flow cycle comprising:

a flow activation event in which the liquid distribution component starts dispensing the liquid; and

a flow deactivation event in which the liquid distribution component ceases dispensing the liquid;

the plurality of groups comprise:

a first group of images captured in a first time period after the flow activation event and before the flow deactivation event, wherein each image of the first group of images is associated with the first value; and

a second group of images captured during a second time period after the first time period and before the flow deactivation event, wherein each image of the second group of images is associated with the first value; and

filtering the one or more groups from the plurality of groups to determine the filtered set of groups comprises filtering the second group of images such that the filtered set of groups does not include the second group of images.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein:

after the flow activation event and before the flow deactivation event, the semiconductor fabrication process comprises:

a first movement stage in which the liquid distribution component moves from a first position to a second position along a first path overlying a wafer in the chamber; and

a second movement stage in which the liquid distribution component moves from the second position to the first position along a second path overlying the wafer; and

the second group of images are captured during the second movement stage.

11 . A method, comprising:

during a photomask development process performed to develop a photomask on a wafer in a chamber of a semiconductor processing device comprising a liquid distribution component configured to dispense a developer liquid flowing with an intact curtain profile, capturing first images of a view of the chamber;

determining first curtain profile classifications of the first images, wherein each curtain profile classification of the first curtain profile classifications indicates:

a first value indicating that an image exhibits the developer liquid flowing with the intact curtain profile; or

a second value indicating that the image does not exhibit the developer liquid flowing with the intact curtain profile;

determining a plurality of groups of images based upon an order of the first images and the first curtain profile classifications of the first images;

determining, based upon the plurality of groups, whether the photomask development process is associated with a potential processing error, wherein determining whether the photomask development process is associated with the potential processing error comprises:

filtering one or more groups from the plurality of groups to determine a filtered set of groups associated with the first value; and

comparing a quantity of groups of the filtered set of groups with a predefined quantity of groups; and

in response to determining that the photomask development process is associated with the potential processing error, at least one of:

displaying an alert, indicative of the potential processing error, via a display; or

providing a signal indicative of the potential processing error.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein determining the first curtain profile classifications comprises:

determining the first curtain profile classifications using a trained machine learning model.

13 . The method of claim 12 , comprising:

capturing a training image exhibiting flow of liquid with the intact curtain profile; and

training a machine learning model using the training image to generate the trained machine learning model.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein:

each group of the plurality of groups comprises contiguous images associated with curtain profile classifications that indicate the first value.

15 . A method, comprising:

during a semiconductor fabrication process performed using a semiconductor processing device comprising a liquid distribution component configured to dispense a liquid flowing with an intact curtain profile, capturing first images of a view of a chamber of the semiconductor processing device;

determining, using a trained machine learning model, first curtain profile classifications of the first images, wherein a curtain profile classification of the first curtain profile classifications indicates:

a first value indicating that an image exhibits the liquid flowing with the intact curtain profile; or

a second value indicating that the image does not exhibit the liquid flowing with the intact curtain profile;

determining, based upon an order of the first images and the first curtain profile classifications of the first images, a plurality of groups of images associated with the first value, wherein each group of the plurality of groups comprises contiguous images associated with curtain profile classifications that indicate the first value;

determining, based upon the plurality of groups, whether the semiconductor fabrication process is associated with a potential processing error, wherein determining whether the semiconductor fabrication process is associated with the potential processing error comprises:

filtering one or more groups from the plurality of groups to determine a filtered set of groups associated with the first value; and

comparing a quantity of groups of the filtered set of groups with a predefined quantity of groups; and

in response to determining that the semiconductor fabrication process is associated with the potential processing error, at least one of:

displaying an alert, indicative of the potential processing error, via a display; or

providing a signal indicative of the potential processing error.

16 . The method of claim 15 , comprising:

capturing a training image exhibiting flow of liquid with the intact curtain profile; and

training a machine learning model using the training image to generate the trained machine learning model.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein:

the semiconductor fabrication process comprises a plurality of flow cycles, wherein each flow cycle of the plurality of flow cycles comprises:

a flow activation event in which the liquid distribution component starts dispensing the liquid; and

a flow deactivation event in which the liquid distribution component ceases dispensing the liquid; and

the predefined quantity of groups is equal to a quantity of flow cycles of the plurality of flow cycles.

18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein:

the semiconductor fabrication process is determined to be associated with the potential processing error based upon the quantity of groups of the filtered set of groups not matching the predefined quantity of groups.

19 . The method of claim 15 , wherein:

the semiconductor fabrication process is determined to not be associated with the potential processing error based upon the quantity of groups of the filtered set of groups matching the predefined quantity of groups.

20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein:

the semiconductor fabrication process comprises a flow cycle comprising:

a flow activation event in which the liquid distribution component starts dispensing the liquid; and

a flow deactivation event in which the liquid distribution component ceases dispensing the liquid;

the plurality of groups comprise:

a first group of images captured in a first time period after the flow activation event and before the flow deactivation event, wherein each image of the first group of images is associated with the first value; and

a second group of images captured during a second time period after the first time period and before the flow deactivation event, wherein each image of the second group of images is associated with the first value; and

filtering the one or more groups from the plurality of groups to determine the filtered set of groups comprises filtering the second group of images such that the filtered set of groups does not include the second group of images.