Method and processing system for monitoring status of system components
First Claim
1. A method of monitoring status of a system component in a processing system, the method comprising:
- exposing a system component to a reactant gas during a process, wherein the reactant gas is capable of etching the system component material to form an erosion product;
monitoring the processing system for release of the erosion product during the process to determine status of the system component; and
based upon the status from the monitoring, performing one of the following;
(a) continuing the exposing and monitoring; and
(b) stopping the process.
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Abstract
A method and system for monitoring status of a system component during a process. The method includes exposing a system component to a reactant gas during a process, where the reactant gas is capable of etching the system component material to form an erosion product, and monitoring release of the erosion product during the process to determine status of the system component. Processes that can be monitored include a chamber cleaning process, a chamber conditioning process, a substrate etching process, and a substrate film formation process. The system component can be a consumable system part such as a process tube, a shield, a ring, a baffle, an injector, a substrate holder, a liner, a pedestal, a cap cover, an electrode, and a heater, any of which can further include a protective coating. The processing system includes the system component in a process chamber, a gas injection system for introducing the reactant gas, a chamber protection system for monitoring the status of the system component, and a controller for controlling the processing system in response to the status.
28 Citations
44 Claims
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1. A method of monitoring status of a system component in a processing system, the method comprising:
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exposing a system component to a reactant gas during a process, wherein the reactant gas is capable of etching the system component material to form an erosion product;
monitoring the processing system for release of the erosion product during the process to determine status of the system component; and
based upon the status from the monitoring, performing one of the following;
(a) continuing the exposing and monitoring; and
(b) stopping the process. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method of monitoring status of a system component in a processing system, the method comprising:
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forming a protective coating on a system component;
exposing the protective coating to a reactant gas during a process, wherein the reactant gas is capable of etching the protective coating to form an erosion product;
monitoring the processing system for release of the erosion product during the process to determine status of the system component; and
based upon the status from the monitoring, performing one of the following;
(a) continuing the exposing and monitoring; and
(b) stopping the process. - View Dependent Claims (32)
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33. A processing system, comprising:
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a process chamber;
a system component within the process chamber;
a gas injection system configured for introducing a reactant gas in the process chamber, wherein the reactant gas is capable of etching the system component material to form an erosion product during a process;
a chamber protection system for monitoring the processing system inside the process chamber for release of the erosion product to determine status of the system component and to transmit the status; and
a controller configured to receive the status from the chamber protection system and to control the processing system in response to the status. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A processing system, comprising:
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a process chamber;
a system component within the process chamber;
a gas injection system configured for introducing a reactant gas in the process chamber, wherein the reactant gas is capable of etching the system component material to form an erosion product during a process;
an optical monitoring system for monitoring light absorption from the erosion product during the process to monitor status of the system component, wherein the optical monitoring system is further configured to determine if an intensity level of the light absorption has reached a threshold value, and based on the determination, either continue with the process or stop the process; and
a controller configured to control the processing system in response to the determination.
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44. A processing system, comprising:
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a process chamber;
a system component within the process chamber;
a gas injection system configured for introducing a reactant gas in the process chamber, wherein the reactant gas is capable of etching the system component material to form an erosion product during a process;
a mass sensor for monitoring a mass signal from the etch product during the process to monitor status of the system component, wherein the mass sensor is further configured to determine if an intensity level of the mass signal has reached a threshold value, and based on the determination, either continue with the process or stop the process; and
a controller configured to control the processing system in response to the determination.
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Specification