Marcus Klein, SURAGUS GmbH, Dresden, Germany
Process control and monitoring strategies in industrial manufacturing rely on the information generated by a variety of physical sensor techniques. One such metrology is based on eddy current technology, which enables non-contact, high-speed measurement with well-proven reliability. Parameters such as sheet resistance, resistivity, layer thickness, anisotropy etc. provide valuable insight for thin film coatings. Instantaneous data and statistical analysis of the process behavior is often desired in vacuum conditions to increase the through-put and machine uptime, and hence utilizing cost-sensitive resources wisely already at the very early wafer manufacturing stages.
However, it can be challenging for vacuum coating line developers and process engineers to select technologies for near-process integration. On one hand that’s due to the limited space for mounting in-vacuo setups and the required compatibility for high-vacuum conditions. On the other hand, the commonly applied layer deposition methods and layer treatment steps involve surfaces of high temperature affecting the sensor hardware or stability in a negative way.
In this context the paper explores the capabilities of non-contact, non-destructive eddy current metrology for material characterization in challenging environments. The talk suggests solutions for finding the most cost- and performance-effective measurement setups for R2R inline web coatings and vacuum cluster tools for wafer metallization. Most suitable positions associated with the vacuum handling workflow have been identified which provide a clever way for either retrofitting existing cluster tools at the interconnection position in between transfer and deposition chambers, or alternatively attaching a dedicated metrology chamber module (MCM).