Internal process control and automation for semiconductor manufacturing equipment

Increasing complexity of integrated circuits, shrinking geometries, and a larger number of critical processing steps require tighter tolerances of the process steps in semiconductor production. Therefore, we are investigating basic principles of in situ measurement techniques for internal process control and automation in semiconductor equipment. Results for two exemplary studies are given: (I) basic principles of an automated oxidation furnace where oxide thickness is monitored by an ellipsometer, and (II) application of a fast interferometric measurement tool for in situ control of resist thickness during spin coating.