System, method and apparatus for using optical data to monitor RF generator operations
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- receiving an optical sensor signal from an optical sensor of a plasma chamber when a radio frequency (RF) signal is supplied from an RF generator, wherein the RF signal transitions between a low state and a high state to create a plurality of pulses during a plasma process;
dividing each of the plurality of pulses of the RF signal into a plurality of subdivisions;
dividing the optical sensor signal into a plurality of subdivisions;
examining a characteristic of the optical sensor signal during each of the plurality of subdivisions of the optical sensor signal; and
adjusting the RF signal for one or more of the plurality of subdivisions of the RF signal based on the characteristic for a corresponding one or more of the plurality of subdivisions of the optical sensor signal to change the characteristic to be within a threshold.
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Abstract
A system and method monitoring a plasma with an optical sensor to determine the operations of a pulsed RF signal for plasma processing including a plasma chamber with an optical sensor directed toward a plasma region. An RF generator coupled to the plasma chamber through a match circuit. An RF timing system coupled to the RF generator. A system controller is coupled to the plasma chamber, the RF generator, the optical sensor, the RF timing system and the match circuit. The system controller includes a central processing unit, a memory system, a set of RF generator settings and an optical pulsed plasma analyzer coupled to the optical sensor and being capable to determine a timing of a change in state of an optical emission received in the optical sensor and/or a set of amplitude statistics corresponding to an amplitude of the optical emission received in the optical sensor.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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receiving an optical sensor signal from an optical sensor of a plasma chamber when a radio frequency (RF) signal is supplied from an RF generator, wherein the RF signal transitions between a low state and a high state to create a plurality of pulses during a plasma process; dividing each of the plurality of pulses of the RF signal into a plurality of subdivisions; dividing the optical sensor signal into a plurality of subdivisions; examining a characteristic of the optical sensor signal during each of the plurality of subdivisions of the optical sensor signal; and adjusting the RF signal for one or more of the plurality of subdivisions of the RF signal based on the characteristic for a corresponding one or more of the plurality of subdivisions of the optical sensor signal to change the characteristic to be within a threshold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A plasma processing system comprising:
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a plasma chamber associated with an optical sensor directed toward a plasma region in the plasma chamber; an RF generator coupled to the plasma chamber through a match circuit, wherein the RF generator is configured to generate an RF signal and provide the RF signal via the match circuit to the plasma chamber, wherein the RF signal transitions between a low state and a high state to create a plurality of pulses during a plasma process; a system controller coupled to the plasma chamber and the RF generator, the system controller configured to; receive an optical sensor signal from the optical sensor when the RF signal is supplied to the plasma chamber; divide each of the plurality of pulses of the RF signal into a plurality of subdivisions; divide the optical sensor signal into a plurality of subdivisions; examine a characteristic of the optical sensor signal during each of the plurality of subdivisions of the optical sensor signal; and adjust the RF signal for one or more of the plurality of subdivisions of the RF signal based on the characteristic for a corresponding one or more of the plurality of subdivisions of the optical sensor signal to change the characteristic to be within a threshold. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a computer program, the computer program comprising instructions for causing a processor to perform a plurality of operations of:
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receiving an optical sensor signal from an optical sensor associated with a plasma chamber when a radio frequency (RF) signal is supplied from an RF generator, wherein the RF signal transitions between a low state and a high state to create a plurality of pulses during a plasma process; dividing each of the plurality of pulses of the RF signal into a plurality of subdivisions; dividing the optical sensor signal into a plurality of subdivisions; examining a characteristic of the optical sensor signal during each of the plurality of subdivisions of the optical sensor signal; and adjusting the RF signal for one or more of the plurality of subdivisions of the RF signal based on the characteristic for a corresponding one or more of the plurality of subdivisions of the optical sensor signal to change the characteristic to be within a threshold. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification