System and method for controlling process end-point utilizing legacy end-point system
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- providing a first end-point determination (EPD) system of a processing tool; and
creating an artificial end-point condition that causes the first EPD system to determine that an end-point of a process run on the processing tool has been reached.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments in accordance with the present invention allow a second end-point determination (EPD) system to actively control the end-pointing of a semiconductor process chamber, by leveraging a legacy EPD system that is already integrated with the chamber. In one embodiment, the second EPD system controls a shutter that regulates the amount of light transmitted between a plasma light source and an optical emission spectroscopy (OES) sensor of the legacy OES EPD system. In this embodiment, the legacy OES EPD system is pre-configured to call end-point when an artificial end-point condition occurs, i.e. the intensity of light falls below a pre-set threshold. When the second EPD system determines an actual end-point condition has been reached, it closes the shutter which, causes the light intensity being read by the OES sensor to fall below the pre-set threshold. This in turn triggers an end-point command to the chamber from the legacy OES EPD system.
9 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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providing a first end-point determination (EPD) system of a processing tool; and creating an artificial end-point condition that causes the first EPD system to determine that an end-point of a process run on the processing tool has been reached. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus comprising:
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an input port configured to receive a signal; and circuitry in communication with the input port and configured to receive the signal, and in response to output a second signal that results in a first end-point determination device (EPD) determining that a process end-point has been reached. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system comprising:
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a first end-point determination (EPD) system; a second EPD system in communication with a chamber of a processing tool; an apparatus configured to receive a first signal from the second EPD system indicating that a process occurring in the chamber has reached an actual end-point condition, and in response to create an artificial end-point condition which the first EPD system recognizes as an end-point of the process. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification