A cost-effective alternative to moisture monitoring in epitaxial silicon processing

In-line process characterization is an important part of any semiconductor manufacturing operation. In today's manufacturing environment, process and equipment engineers are often challenged to find cost-effective alternatives to expensive contamination monitoring equipment. In the epitaxial silicon manufacturing process, the periodic monitoring of the oxide etch rate has shown to reveal the presence of atmosphere that would otherwise have required a sophisticated monitoring system. The early indication of atmospheric encroachment through oxide etch rate monitoring has allowed intervention and repair prior to scrap or yield impacting events.