Plasma processing apparatus and component thereof including an optical fiber for determining a temperature thereof

• US 10,217,615 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2013
• Issued: 02/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Inventors: Singh, Harmeet
• Primary Examiner(s): Hassanzadeh, Parviz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nuckols, Tiffany Z
• Application Number:
  US14/107,641
• Publication Number:
  US 20150170977A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,898 Days
• Field of Search: 118728-732, 15634551-34555
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32522 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32724 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32917 Plasma diagnostics
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32935 Monitoring and controlling tubes by information coming from the object and/or discharge
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67103 mainly by conduction
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67109 mainly by convection
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67248 Temperature monitoring

Abstract

A plasma processing apparatus for processing semiconductor substrates comprises a plasma processing chamber in which a semiconductor substrate is processed. A process gas source is in fluid communication with the plasma processing chamber and is adapted to supply a process gas into the plasma processing chamber. A RF energy source is adapted to energize the process gas into a plasma state in the plasma processing chamber. Process gas and byproducts of the plasma processing are exhausted from the plasma processing chamber through a vacuum port. At least one component of the plasma processing apparatus comprises a laterally extending optical fiber beneath a plasma exposed surface of the component wherein spatial temperature measurements of the surface are desired to be taken, and a temperature monitoring arrangement coupled to the optical fiber so as to monitor temperatures at different locations along the optical fiber.

Claims

1. A plasma processing apparatus for processing semiconductor substrates, comprising:

a plasma processing chamber in which a semiconductor substrate is processed;

a process gas source in fluid communication with the plasma processing chamber adapted to supply a process gas into the plasma processing chamber;

a RF energy source adapted to energize the process gas into a plasma state in the plasma processing chamber;

a vacuum source adapted to exhaust process gas and byproducts of the plasma processing from the plasma processing chamber; and

a substrate support assembly comprising;

a dielectric layer including a clamping electrode;

a heater layer attached to the underside of the dielectric layer, the heater layer including a plurality of planar thermal zones; and

an optical fiber laterally extending in a channel embedded in the dielectric layer and arranged between the clamping electrode and the heater layer, the optical fiber including a plurality of gratings configured to measure temperatures of respective thermal zones,

wherein the optical fiber is configured to be coupled to a temperature monitoring arrangement to monitor temperatures of the plurality of planar thermal zones measured by the plurality of gratings;

wherein the temperature monitoring arrangement includes a light source and a detector, the light source to provide near infrared, infrared, natural, or ultraviolet light into the optical fiber and the detector to measure light exiting the optical fiber; and

wherein the temperature monitoring arrangement is configured to determine the temperatures of the plurality of planar thermal zones based on parameters of the light entering and exiting the optical fiber.

2. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an adhesive to bond the optical fiber to walls of the channel;

a control system configured to control processes performed by the plasma processing apparatus and/or the temperature monitoring arrangement;

a non-transitory computer machine-readable medium comprising program instructions for controlling the temperature monitoring arrangement; and

/or

the channel (i) includes one or more curves, (ii) is circular, (iii) is semicircular, and/or (iv) is patterned in a zig-zag pattern, a serpentine pattern, or a spiral pattern.

3. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gratings include (i) fiber Bragg gratings and each fiber Bragg grating reflects a wavelength of light indicative of a local temperature thereof, or (ii) long period gratings and each long period grating transmits a wavelength of light indicative of a local temperature thereof.

4. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the channel includes one or more curves;

the channel is circular;

the channel is semicircular;

the channel is patterned in a zig-zag pattern, a serpentine pattern, or a spiral pattern;

or

the channel includes an inlet in a non-exposed surface of the substrate support assembly or a lower surface of the substrate support assembly;

or

the channel includes an inlet and an outlet in a non-exposed surface of the substrate support assembly.

5. A substrate support assembly comprising:

a dielectric layer including a clamping electrode;

a heater layer attached to the underside of the dielectric layer, the heater layer including a plurality of planar thermal zones; and

an optical fiber laterally extending in a channel embedded in the dielectric layer and arranged between the clamping electrode and the heater layer, the optical fiber including a plurality of gratings configured to measure temperatures of respective thermal zones,

wherein the optical fiber is configured to be coupled to a temperature monitoring arrangement to monitor temperatures of the plurality of planar thermal zones measured by the plurality of gratings;

wherein the temperature monitoring arrangement includes a light source and a detector, the light source to provide near infrared, infrared, natural, or ultraviolet light into the optical fiber and the detector to measure light exiting the optical fiber; and

wherein the temperature monitoring arrangement is configured to determine the temperatures of the plurality of planar thermal zones based on parameters of the light entering and exiting the optical fiber.

6. The substrate support assembly of claim 5, wherein:

the channel includes one or more curves;

the channel is circular;

the channel is semicircular;

or

the channel is patterned in a zig-zag pattern, a serpentine pattern, or a spiral pattern;

or

the channel includes an inlet in a non-exposed surface of the substrate support assembly;

or

the channel includes an inlet and an outlet in a non-exposed surface of the substrate support assembly.

7. The substrate support assembly of claim 5, wherein the gratings include (i) fiber Bragg gratings and each fiber Bragg grating is configured to reflect a wavelength of light indicative of a local temperature thereof, or (ii) long period gratings and each long period grating is configured to transmit a wavelength of light indicative of a local temperature thereof.

8. The substrate support assembly of claim 5, further comprising:

an adhesive to bond the optical fiber to walls of the channel,

wherein the channel (i) includes one or more curves, (ii) is circular, (iii) is semicircular, and/or (iv) is patterned in a zig-zag pattern, a serpentine pattern, or a spiral pattern.

9. The substrate support assembly of claim 5, further comprising:

a control system configured to control processes performed by the substrate support assembly and/or the temperature monitoring arrangement; and

/or

a non-transitory computer machine-readable medium comprising program instructions for controlling the temperature monitoring arrangement,

wherein each channel (i) includes one or more curves, (ii) is circular, (iii) is semicircular, and/or (iv) is patterned in a zig-zag pattern, a serpentine pattern, or a spiral pattern.

10. The substrate support assembly of claim 5, further comprising:

an electrostatic chuck; and

a cooling plate.

11. The substrate support assembly of claim 5, wherein:

the channel includes one or more curves;

the channel is circular;

the channel is semicircular;

or

the channel is patterned in a zig-zag pattern, a serpentine pattern, or a spiral pattern;

or

the channel includes an inlet in a non-exposed surface of the substrate support assembly;

or

the channel includes an inlet and an outlet in a non-exposed surface of the substrate support assembly.

12. The substrate support assembly of claim 5, wherein:

the gratings include a plurality of fiber Bragg gratings wherein (i) each fiber Bragg grating is configured to reflect a wavelength of light indicative of a temperature at a different location along the optical fiber, (ii) each fiber Bragg grating is configured to reflect a wavelength of light indicative of the temperature of each of the respective thermal zones, or (iii) at least two fiber Bragg gratings are configured to each reflect a wavelength of light indicative of a temperature at a different location of each of the respective thermal zones;

or

the gratings include a plurality of long period gratings wherein (i) each long period grating is configured to transmit a wavelength of light indicative of a temperature at a different location along the optical fiber, (ii) each long period grating is configured to transmit a wavelength of light indicative of the temperature of each of the respective thermal zones, or (iii) at least two long period gratings are configured to each transmit a wavelength of light indicative of a temperature at a different location of each of the respective thermal zones.

13. The substrate support assembly of claim 12, further comprising a plurality of power supply lines and a plurality of power return lines, wherein each power supply line is connected to at least two thermal zones, each power return line is connected to at least one thermal zone, and no two thermal zones share the same pair of power supply line and power return line.