Scheme for bath chemistry measurement and control for improved semiconductor wet processing

Claim 1

A method for monitoring concentration levels of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) and a chemical specie, which is either an acid or a base, in a multi-component aqueous bath utilized in semiconductor processing, in order to provide automated feedback to control an amount of said H 2 O 2 and said chemical specie present in said bath comprising the steps of: sampling said bath to obtain a solution sample; mixing a set volume of said sample with a diluting agent in order to provide a diluted sample; performing a conductivity detection of said diluted sample to measure concentration of said chemical specie in said diluted sample; performing an amperometric detection of said diluted sample to measure concentration of said H 2 O 2 said diluted sample; analyzing concentration measurements of said diluted sample by use of a processor to determine if said H 2 O 2 and said chemical specie in said bath are within desired concentration levels; introducing additional H 2 O 2 , chemical specie, other compensating chemical or diluting agent into said bath under control of said processor to adjust said bath to within said desired concentration levels, if adjustment is needed; wherein said bath is monitored and automatically compensated by said processor to maintain said desired concentration levels of H 2 O 2 and chemical specie in said bath.

Claim 2

A method for monitoring concentration levels of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) and a chemical specie, which is either an acid or a base, in a multi-component aqueous bath utilized in semiconductor processing, in order to provide automated feedback to control an amount of said H 2 O 2 and said chemical specie present in said bath comprising the steps of: sampling said bath to obtain a solution sample; mixing a set volume of said sample with a diluting agent in order to provide a diluted sample; performing a conductivity detection of said diluted sample to measure concentration of said chemical specie in said diluted sample; performing an amperometric detection of said diluted sample to measure concentration of said H 2 O 2 said diluted sample; analyzing concentration measurements of said diluted sample by use of a processor to determine if said H 2 O 2 and said chemical specie in said bath are within desired concentration levels; introducing additional H 2 O 2 , chemical specie, other compensating chemical or diluting agent into said bath under control of said processor to adjust said bath to within said desired concentration levels, if adjustment is needed; wherein said bath is monitored and automatically compensated by said processor to maintain said desired concentration levels of H 2 O 2 and chemical specie in said bath.

Claim 4

A method for controlling concentration levels of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) and a chemical specie, which is either an acid or a base, in a multicomponent aqueous bath utilized in semiconductor processing, in order to provide automated feedback and control to adjust an amount of said H 2 O 2 and said chemical specie present in said bath comprising the steps of: sampling said bath to obtain a solution sample; injecting a set volume of said sample into a carrier stream of a diluting agent in order to mix said sample with said diluting agent to provide a diluted sample; measuring temperature of said diluted sample; performing a conductivity detection of said diluted sample to measure ionic conductivity of said diluted sample which is representative of concentration of said chemical specie in said diluted sample; performing an amperometric detection of said diluted sample to measure concentration of said H 2 O 2 in said diluted sample; analyzing concentration measurements and temperature of said diluted sample by use of a processor to determine if said concentration levels of said H 2 O 2 and said chemical specie are within set concentration levels for said bath; introducing additional H 2 O 2 , chemical specie, other compensating chemical or diluting agent into said bath under control of said processor to adjust said bath to within said set concentration levels, if adjustment is needed; wherein said bath is monitored and automatically compensated by said processor to maintain control of said desired concentration levels for said bath.

Claim 5

A method for controlling concentration levels of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) and a chemical specie, which is either an acid or a base, in a multicomponent aqueous bath utilized in semiconductor processing, in order to provide automated feedback and control to adjust an amount of said H 2 O 2 and said chemical specie present in said bath comprising the steps of: sampling said bath to obtain a solution sample; injecting a set volume of said sample into a carrier stream of a diluting agent in order to mix said sample with said diluting agent to provide a diluted sample; measuring temperature of said diluted sample; performing a conductivity detection of said diluted sample to measure ionic conductivity of said diluted sample which is representative of concentration of said chemical specie in said diluted sample; performing an amperometric detection of said diluted sample to measure concentration of said H 2 O 2 in said diluted sample; analyzing concentration measurements and temperature of said diluted sample by use of a processor to determine if said concentration levels of said H 2 O 2 and said chemical specie are within set concentration levels for said bath; introducing additional H 2 O 2 , chemical specie, other compensating chemical or diluting agent into said bath under control of said processor to adjust said bath to within said set concentration levels, if adjustment is needed; wherein said bath is monitored and automatically compensated by said processor to maintain control of said desired concentration levels for said bath.

Claim 7

An apparatus for monitoring concentration levels of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) and a chemical specie, which is either an acid or a base, present in a multi-component aqueous bath utilized in semiconductor processing, in order to provide automated feedback and control to adjust an amount of said H 2 O 2 and said chemical specie present in said bath comprising: a sampling device for obtaining a solution sample from said bath; an injector coupled to said sampling device for combining a set volume of said sample with a diluting agent in order to provide a diluted sample; a first detector coupled to receive said diluted sample and to perform a conductivity detection of said diluted sample to measure concentration of said chemical specie in said diluted sample; a second detector coupled to receive said diluted sample and to perform an amperometric detection of said diluted sample to measure concentration of H 2 O 2 in said diluted sample; a processor coupled to said first and second detectors for obtaining data pertaining to said concentration of said chemical specie and H 2 O 2 of said diluted sample, which are representative of concentration levels of said chemical specie and H 2 O 2 in said bath, processing said data to determine if said concentration of said chemical specie and H 2 O 2 are within set concentration levels for said bath, and introducing additional H 2 O 2 , chemical specie, other compensating chemical or diluting agent into said bath to adjust said bath to within said set concentration levels for said bath; wherein said bath is monitored and automatically compensated by said processor to maintain control of said set concentration levels of H 2 O 2 and said chemical specie.

Claim 8

An apparatus for monitoring concentration levels of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) and a chemical specie, which is either an acid or a base, present in a multi-component aqueous bath utilized in semiconductor processing, in order to provide automated feedback and control to adjust an amount of said H 2 O 2 and said chemical specie present in said bath comprising: a sampling device for obtaining a solution sample from said bath; an injector coupled to said sampling device for combining a set volume of said sample with a diluting agent in order to provide a diluted sample; a first detector coupled to receive said diluted sample and to perform a conductivity detection of said diluted sample to measure concentration of said chemical specie in said diluted sample; a second detector coupled to receive said diluted sample and to perform an amperometric detection of said diluted sample to measure concentration of H 2 O 2 in said diluted sample; a processor coupled to said first and second detectors for obtaining data pertaining to said concentration of said chemical specie and H 2 O 2 of said diluted sample, which are representative of concentration levels of said chemical specie and H 2 O 2 in said bath, processing said data to determine if said concentration of said chemical specie and H 2 O 2 are within set concentration levels for said bath, and introducing additional H 2 O 2 , chemical specie, other compensating chemical or diluting agent into said bath to adjust said bath to within said set concentration levels for said bath; wherein said bath is monitored and automatically compensated by said processor to maintain control of said set concentration levels of H 2 O 2 and said chemical specie.

Claim 11

An apparatus for monitoring concentration levels of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) and a chemical specie present in a multi-component aqueous bath utilized in semiconductor processing, in order to provide automated feedback and control to adjust an amount of said H 2 O 2 and said chemical specie present in said bath comprising: a sampling device for obtaining a sample of said solution from said bath and introducing said sample into a first flow path; injector means coupled to receive said sample from said first flow path and for injecting a set volume of said sample into a second flow path; a carrier stream coupled to said second flow path for diluting said set volume of said sample to provide a diluted sample; a temperature sensor coupled to said second flow path for measuring a temperature of said diluted sample; a conductivity detector coupled to said second flow path for receiving said diluted sample and for performing a conductivity detection of said diluted sample to measure concentration of said chemical specie in said diluted sample; an amperometric detector coupled to said second flow path for receiving said diluted sample and for performing an amperometric detection of said diluted sample to measure concentration of H 2 O 2 in said diluted sample; a processor coupled to said conductivity and amperometric detectors and said temperature sensor for obtaining data pertaining to said temperature and said concentration of said chemical specie and H 2 O 2 , processing said data to determine if said concentration of said chemical specie and H 2 O 2 is within set concentration levels, for said bath, and introducing additional H 2 O 2 , chemical specie, other compensating chemical or diluting agent into said bath to adjust said bath to within said set concentration levels for said bath; wherein said bath is monitored and automatically compensated by said processor to maintain control of said set concentration levels of H 2 O 2 and said chemical specie.

Claim 12

An apparatus for monitoring concentration levels of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) and a chemical specie present in a multi-component aqueous bath utilized in semiconductor processing, in order to provide automated feedback and control to adjust an amount of said H 2 O 2 and said chemical specie present in said bath comprising: a sampling device for obtaining a sample of said solution from said bath and introducing said sample into a first flow path; injector means coupled to receive said sample from said first flow path and for injecting a set volume of said sample into a second flow path; a carrier stream coupled to said second flow path for diluting said set volume of said sample to provide a diluted sample; a temperature sensor coupled to said second flow path for measuring a temperature of said diluted sample; a conductivity detector coupled to said second flow path for receiving said diluted sample and for performing a conductivity detection of said diluted sample to measure concentration of said chemical specie in said diluted sample; an amperometric detector coupled to said second flow path for receiving said diluted sample and for performing an amperometric detection of said diluted sample to measure concentration of H 2 O 2 in said diluted sample; a processor coupled to said conductivity and amperometric detectors and said temperature sensor for obtaining data pertaining to said temperature and said concentration of said chemical specie and H 2 O 2 , processing said data to determine if said concentration of said chemical specie and H 2 O 2 is within set concentration levels, for said bath, and introducing additional H 2 O 2 , chemical specie, other compensating chemical or diluting agent into said bath to adjust said bath to within said set concentration levels for said bath; wherein said bath is monitored and automatically compensated by said processor to maintain control of said set concentration levels of H 2 O 2 and said chemical specie.