Patents by Inventor Holger Tuitje
Holger Tuitje has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11961721Abstract: An apparatus for in-situ etching monitoring in a plasma processing chamber includes a continuous wave broadband light source, an illumination system configured to illuminate an area on a substrate with an incident light beam being directed from the continuous wave broadband light source at normal incidence to the substrate, a collection system configured to collect a reflected light beam being reflected from the illuminated area on the substrate, and to direct the reflected light beam to a first light detector, and a controller. The controller is configured to determine a property of the substrate or structures formed thereupon based on a reference light beam and the reflected light beam, and control an etch process based on the determined property. The reference light beam is generated by the illumination system by splitting a portion of the incident light beam and directed to a second light detector.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2021Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Ching Ling Meng, Holger Tuitje, Qiang Zhao, Hanyou Chu, Xinkang Tian
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Publication number: 20210193444Abstract: An apparatus for in-situ etching monitoring in a plasma processing chamber includes a continuous wave broadband light source, an illumination system configured to illuminate an area on a substrate with an incident light beam being directed from the continuous wave broadband light source at normal incidence to the substrate, a collection system configured to collect a reflected light beam being reflected from the illuminated area on the substrate, and to direct the reflected light beam to a first light detector, and a controller. The controller is configured to determine a property of the substrate or structures formed thereupon based on a reference light beam and the reflected light beam, and control an etch process based on the determined property. The reference light beam is generated by the illumination system by splitting a portion of the incident light beam and directed to a second light detector.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 10, 2021Publication date: June 24, 2021Applicant: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Ching Ling MENG, Holger TUITJE, Qiang ZHAO, Hanyou CHU, Xinkang TIAN
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Patent number: 10978278Abstract: An apparatus, a system, and a method for in-situ etching monitoring in a plasma processing chamber are provided. The apparatus includes a continuous wave broadband light source to generate incident light beam, an illumination system configured to illuminate an area on a substrate with an incident light beam being directed at normal incidence to the substrate, a collection system configured to collect a reflected light beam being reflected from the illuminated area on the substrate, and direct the reflected light beam to a detector, and processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to process the reflected light beam to suppress background light, determine a property of the substrate or structures formed thereupon based on reference light beam and the reflected light beam that are processed to suppress the background light, and control an etch process based on the determined property.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2018Date of Patent: April 13, 2021Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Ching Ling Meng, Holger Tuitje, Qiang Zhao, Hanyou Chu, Xinkang Tian
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Publication number: 20200043764Abstract: This disclosure relates to a high volume manufacturing system for processing and measuring workpieces in a semiconductor processing sequence without leaving the system's controlled environment (e.g., sub-atmospheric pressure). The systems process chambers are connected to each other via transfer chambers used to move the workpieces, in the controlled environment, between the process chambers. The transfer chambers include a measurement region with dedicated workpiece support chucks capable of translating and/or rotating the workpiece during the measurement.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 18, 2019Publication date: February 6, 2020Applicant: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Robert Clark, Eric Chih-Fang Liu, Angelique Raley, Holger Tuitje, Kevin Siefering
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Publication number: 20200043710Abstract: An apparatus, a system, and a method for in-situ etching monitoring in a plasma processing chamber are provided. The apparatus includes a continuous wave broadband light source to generate incident light beam, an illumination system configured to illuminate an area on a substrate with an incident light beam being directed at normal incidence to the substrate, a collection system configured to collect a reflected light beam being reflected from the illuminated area on the substrate, and direct the reflected light beam to a detector, and processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to process the reflected light beam to suppress background light, determine a property of the substrate or structures formed thereupon based on reference light beam and the reflected light beam that are processed to suppress the background light, and control an etch process based on the determined property.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2018Publication date: February 6, 2020Applicant: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Ching Ling Meng, Holger Tuitje, Qiang Zhao, Hanyou Chu, Xinkang Tian
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Publication number: 20200006100Abstract: This disclosure relates to a high volume manufacturing system for processing and measuring workpieces in a semiconductor processing sequence without leaving the system's controlled environment (e.g., sub-atmospheric pressure). The systems process chambers are connected to each other via transfer chambers used to move the workpieces, in the controlled environment, between the process chambers. Further, the pass-through chambers may be disposed between the transfer chambers or between the transfer chamber and the process chamber. The pass-through chambers may include a measurement region to measure workpiece attributes when the workpiece is moved through or placed in the pass-through chamber. The transfer chambers may also have separate measurement regions within their internal space to measure other attributes of the workpiece.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 18, 2019Publication date: January 2, 2020Applicant: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Robert Clark, Eric Chih-Fang Liu, Angelique Raley, Holger Tuitje, Kevin Siefering
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Patent number: 10473525Abstract: Disclosed is a method, system, and apparatus for optical emission measurement. The apparatus includes a collection system for collecting a plasma optical emission spectra through an optical window disposed at a wall of a plasma processing chamber. The optical system includes a mirror configured to scan a plurality of non-coincident rays across the plasma processing chamber; and a telecentric coupler for collecting an optical signal from a plasma and directing the optical signal to a spectrometer for measuring the plasma optical emission spectra.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2017Date of Patent: November 12, 2019Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Ching-Ling Meng, Holger Tuitje, Yan Chen, Mihail Mihaylov
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Publication number: 20180286643Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method for in-situ etching monitoring in a plasma processing chamber. The apparatus includes a continuous wave broadband light source; an illumination system configured to illuminate an area on a substrate with an incident light beam having a fixed polarization direction, the incident light beam from the broadband light source being modulated by a shutter; a collection system configured to collect a reflected light beam being reflected from the illuminated area on the substrate, and direct the reflected light beam to a detector; and processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to process the reflected light beam to suppress background light, determine a property value from the processed light, and control an etch process based on the determined property value.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 29, 2017Publication date: October 4, 2018Applicant: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Holger TUITJE, Xinkang Tian, Ching-Ling Meng, Vi Vuong, Wen Jin, Zheng Yan, Mihail Mihaylov
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Patent number: 9970818Abstract: Disclosed is a method, computer method, system, and apparatus for measuring two-dimensional distributions of optical emissions from a plasma in a semiconductor plasma processing chamber. The acquired two-dimensional distributions of plasma optical emissions can be used to infer the two-dimensional distributions of concentrations of certain chemical species of interest that are present in the plasma, and thus provide a useful tool for process development and also for new and improved processing tool development. The disclosed technique is computationally simple and inexpensive, and involves the use of an expansion of the assumed optical intensity distribution into a sum of basis functions that allow for circumferential variation of optical intensity. An example of suitable basis functions are Zernike polynomials.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2014Date of Patent: May 15, 2018Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Junwei Bao, Ching-Ling Meng, Holger Tuitje, Mihail Mihaylov, Yan Chen, Zheng Yan, Haixing Zou, Hanyou Chu
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Patent number: 9846088Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for measuring semiconductor substrate temperature using a differential acoustic time of flight measurement technique. The measurement is based on measuring the time of flight of acoustic (ultrasonic) waves across the substrate, and calculating a substrate temperature from the measured time of flight and the known temperature dependence of the speed of sound for the substrate material. The differential acoustic time of flight method eliminates most sources of interference and error, for example due to varying coupling between an ultrasonic transducer and the substrate. To further increase the accuracy of the differential acoustic time of flight measurement, a correlation waveform processing algorithm is utilized to obtain a differential acoustic time of flight measurement from two measured ultrasonic waveforms. To facilitate signal recognition and processing, a symmetric Lamb mode may be used as mode of excitation of the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2014Date of Patent: December 19, 2017Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Jun Pei, Junwei Bao, Holger Tuitje, Ching-Ling Meng, Mihail D. Mihaylov
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Publication number: 20170314991Abstract: Disclosed is a method, system, and apparatus for optical emission measurement. The apparatus includes a collection system for collecting a plasma optical emission spectra through an optical window disposed at a wall of a plasma processing chamber. The optical system includes a mirror configured to scan a plurality of non-coincident rays across the plasma processing chamber; and a telecentric coupler for collecting an optical signal from a plasma and directing the optical signal to a spectrometer for measuring the plasma optical emission spectra.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 12, 2017Publication date: November 2, 2017Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Ching-Ling MENG, Holger TUITJE, Yan CHEN, Mihail MIHAYLOV
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Patent number: 9059038Abstract: Disclosed is an in-situ optical monitor (ISOM) system and associated method for controlling plasma etching processes during the forming of stepped structures in semiconductor manufacturing. The in-situ optical monitor (ISOM) can be optionally configured for coupling to a surface-wave plasma source (SWP), for example a radial line slotted antenna (RLSA) plasma source. A method is described to correlate the lateral recess of the steps and the etched thickness of a photoresist layer for use with the in-situ optical monitor (ISOM) during control of plasma etching processes in the forming of stepped structures.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2013Date of Patent: June 16, 2015Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Shifang Li, Junwei Bao, Hanyou Chu, Wen Jin, Ching-Ling Meng, Weiwen Xu, Ping Wang, Holger Tuitje, Mihail Mihaylov, Xinkang Tian
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Publication number: 20150124250Abstract: Disclosed is a method, computer method, system, and apparatus for measuring two-dimensional distributions of optical emissions from a plasma in a semiconductor plasma processing chamber. The acquired two-dimensional distributions of plasma optical emissions can be used to infer the two-dimensional distributions of concentrations of certain chemical species of interest that are present in the plasma, and thus provide a useful tool for process development and also for new and improved processing tool development. The disclosed technique is computationally simple and inexpensive, and involves the use of an expansion of the assumed optical intensity distribution into a sum of basis functions that allow for circumferential variation of optical intensity. An example of suitable basis functions are Zernike polynomials.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2014Publication date: May 7, 2015Inventors: Junwei BAO, Ching-Ling MENG, Holger TUITJE, Mihail MIHAYLOV, Yan CHEN, Zheng YAN, Haixing ZOU, Hanyou CHU
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Publication number: 20150078416Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for measuring semiconductor substrate temperature using a differential acoustic time of flight measurement technique. The measurement is based on measuring the time of flight of acoustic (ultrasonic) waves across the substrate, and calculating a substrate temperature from the measured time of flight and the known temperature dependence of the speed of sound for the substrate material. The differential acoustic time of flight method eliminates most sources of interference and error, for example due to varying coupling between an ultrasonic transducer and the substrate. To further increase the accuracy of the differential acoustic time of flight measurement, a correlation waveform processing algorithm is utilized to obtain a differential acoustic time of flight measurement from two measured ultrasonic waveforms. To facilitate signal recognition and processing, a symmetric Lamb mode may be used as mode of excitation of the substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 18, 2014Publication date: March 19, 2015Inventors: Jun PEI, Junwei BAO, Holger TUITJE, Ching-Ling MENG, Mihail D. MIHAYLOV
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Publication number: 20140024143Abstract: Disclosed is an in-situ optical monitor (ISOM) system and associated method for controlling plasma etching processes during the forming of stepped structures in semiconductor manufacturing. The in-situ optical monitor (ISOM) can be optionally configured for coupling to a surface-wave plasma source (SWP), for example a radial line slotted antenna (RLSA) plasma source. A method is described to correlate the lateral recess of the steps and the etched thickness of a photoresist layer for use with the in-situ optical monitor (ISOM) during control of plasma etching processes in the forming of stepped structures.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 18, 2013Publication date: January 23, 2014Applicant: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Shifang LI, Junwei Bao, Hanyou Chu, Wen Jin, Ching-Ling Meng, Weiwen Xu, Ping Wang, Holger Tuitje, Mihail Mihaylov, Xinkang Tian
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Patent number: 8107073Abstract: A zoned order sorting filter for a spectrometer in a semiconductor metrology system is disclosed with reduced light dispersion at the zone joints. The order sorting filter comprises optically-transparent layers deposited underneath, or on top of thin-film filter stacks of the order sorting filter zones, wherein the thicknesses of the optically-transparent layers are adjusted such that the total optical lengths traversed by light at a zone joint are substantially equal in zones adjacent the zone joint. A method for wavelength to detector array pixel location calibration of spectrometers is also disclosed, capable of accurately representing the highly localized nonlinearities of the calibration curve in the vicinity of zone joints of an order sorting filter.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2009Date of Patent: January 31, 2012Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Adam Norton, Holger Tuitje, Fred Stanke
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Patent number: 7924422Abstract: A zoned order sorting filter for a spectrometer in a semiconductor metrology system is disclosed with reduced light dispersion at the zone joints. The order sorting filter comprises optically-transparent layers deposited underneath, or on top of thin-film filter stacks of the order sorting filter zones, wherein the thicknesses of the optically-transparent layers are adjusted such that the total optical lengths traversed by light at a zone joint are substantially equal in zones adjacent the zone joint. A method for wavelength to detector array pixel location calibration of spectrometers is also disclosed, capable of accurately representing the highly localized nonlinearities of the calibration curve in the vicinity of zone joints of an order sorting filter.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2009Date of Patent: April 12, 2011Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Fred Stanke, Adam Norton, Holger Tuitje
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Publication number: 20100202055Abstract: A zoned order sorting filter for a spectrometer in a semiconductor metrology system is disclosed with reduced light dispersion at the zone joints. The order sorting filter comprises optically-transparent layers deposited underneath, or on top of thin-film filter stacks of the order sorting filter zones, wherein the thicknesses of the optically-transparent layers are adjusted such that the total optical lengths traversed by light at a zone joint are substantially equal in zones adjacent the zone joint. A method for wavelength to detector array pixel location calibration of spectrometers is also disclosed, capable of accurately representing the highly localized nonlinearities of the calibration curve in the vicinity of zone joints of an order sorting filter.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 12, 2009Publication date: August 12, 2010Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Adam NORTON, Holger Tuitje, Fred Stanke
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Publication number: 20100201981Abstract: A zoned order sorting filter for a spectrometer in a semiconductor metrology system is disclosed with reduced light dispersion at the zone joints. The order sorting filter comprises optically-transparent layers deposited underneath, or on top of thin-film filter stacks of the order sorting filter zones, wherein the thicknesses of the optically-transparent layers are adjusted such that the total optical lengths traversed by light at a zone joint are substantially equal in zones adjacent the zone joint. A method for wavelength to detector array pixel location calibration of spectrometers is also disclosed, capable of accurately representing the highly localized nonlinearities of the calibration curve in the vicinity of zone joints of an order sorting filter.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 12, 2009Publication date: August 12, 2010Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Fred STANKE, Adam Norton, Holger Tuitje
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Patent number: 7505148Abstract: Optical metrology tools are matched by obtaining a first set of measured diffraction signals, which was measured using a first optical metrology tool, and a second set of measured diffraction signals, which was measured using a second optical metrology tool. A first spectra-shift offset is generated based on the difference between the first set of measured diffraction signals and the second set of measured diffraction signals. A first noise weighting function for the first optical metrology tool is generated based on measured diffraction signals measured using the first optical metrology tool. A first measured diffraction signal measured using the first optical metrology tool is obtained. A first adjusted diffraction signal is generated by adjusting the first measured diffraction signal using the first spectra-shift offset and the first noise weighting function.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2006Date of Patent: March 17, 2009Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Vi Vuong, Yan Chen, Holger Tuitje