Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090133836 | ADJUSTABLE HEIGHT PIF PROBE - A plasma probe assembly for use in a plasma processing chamber is provided. A semiconductor probe element with a probe surface at a first end of the semiconductor probe element is provided. An electrical connector is electrically connected to the semiconductor probe element. An electrically insulating sleeve surrounds at least part of the probe element. An adjustment device is connected to the semiconductor probe so that the probe surface is coplanar with an interior chamber surface of the plasma processing chamber. | 05-28-2009 |
20090277584 | APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING THE ENDPOINT OF A CLEANING OR CONDITIONING PROCESS IN A PLASMA PROCESSING SYSTEM - An apparatus for determining an endpoint of a process by measuring a thickness of a layer is provided. The layer is disposed on the surface by a prior process. The apparatus includes means for providing a sensor that is coplanar with the surface, wherein the sensor is configured to measure the thickness. The apparatus also includes means for exposing the plasma chamber to a plasma, wherein the thickness is changed by the exposing, and means for determining the thickness as a function of time. The apparatus further includes means for ascertaining a steady state condition in the thickness, the steady state condition being characterized by a substantially stable measurement of the thickness, a start of the steady state condition representing the endpoint. | 11-12-2009 |
20090322342 | METHODS FOR AUTOMATICALLY CHARACTERIZING A PLASMA - A method for automatically characterizing plasma during substrate processing is provided. The method includes collecting a set of process data, which includes at least data about current and voltage. The method also includes identifying a relevancy range for the set of process data, wherein the relevancy range includes a subset of the set of process data. The method further includes determining a set of seed values. The method yet also includes employing the relevancy range and the set of seed values to perform curve-fitting, wherein the curve-fitting enables the plasma to be automatically characterized. | 12-31-2009 |
20100007337 | PLASMA-FACING PROBE ARRANGEMENT INCLUDING VACUUM GAP FOR USE IN A PLASMA PROCESSING CHAMBER - An arrangement for measuring process parameters within a processing chamber is provided. The arrangement includes a probe arrangement disposed in an opening of an upper electrode. Probe arrangement includes a probe head, which includes a head portion and a flange portion. The arrangement also includes an o-ring disposed between the upper electrode and the flange portion. The arrangement further includes a spacer made of an electrically insulative material positioned between the head portion and the opening of the upper electrode to prevent the probe arrangement from touching the upper electrode. The spacer includes a disk portion configured for supporting an underside of the flange portion. The spacer also includes a hollow cylindrical portion configured to encircle the head portion. The spacer forms a right-angled path between the o-ring and an opening to the processing chamber to prevent direct line-of-sight path between the o-ring and the opening to the processing chamber. | 01-14-2010 |
20100007359 | PASSIVE CAPACITIVELY-COUPLED ELECTROSTATIC (CCE) PROBE ARRANGEMENT FOR DETECTING IN-SITU ARCING EVENTS IN A PLASMA PROCESSING CHAMBER - An arrangement for detecting in-situ arcing events within a processing chamber of a plasma processing system during substrate processing is provided. The arrangement includes a probe arrangement, which is disposed on a surface of the processing chamber and is configured to measure at least one plasma processing parameter. The probe arrangement includes a plasma-facing sensor and a measuring capacitor, wherein the plasma-facing sensor is coupled to a first plate of the measuring capacitor. The probe arrangement also includes a detection arrangement that is coupled to a second plate of the measuring capacitor, wherein the detection arrangement is configured for converting an induced current flowing through the measuring capacitor into a set of digital signals, which is processed to detect the in-situ arcing events. | 01-14-2010 |
20100007362 | RF-BIASED CAPACITIVELY-COUPLED ELECTROSTATIC (RFB-CCE) PROBE ARRANGEMENT FOR CHARACTERIZING A FILM IN A PLASMA PROCESSING CHAMBER - A method for characterizing deposited film on a substrate within a processing chamber during processing is provided. The method includes determining voltage-current characteristic for a probe head when measuring capacitor is set at a first capacitance value. The method also includes applying RF train to the probe head when measuring capacitor is set at a capacitance value greater than first capacitance value. The method further includes providing an initial resistance value and an initial capacitance value for the deposited film. The method yet also includes employing initial resistance value, initial capacitance value, and voltage-current characteristic to generate simulated voltage-time curve. The method yet further includes determining measured voltage-time curve, which represents potential drop across the deposited film for one RF train. The method more over includes comparing the two curves. If the difference is less than predefined threshold, employ initial resistance value and initial capacitance for characterizing the deposited film. | 01-14-2010 |
20100033195 | PASSIVE CAPACITIVELY-COUPLED ELECTROSTATIC (CCE) PROBE ARRANGEMENT FOR DETECTING PLASMA INSTABILITIES IN A PLASMA PROCESSING CHAMBER - An arrangement for detecting plasma instability within a processing chamber of a plasma processing system during substrate processing is provided. The arrangement includes a probe arrangement, wherein the probe arrangement is disposed on a surface of the processing chamber and is configured to measure at least one plasma processing parameter. The probe arrangement includes a plasma-facing sensor and a measuring capacitor, wherein the plasma-facing sensor is coupled to a first plate of the measuring capacitor. The arrangement also includes a detection arrangement, which is coupled to a second plate of the measuring capacitor. The detection arrangement is configured to convert an induced current flowing through the measuring capacitor into a set of digital signals, the set of digital signals being processed to detect the plasma instability. | 02-11-2010 |
20100229372 | METHODS FOR MEASURING A SET OF ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS IN A PLASMA - Methods using a probe apparatus configured to measure a set of electrical characteristics in a plasma include providing a chamber wall including at least a set of plasma chamber surfaces configured to be exposed to a plasma, the plasma having a set of electrical characteristics. The method includes installing a collection disk structure configured to be exposed to the plasma, wherein the collection disk structure having at least a body disposed within the chamber wall and a collection disk structure surface that is either coplanar or recessed with at least one of the set of plasma chamber surfaces and providing a conductive path configured to transmit the set of electrical characteristics from the collection disk structure to a set of transducers. The method may includes coupling a thermal grounding element with the conductive path for providing thermal grounding to at least the conductive path and may alternatively or additionally include disposing an insulation barrier configured to substantially electrically separate at least one of the collection disk and the conductive path. | 09-16-2010 |
20110022215 | APPARATUS TO DETECT FAULT CONDITIONS OF A PLASMA PROCESSING REACTOR - A method of fault detection for use in a plasma processing chamber is provided. The method comprises monitoring plasma parameters within a plasma chamber and analyzing the resulting information. Such analysis enables detection of failures and the diagnosis of failure modes in a plasma processing reactor during the course of wafer processing. The method comprises measuring the plasma parameters as a function of time and analyzing the resulting data. The data can be observed, characterized, compared with reference data, digitized, processed, or analyzed in any way to reveal a specific fault. Monitoring can be done with a detector such as a probe, which is preferably maintained within the plasma chamber substantively coplanar with a surface within the chamber, and directly measures net ion flux and other plasma parameters. The detector is preferably positioned at a grounded surface within the reactor such as a grounded showerhead electrode, and can be of a planar ion flux probe (PIF) type or a non-capacitive type. Chamber faults that can be detected include a build-up of process by-products in the process chamber, a helium leak, a match re-tuning event, a poor stabilization rate, and a loss of plasma confinement. If the detector is a probe, the probe can be embedded in a part of a plasma processing chamber and can comprises one or more gas feed-through holes. | 01-27-2011 |
20110024045 | Apparatus and Method for Controlling Plasma Potential - A chamber includes a lower electrode and an upper electrode. The lower electrode is defined to transmit a radiofrequency current through the chamber and to support a semiconductor wafer in exposure to a plasma within the chamber. The upper electrode is disposed above and in a spaced apart relationship with the lower electrode. The upper electrode is electrically isolated from the chamber and is defined by a central section and one or more annular sections disposed concentrically outside the central section. Adjacent sections of the upper electrode are electrically separated from each other by a dielectric material. Multiple voltage sources are respectively connected to the upper electrode sections. Each voltage source is defined to control an electric potential of the upper electrode section to which it is connected, relative to the chamber. The electric potential of each upper electrode section influences an electric potential of the plasma within the chamber. | 02-03-2011 |
20110024046 | Apparatus and Method for Controlling Plasma Potential - An apparatus is provided for semiconductor wafer plasma processing. The apparatus includes a chamber having a lower electrode and an upper electrode disposed therein. The lower electrode is defined to transmit a radiofrequency current through the chamber to generate a plasma within the chamber. The lower electrode is also defined to support a semiconductor wafer in exposure to the plasma. The upper electrode is disposed above and in a spaced apart relationship with the lower electrode. The upper electrode is defined by a doped semiconductor material. A doping concentration within the upper electrode varies radially from a center to a periphery of the upper electrode. The electric potential of the upper electrode influences an electric potential of the plasma within the chamber. | 02-03-2011 |
20120259562 | PROCESSING SYSTEM FOR DETECTING IN-SITU ARCING EVENTS DURING SUBSTRATE PROCESSING - A processing system for detecting in-situ arcing events during substrate processing is provided. The processing systems includes at least a plasma processing chamber having a probe arrangement, wherein said probe arrangement is disposed on a surface of said processing chamber and is configured to measure at least one plasma processing parameter. The probe arrangement includes a plasma-facing sensor and a measuring capacitor, wherein the plasma-facing sensor is coupled to a first plate of the measuring capacitor. The probe arrangement also includes a detection arrangement that is coupled to a second plate of the measuring capacitor, wherein the detection arrangement is configured for converting an induced current flowing through the measuring capacitor into a set of digital signals, which is processed to detect the in-situ arcing events. | 10-11-2012 |
20120316834 | PASSIVE CAPACITIVELY-COUPLED ELECTROSTATIC (CCE) PROBE METHOD FOR DETECTING PLASMA INSTABILITIES IN A PLASMA PROCESSING CHAMBER - A method for detecting plasma instability within a processing chamber of a plasma processing system during substrate processing is provided. The method includes collecting a set of process data, the process data including a set of induced current signals flowing through a measuring capacitor. The method further includes converting the set of induced current signals into a set of analog voltage signals and converting the set of analog voltage signals into a set of digital signals. The method also includes analyzing the set of digital signals to detect high frequency perturbations, the high frequency perturbations indicating the plasma instability. | 12-13-2012 |