IP Library Granted Patent US 12,518,989
Granted Patent B2
US 12,518,989 · App. 17/483,085 · Granted Jan 6, 2026

In-situ calibration/optimization of emissivity settings in vacuum for temperature measurement

Inventors: Tuck Foong Koh (Singapore, SG); Ananthkrishna Jupudi (Singapore, SG); Prashant Agarwal (Singapore, SG)
Assignee: Applied Materials Inc.
H01L21/67248H01J37/32522H01L22/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,518,989
App. No.
17/483,085
Granted
Jan 6, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate are provided herein. For example, a method for processing a substrate comprises performing a first vacuum processing procedure on a substrate, obtaining temperature measurements of the substrate from a vacuum thermocouple, obtaining temperature measurements of the substrate from a non-contact infrared sensor, calibrating the non-contact infrared sensor based on the temperature measurements from the vacuum thermocouple and the temperature measurements from the non-contact infrared sensor, and performing a second vacuum processing procedure on the substrate using the calibrated non-contact infrared sensor.

Claims (33)

1 . A method for processing a substrate, comprising:

performing a first vacuum processing procedure on a substrate;

obtaining temperature measurements of the substrate from a vacuum thermocouple while also obtaining temperature measurements of the substrate from a non-contact infrared sensor;

calibrating the non-contact infrared sensor based on the temperature measurements from the vacuum thermocouple and the temperature measurements from the non-contact infrared sensor obtained during the first vacuum processing procedure on a substrate; and

performing a second vacuum processing procedure on the substrate using the calibrated non-contact infrared sensor to obtain temperature measurements, wherein calibrating the non-contact infrared sensor comprises monitoring the temperature measurements from the vacuum thermocouple and the temperature measurements from the non-contact infrared sensor until the temperature measurements from the vacuum thermocouple and the temperature measurements from the non-contact infrared sensor are equal to each other for a predetermined amount of time.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined amount of time is 1600 seconds to 1650 seconds.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the second vacuum processing procedure uses only the calibrated non-contact infrared sensor.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the temperature measurements from the vacuum thermocouple are 20° C. to 180° C. and the temperature measurements from the non-contact infrared sensor are 90° C. to 180° C.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is one of an epoxy substrate, a glass substrate, or a silicon substrate.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-contact infrared sensor is disposed on a floor of a vacuum processing chamber adjacent to a substrate support and the vacuum thermocouple is disposed on the substrate support adjacent to the substrate.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a spring mechanism is disposed beneath the vacuum thermocouple and is configured to apply an upward pressure to the vacuum thermocouple to facilitate obtaining the temperature measurements from the vacuum thermocouple.

8 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions that when executed by a processor perform a method for processing a substrate comprising:

performing a first vacuum processing procedure on a substrate;

obtaining temperature measurements from a vacuum thermocouple while also obtaining temperature measurements from a non-contact infrared sensor;

calibrating the non-contact infrared sensor based on the temperature measurements from the vacuum thermocouple and the temperature measurements from the non-contact infrared sensor obtained during the first vacuum processing procedure on a substrate; and

performing a second vacuum processing procedure on the substrate using the calibrated non-contact infrared sensor to obtain temperature measurements, wherein calibrating the non-contact infrared sensor comprises monitoring the temperature measurements from the vacuum thermocouple and the temperature measurements from the non-contact infrared sensor until the temperature measurements from the vacuum thermocouple and the temperature measurements from the non-contact infrared sensor are equal to each other for a predetermined amount of time.

9 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the predetermined amount of time is 1600 seconds to 1650 seconds.

10 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein performing the second vacuum processing procedure uses only the calibrated non-contact infrared sensor.

11 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the temperature measurements from the vacuum thermocouple are 20° C. to 180° C. and the temperature measurements from the non-contact infrared sensor are 90° C. to 180° C.

12 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the substrate is one of an epoxy substrate, a glass substrate, or a silicon substrate.

13 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the non-contact infrared sensor is disposed on a floor of a vacuum processing chamber adjacent to a substrate support and the vacuum thermocouple is disposed on the substrate support adjacent to the substrate.

14 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein a spring mechanism is disposed beneath the vacuum thermocouple and is configured to apply an upward pressure to the vacuum thermocouple to facilitate obtaining the temperature measurements from the vacuum thermocouple.

15 . A vacuum processing chamber, comprising:

a substrate support disposed in an inner volume of the vacuum processing chamber and configured to support a substrate during processing;

a gas supply that is configured to supply a process gas to the inner volume;

a vacuum thermocouple that is configured to obtain temperature measurements of the substrate during a first vacuum processing procedure;

a non-contact infrared sensor that is configured to obtain temperature measurements of the substrate during the first vacuum processing procedure; and

a controller that is configured to perform a first vacuum processing procedure on a substrate;

obtain temperature measurements from a vacuum thermocouple while also obtaining temperature measurements from a non-contact infrared sensor;

calibrate the non-contact infrared sensor based on the temperature measurements from the vacuum thermocouple and the temperature measurements from the non-contact infrared sensor obtained during the first vacuum processing procedure on a substrate; and

perform a second vacuum processing procedure on the substrate using the calibrated non-contact infrared sensor to obtain temperature measurements, wherein calibrating the non-contact infrared sensor comprises monitoring the temperature measurements from the vacuum thermocouple and the temperature measurements from the non-contact infrared sensor until the temperature measurements from the vacuum thermocouple and the temperature measurements from the non-contact infrared sensor are equal to each other for a predetermined amount of time.

16 . The vacuum processing chamber of claim 15 , wherein the predetermined amount of time is 1600 seconds to 1650 seconds.

17 . The vacuum processing chamber of claim 15 , wherein the second vacuum processing procedure uses only the calibrated non-contact infrared sensor.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 13, 2022
From: APPLIED MATERIALS SINGAPORE TECHNOLOGY PTE. LTD.
To: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
Reel/Frame 058645/0659 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 3, 2021
From: KOH, TUCK FOONG; JUPUDI, ANANTHKRISHNA; AGARWAL, PRASHANT
To: APPLIED MATERIALS SINGAPORE TECHNOLOGY PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 057680/0359 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230086151A1 · Mar 23, 2023
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