Methods and systems for monitoring etch or deposition processes using image-based in-situ process monitoring techniques include illuminating a measurement area on a sample disposed in a process chamber. The measurement area is illuminated using an input beam generated remote from the process chamber and transmitted to a first viewing window of the process chamber by a first optical fiber. Portions of the first input beam reflected from the measurement area are transmitted from the first viewing window to an imaging sensor by a second optical fiber. A sequence of images is obtained at the imaging sensor, and a change in reflectance of pixels within each of the images is determined. The etch or deposition process is monitored based on the change in reflectance.

Semiconductor processing systems and methods are provided in which an amount or concentration of a chemical in a chemical mixture contained in a tank is automatically controlled based on a sensed properties of the chemical mixture. In some embodiments, a semiconductor processing system includes a processing tank that is configured to contain a chemical mixture. A chemical sensor is configured to sense one or more properties of the chemical mixture. The system further includes an electrically controllable valve that is configured to adjust an amount of the first chemical in the chemical mixture based on the sensed one or more properties of the chemical mixture.

A diagnostic disc includes a disc-shaped body having raised walls that encircle the interior of the disc-shaped body and at least one protrusion extending outwardly from the disc-shaped body. The raised walls of the disc-shaped body define a cavity of the disc-shaped body. A non-contact sensor is attached to each of the at least one protrusion. A printed circuit board (PCB) is positioned within the cavity formed on the disc-shaped body. A vacuum and high temperature tolerant power source is disposed on the PCB along with a wireless charger and circuitry that is coupled to each non-contact sensor and includes at least a wireless communication circuit and a memory. A cover is positioned over the cavity of the disc-shaped body and shields at least a portion of the PCB, circuitry, power source, and wireless charger within the cavity from an external environment.

Methods and systems for reducing substrate particle scratching using machine learning are provided. A machine learning model is trained to predict process recipe settings for a substrate temperature control process to be performed for a current substrate at a manufacturing system. First training data and second training data are generated for the machine learning model. The first training data includes historical data associated with prior process recipe settings for a prior substrate temperature control process performed for a prior substrate at a prior process chamber. The second training data is associated with a historical scratch profile of one or more surfaces of the prior substrate after performance of the prior substrate temperature control process according to the prior process recipe settings. The first training data and the second training data are provided to train the machine learning model to predict which process recipe settings for the substrate temperature control process to be performed for the current substrate correspond to a target scratch profile for one or more surfaces of the current substrate.

A substrate etching system includes a support to hold a wafer in a face-up orientation, a dispenser arm movable laterally across the wafer on the support, the dispenser arm supporting a delivery port to selectively dispense a liquid etchant onto a portion of a top face of the wafer, and a monitoring system comprising a probe movable laterally across the wafer on the support.

Embodiments disclosed herein include a method of calibrating a processing chamber. In an embodiment, the method comprises placing a sensor wafer onto a support surface in the processing chamber, wherein a process kit displaceable in the Z-direction is positioned around the support surface. In an embodiment, the method further comprises measuring a first gap distance between the sensor wafer and the process kit with a sensor on an edge surface of the sensor wafer. In an embodiment, the method further comprises displacing the process kit in the Z-direction. In an embodiment, the method further comprises measuring an additional gap distance between the sensor wafer and the process kit.

A control device configured to control a supply condition of a gas which is supplied between two substrates that are to be bonded to each other by a substrate bonding device, is configured to control the supply condition based on a measurement result obtained by a measurement in relation to at least one of the substrate, another substrate bonded before the substrate is bonded, or the substrate bonding device, and the two substrates are bonded to each other by a contact region expanding after the contact region is formed in a center.

The subject matter of this specification can be implemented in, among other things, a method, system, and/or device to receive current metrology data for an operation on a current sample in a fabrication process. The metrology data includes a current value for a parameter at each of one or more locations on the current sample. The method further includes determining a current rate of change of the parameter value for each of the one or more locations. The current rate of change is associated with the current sample. The method further includes identifying one or more violating locations each having an associated current rate of change of the parameter value that is greater than an associated reference rate of change of the parameter value, and identifying an instance of abnormality of the fabrication process based on the one or more violating locations.

In an embodiment, a method includes: immersing a wafer in a bath within a cleaning chamber; removing the wafer out of the bath through a solvent and into a gas within the cleaning chamber; determining a parameter value from the gas; and performing remediation within the cleaning chamber in response to determining that the parameter value is beyond a threshold value.

A cleaning method applied in semiconductor manufacturing is provided. The method includes: receiving a substrate having a surface; identifying a location of a particle on the surface of the substrate; moving a cleaning apparatus toward the location of the particle; performing a cleaning operation, thereby removing the particle by spraying a cleaning liquid from the cleaning apparatus flowing against gravity and toward the surface of the substrate; detecting the surface of the substrate; and performing a second cleaning operation when a cleaning result of the detection is not acceptable. A semiconductor manufacturing method and a system for cleaning a substrate are also provided.