System and method for matching silicon oxide thickness between similar process tools
The present invention is one or more implementations is a method of fabricating a semiconductor for improved oxide thickness control, defining a process tool, determining and evaluating performance variables, determining a performance impact factor and thereafter modifying control of the process tool in the fabrication process to operate in direct relation to the determined results of the present invention. The present invention sets forth definitive advantages in reducing engineering time, improving process controls and improving cycle-times.
1. A method of fabricating a semiconductor device using a process tool in a process for improved consistency control between multiple, similar process tools, in oxide thickness formation, the method comprising:
defining one or more performance factors of the multiple, similar process tools directly associated with oxide thickness formation in the process,
conducting one or more experiments to determine at least one key performance factor from the one or more performance factors, and
modifying the multiple, similar process tools to operate in relation to the at least one key performance factor.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the process is a semiconductor wafer fabrication involving an oxidation of silicon process and further comprising multiple, similar process tools.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the at least one key performance factor comprise one or more of physical structure, oxide thickness, uniformity, and growth rate due to temperature and/or pressure during a deposition process.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the one or more experiments includes using a recipe.
5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the process is one of a stability control system, a low-pressure chemical vapor deposition or plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition system.
6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the one or more experiments yields at least one key performance factor that is a function of one or more of: pressure, temperature, gas flow, exhaust, temperature ramp, a factor associated therewith, or a combination of one or more thereof.
7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising at least one process tool controller in communication with the multiple, similar process tools.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the at least one process tool controller is programmable to modify the multiple, similar process tools operations in response to the at least one key performance factor.