Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080261335 | ENDPOINT DETECTION FOR PHOTOMASK ETCHING - Apparatus and method for endpoint detection are provided for photomask etching. The apparatus provides a plasma etch chamber with a substrate support member. The substrate support member has at least two optical components disposed therein for use in endpoint detection. Enhanced process monitoring for photomask etching are achieved by the use of various optical measurement techniques for monitoring at different locations of the photomask. | 10-23-2008 |
20080272089 | Monitoring etching of a substrate in an etch chamber - A substrate etching apparatus comprises a chamber having a wall with a window, substrate support pedestal, energy source, and monitoring assembly with signal sensor capable of detecting reflected radiation from the substrate from directly above the substrate after the radiation propagates through the window in the wall. An etching method comprises the steps of: providing a substrate in a chamber, etching a channel or trench in the substrate by coupling energy through the wall of the chamber to energize an etch gas in the chamber, detecting radiation reflected from the substrate from directly above the substrate after the radiation propagates through the wall and evaluating the detected radiation to monitor the depth of etching of the channel or trench being etched on the substrate. | 11-06-2008 |
20090014409 | ENDPOINT DETECTION FOR PHOTOMASK ETCHING - Apparatus and method for endpoint detection are provided for photomask etching. The apparatus provides a plasma etch chamber with a substrate support member. The substrate support member has at least two optical components disposed therein for use in endpoint detection. Enhanced process monitoring for photomask etching are achieved by the use of various optical measurement techniques for monitoring at different locations of the photomask. | 01-15-2009 |
20090325387 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR IN-SITU CHAMBER DRY CLEAN DURING PHOTOMASK PLASMA ETCHING - Embodiments of the invention include method for in-situ chamber dry clean after photomask plasma etching. In one embodiment, the method includes placing a photomask upon a support pedestal, introducing a process gas into a process chamber, forming a plasma from the process gas, etching a chromium containing layer disposed on the photomask in the presence of the plasma, removing the photomask from the support pedestal, placing a dummy substrate on the pedestal and performing an in-situ dry cleaning process by flowing a cleaning gas containing O | 12-31-2009 |
20130048606 | METHODS FOR IN-SITU CHAMBER DRY CLEAN IN PHOTOMASK PLASMA ETCHING PROCESSING CHAMBER - Embodiments of the invention include methods for in-situ chamber dry cleaning a plasma processing chamber utilized for photomask plasma fabrication process. In one embodiment, a method for in-situ chamber dry clean after photomask plasma etching includes performing an in-situ pre-cleaning process in a plasma processing chamber, supplying a pre-cleaning gas mixture including at least an oxygen containing gas into the plasma processing chamber while performing the in-situ pre-cleaning process, providing a substrate into the plasma processing chamber, performing an etching process on the substrate, removing the substrate from the substrate, and performing an in-situ post cleaning process by flowing a post cleaning gas mixture including at least an oxygen containing gas into the plasma processing chamber. | 02-28-2013 |
20130130409 | ETCH RATE DETECTION FOR REFLECTIVE MULTI-MATERIAL LAYERS ETCHING - A method and apparatus for etching a photomask substrate with enhanced process monitoring, for example, by providing for optical monitoring at different regions of the photomask to obtain desired etch rate or thickness loss is provided. In one embodiment, the method includes performing an etching process on a reflective multi-material layer that includes at least one molybdenum layer and one silicon layer through a patterned mask, directing radiation having a wavelength from about 170 nm and about 800 nm to an area of the multi-material layer uncovered by the patterned mask, collecting an optical signal reflected from the area uncovered by the patterned mask, analyzing a waveform obtained from the reflected optical signal, and determining a first endpoint of the etching process when an intensity of the reflected optical signal is between about 60 percent and about 90 percent less than an initial reflected optical signal. | 05-23-2013 |
20130157388 | ETCH RATE DETECTION FOR ANTI-REFLECTIVE COATING LAYER AND ABSORBER LAYER ETCHING - A method and apparatus for etching a photomask substrate with enhanced process monitoring is provided. In one embodiment, a method of determining an etching endpoint includes performing an etching process on a first tantalum containing layer through a patterned mask layer, directing a radiation source having a first wavelength from about 200 nm and about 800 nm to an area uncovered by the patterned mask layer, collecting an optical signal reflected from the area covered by the patterned mask layer, analyzing a waveform obtained the reflected optical signal reflected from the substrate from a first time point to a second time point, and determining a first endpoint of the etching process when a slope of the waveform is changed about 5 percent from the first time point to the second time point. | 06-20-2013 |
20140038091 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR ETCHING QUARTZ SUBSTRATE IN PHOTOMASK MANUFACTURING APPLICATIONS - The present invention provides methods for etching a quartz substrate using a second level photoresist layer disposed thereon as an etching mask. In one embodiment, a method of etching a quartz substrate for forming a photomask includes providing a quartz substrate having a metal containing layer disposed thereon in an etch chamber, applying a first photoresist layer on a substrate, patterning the first photoresist layer to remove a first region of the metal containing layer to expose a first portion of the quartz substrate while remaining a second region of the metal containing layer on the quartz substrate, removing the remaining first photoresist layer on the quartz substrate, applying a second photoresist layer on the exposed quartz substrate and the second region of the metal containing layer, patterning the second photoresist layer to form openings in the second photoresist layer exposing the underlying quartz substrate, and etching the quartz substrate defined by the patterned second photoresist layer. | 02-06-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100224321 | INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA REACTOR HAVING RF PHASE CONTROL AND METHODS OF USE THEREOF - Embodiments of the present invention generally provide an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) reactor having a substrate RF bias that is capable of control of the RF phase difference between the ICP source (a first RF source) and the substrate bias (a second RF source) for plasma processing reactors used in the semiconductor industry. Control of the RF phase difference provides a powerful knob for fine process tuning. For example, control of the RF phase difference may be used to control one or more of average etch rate, etch rate uniformity, etch rate skew, critical dimension (CD) uniformity, and CD skew, CD range, self DC bias control, and chamber matching. | 09-09-2010 |
20100276391 | INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA REACTOR HAVING RF PHASE CONTROL AND METHODS OF USE THEREOF - Methods of operating inductively coupled plasma (ICP) reactors having ICP sources and substrate bias with phase control are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of operating a first plasma reactor having a source RF generator inductively coupled to the first plasma reactor on one side of a substrate support surface of a substrate support within the first plasma reactor and a bias RF generator coupled to the substrate support on an opposing side of the substrate support surface, wherein the source RF generator and the bias RF generator provide respective RF signals at a common frequency may include selecting a desired value of a process parameter for a substrate to be processed; and adjusting the phase between respective RF signals provided by the source RF generator and the bias RF generator to a desired phase based upon a predetermined relationship between the process parameter and the phase. | 11-04-2010 |
20120090784 | CHAMBER LID HEATER RING ASSEMBLY - Embodiments of the invention generally provide a lid heater for a plasma processing chamber. In one embodiment, a lid heater assembly is provided that includes a thermally conductive base. The thermally conductive base has a planar ring shape defining an inner opening. The lid heater assembly further includes a heating element disposed on the thermally conductive base, and an insulated center core disposed across the inner opening of the thermally conductive base. | 04-19-2012 |
20120103936 | METHODS FOR REDUCING PHOTORESIST INTERFERENCE WHEN MONITORING A TARGET LAYER IN A PLASMA PROCESS - A method and apparatus for monitoring a target layer in a plasma process having a photoresist layer is provided. The method is useful in removing noise associated with the photoresist layer, and is particularly useful when signals associated with the target layer is weak, such as when detecting an endpoint for a photomask etching process. | 05-03-2012 |
20130109112 | ETCH RATE DETECTION FOR PHOTOMASK ETCHING | 05-02-2013 |