Portable particle detector assembly
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A particle detector comprising:
- laser means for generating laser light;
scanner means for scanning said laser light into a reaction chamber of a plasma processing tool within which particles are to be detected, said scanner means comprising;
a light tight enclosure;
coupling means for coupling the laser light into said enclosure;
moving mirror means aligned with said coupling means for deflecting laser light from said scanning means in a scanning motion; and
a window in said enclosure adapted to be fitted adjacent a window of said plasma processing tool and through which the laser light is propagated;
video camera means for generating a video signal of laser light scattered by particles within said plasma processing tool; and
processing means for processing and displaying an image of said video signal.
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Abstract
A portable particle detector assembly for detecting particle contamination in the reaction chamber of a plasma processing tool used in semiconductor manufacture. The detector is comprised of a scanner assembly for providing a scanned laser beam and a video camera placed opposite the scanner assembly for monitoring light scattered by particles within the volume of the reaction chamber.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A particle detector comprising:
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laser means for generating laser light; scanner means for scanning said laser light into a reaction chamber of a plasma processing tool within which particles are to be detected, said scanner means comprising; a light tight enclosure; coupling means for coupling the laser light into said enclosure; moving mirror means aligned with said coupling means for deflecting laser light from said scanning means in a scanning motion; and a window in said enclosure adapted to be fitted adjacent a window of said plasma processing tool and through which the laser light is propagated; video camera means for generating a video signal of laser light scattered by particles within said plasma processing tool; and processing means for processing and displaying an image of said video signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A particle detector comprising:
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laser means for generating laser light; scanner means for scanning said laser light into a reaction chamber of a plasma processing tool within which particles are to be detected, said scanner means comprising a spot-to-line fiber optic bundle cable having a circular, closely-packed end adjacent said laser means and another end spread into an array of individual fibers, linearly aligned, the linearly aligned array of individual fibers being adjacent a window of said plasma processing tool and serving to disperse light along a scan line; video camera means for generating a video signal of laser light scattered by particles within said plasma processing tool; and processing means for processing and displaying an image of said video signal. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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8. A particle detector comprising:
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laser means for generating laser light, wherein said laser means generates a spectrum of laser light including red, green and blue light wavelengths; scanner means for scanning said laser light into a volume within which particles are to be detected; video camera means for generating a video signal of laser light scattered by particles within said volume; and processing means for processing and displaying an image of said video signal, said processing means analyzing said spectrum of laser light to provide an indication of changing particle size during a plasma process. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A particle detector comprising:
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laser means for generating laser light; scanner means for scanning said laser light into a reaction chamber of a plasma processing tool within which particles are to be detected; video camera means for generating a video signal of laser light scattered by particles within said volume; processing means for processing and displaying an image of said video signal, wherein said processing means comprises; video subtractor means connected to receive said video signal for subtracting from said video signal background images and generating a difference signal; a video display monitor connected to said video subtractor means for displaying an image defined by said difference signal; digitizer means connected to said video subtractor means for digitizing frames of said difference signal; storage means connected to receive digitized frames of said difference signal for providing archival storage of said digitized frames; and computer means for accessing frames of said difference signal stored on said storage means and analyzing the accessed frames to provide an indication of performance of said plasma processing tool, said computer means providing an output to said video display monitor. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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Specification