IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,189,533
Granted Patent B2
US 11,189,533 · App. 16/390,345 · Granted Nov 30, 2021

Wafer quality inspection method and apparatus, and semiconductor device manufacturing method including the wafer quality inspection method

Inventors: Jong-Hyun Choi (Suwon-si, KR); Seok-Bae Moon (Hwaseong-si, KR); Jae-Hyuk Choi (Seoul, KR); Won-Ki Park (Seoul, KR); Jong-Hwi Seo (Suwon-si, KR)
Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
H01L22/12H01J37/3171H01L22/20H01J2237/24507H01J2237/24592H01L21/265
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,189,533
App. No.
16/390,345
Granted
Nov 30, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of inspecting a wafer quality includes injecting ions into a wafer using an ion beam in an ion implantation process, collecting data about the ion beam by using a Faraday cup, extracting first data from the data about the ion beam, extracting a wafer section from the first data, calculating a feature value of a wafer from the wafer section, and evaluating a quality of the wafer by comparing the feature value with a predetermined threshold or range.

Claims (27)

1. A method of inspecting a wafer quality, the method comprising:

injecting ions into a wafer using an ion beam in an ion implantation process;

collecting data about the ion beam by using a Faraday cup;

extracting first data from the data about the ion beam, the first data including at least data collected in real-time about a scan mode in which ions are actually injected into the wafer, wherein extracting of the first data comprises:

removing second data from the data about the ion beam, wherein the second data is different from the first data and unnecessary in determining the wafer quality; and

performing a preprocess of extracting an outline of the first data of the data about the ion beam after removing the second data;

extracting a wafer section from the first data;

calculating a feature value of the wafer from the wafer section; and

evaluating a quality of the wafer by comparing the feature value with a predetermined threshold or range.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the extracting of the wafer section comprises:

extracting block sections from the first data; and

extracting the wafer section from among the block sections.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the wafer section corresponds to a section regarding one wafer, and

the feature value comprises at least one of an ion beam intensity, a block width of the wafer section, a total ion beam intensity of the wafer section, a uniformity of a top line of a block, a level of a base line of the block, a number of scanning times in the block, or a total ion beam intensity per unit time.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein, in the evaluating of the quality of the wafer, the quality of the wafer is evaluated by using a dispersity, a threshold, or a normal range of the feature value.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising configuring a database (DB) regarding the feature value, after calculating the feature value.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein, in the evaluating of the quality of the wafer, the quality of the wafer is evaluated by using a deep learning method or a machine learning method based on the DB.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein, in the evaluating of the quality of the wafer, the quality of the wafer is determined as abnormal by comparing the feature value with the predetermined threshold or range, and

a diagnosis of a state of the ion beam and diagnosis of a state of equipment of the ion implantation process are further performed, wherein when a number of wafers determined as abnormal exceeds a predetermined minimum, the ion beam or the state of equipment are diagnosed as defective.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the state of the equipment is diagnosed by analyzing a dispersity of a plurality of feature values of a plurality of wafers calculated after the ion implantation process using the equipment.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing feedback, to a user, including at least one of information about the quality of the wafer, information about a state of the ion beam, and information about a state of the equipment of the ion implantation process, after evaluating the quality of the wafer.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data about the ion beam includes data of an interruption mode or a park mode in which the ion implantation process is temporarily interrupted.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data about the ion beam includes data about noise.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second data is data extracted when the ion implantation process is suspended.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second data is data where a period of time when ions are injected in the ion implantation process is less than a predetermined threshold.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second data is data where an intensity of the ion beam is greater than a predetermined threshold.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the Faraday cup is arranged within a width of the ion beam being projected into the wafer.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 22, 2019
From: CHOI, JONG-HYUN; MOON, SEOK-BAE; CHOI, JAE-HYUK; PARK, WON-KI; SEO, JONG-HWI
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 048955/0266 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2018-0109722 · Sep 13, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200091012A1 · Mar 19, 2020