Advanced Process Monitoring for Tantalum Nitride Resistors

This paper presents a technical report on the optimization of an advanced process monitoring scheme that incorporates fault detection and classification (FDC) capabilities for the development of Tantalum Nitride thin film resistors (TaN TFR). The implementation of this monitoring scheme in a high-volume manufacturing environment has led to significant improvements, including a reduction in misprocessed wafers, shorter equipment downtime, and enhanced process visibility. The report details how a short loop sampling plan has reduced the turnaround time for early electrical characterization, allowing for timely inline adjustments to improve statistical process control (SPC) over TaN resistor values. The authors discuss the inherent challenges in the TaN reactive sputtering process and the importance of real-time data analysis to enhance quality and control. Additionally, the paper outlines the methodologies used to monitor process parameters and the benefits of utilizing FDC to minimize equipment downtime and improve the overall manufacturability of TaN TFR.