Method and apparatus for monitoring plasma processing operations

Patent · 31 December 2000

OSTI ID:873480

Stevenson, Joel O'Don ^[1]; Ward, Pamela Peardon Denise ^[2]

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1. Albuquerque, NM
2. Rio Rancho, NM

The invention generally relates to various aspects of a plasma process, and more specifically the monitoring of such plasma processes. One aspect relates in at least some manner to calibrating or initializing a plasma monitoring assembly. This type of calibration may be used to address wavelength shifts, intensity shifts, or both associated with optical emissions data obtained on a plasma process. A calibration light may be directed at a window through which optical emissions data is being obtained to determine the effect, if any, that the inner surface of the window is having on the optical emissions data being obtained therethrough, the operation of the optical emissions data gathering device, or both. Another aspect relates in at least some manner to various types of evaluations which may be undertaken of a plasma process which was run, and more typically one which is currently being run, within the processing chamber. Plasma health evaluations and process identification through optical emissions analysis are included in this aspect. Yet another aspect associated with the present invention relates in at least some manner to the endpoint of a plasma process (e.g., plasma recipe, plasma clean, conditioning wafer operation) or discrete/discernible portion thereof (e.g., a plasma step of a multiple step plasma recipe). A final aspect associated with the present invention relates to how one or more of the above-noted aspects may be implemented into a semiconductor fabrication facility, such as the distribution of wafers to a wafer production system.

• Research Organization: SANDIA CORP
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000
• Assignee: Sandia Corporation (Albuquerque, NM)
• Patent Number(s): US 6169933
• OSTI ID: 873480
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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above-noted
above-noted aspects
address
address wavelength
analysis
apparatus
aspect
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aspects
assembly
associated
calibrating
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chamber
clean
conditioning
conditioning wafer
currently
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determine
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discernible
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discrete
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effect
emissions
emissions analysis
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endpoint
evaluations
fabrication
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final
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gathering
gathering device
health
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identification
implemented
included
initializing
inner
inner surface
intensity
intensity shifts
light
manner
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monitoring
monitoring assembly
monitoring plasma
multiple
multiple step
obtained
obtained therethrough
operation
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optical
optical emission
optical emissions
plasma
plasma clean
plasma health
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plasma process
plasma processes
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plasma recipe
plasma step
portion
process
process identification
processes
processing
processing chamber
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production
recipe
relates
run
semiconductor
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shifts
specifically
step
step plasma
surface
therethrough
type
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typically
undertaken
various
various aspects
various types
wafer
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wafer production
wafers
wavelength
wavelength shifts
window