Plasma monitoring and control method and system

• US 5,939,886 A
• Filed: 11/18/1996
• Issued: 08/17/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Advanced Energy Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Advanced Energy Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Turner, Terry Richard, Spain, James Douglas, Swyers, John Rice
• Primary Examiner(s): BROWN, GLENN WARNER
• Application Number:
  US08/751,636
• Time in Patent Office: 1,002 Days
• Field of Search: 324/709, 324/713, 324/459, 324/464, 324/693, 204/298.32, 204/192.33, 315/111.21
• US Class Current: 324/464
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 37/013 Devices or means for detecting lapping completion
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/52 Controlling or regulating the coating process C23C16/45557, C23C16/279 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/334 Etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32082 Radio frequency generated discharge H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394 and H01J37/32403 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32091 the radio frequency energy being capacitively coupled to the plasma
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32174 Circuits specially adapted for controlling the RF discharge
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32183 Matching circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32935 Monitoring and controlling tubes by information coming from the object and/or discharge
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32963 End-point detection
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3299 Feedback systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/26 Acting in response to an ongoing measurement without interruption of processing, e.g. endpoint detection, in-situ thickness measurement endpoint detection arrangements in CMP apparatus B24B37/013, in discharge apparatus H01J37/32

Abstract

A plasma monitoring and control method and system monitor and control plasma in an electronic device fabrication reactor by sensing the voltage of the radio frequency power that is directed into the plasma producing gas at the input to the plasma producing environment of the electronic device fabrication reactor. The method and system further sense the current and phase angle of the radio frequency power directed to the plasma producing gas at the input to the plasma producing environment. Full load impedance is measured and used in determining characteristics of the plasma environment, including not only discharge and sheath impedances, but also chuck and wafer impedances, primary ground path impedance, and a secondary ground path impedance associated with the plasma environment. This permits end point detection of both deposition and etch processes, as well as advanced process control for electronic device fabrication. The invention also provides automatic gain control features for applying necessary signal gain control functions during the end point and advanced process control operations.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring the radio frequency power of a plasma in an electronic device fabrication reactor, comprising the steps of:

sensing the voltage of the radio frequency power directed to a plasma-producing gas at the input to the plasma-producing environment of the electronic device fabrication reactor;

sensing the current of the radio frequency power directed to the plasma-producing gas at the input to the plasma-producing environment;

sensing the phase angle of the radio frequency power directed to the plasma-producing gas at the input to the plasma-producing environment; and

measuring the full-load impedance associated with the plasma-producing environment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said voltage sensing step comprises the step of sensing at least one radio frequency harmonic of the voltage for detecting shifts in said voltage during fabrication of an electronic device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said current sensing step comprises the step of sensing at least one radio frequency harmonic of the current for detecting shifts in said current during fabrication of an electronic device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said phase angle sensing step comprises the step of sensing at least one radio frequency harmonic of the phase angle for detecting shifts in said phase angle during fabrication of an electronic device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said full-load impedance measuring step comprises the steps of:

measuring the impedance of an electronic device and a mechanism for holding the electronic device in place in the electronic device fabrication reactor;

measuring the impedance of the plasma discharge and plasma sheath in the electronic device fabrication reactor;

measuring the impedance of a primary ground path for the process plasma in the fabrication reactor;

measuring the impedance of a secondary ground path for the process plasma in the fabrication reactor.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of determining the radio frequency power received at the electronic device and the mechanism for holding the electronic device in place using the measured impedance of the electronic device and the mechanism for holding the electronic device in place in the electronic device fabrication reactor.

7. A system for monitoring the radio frequency power of a plasma in an electronic device fabrication reactor during fabrication of an electronic device, comprising:

voltage sensing circuitry for sensing the voltage of the radio frequency power directed to a plasma-producing gas at the input to the plasma-producing environment of the electronic device fabrication reactor;

current sensing circuitry for sensing the current of the radio frequency power directed to the plasma-producing gas at the input to the plasma-producing environment;

phase angle sensing circuitry for sensing the phase angle of the radio frequency power directed to the plasma-producing gas at the input to the plasma-producing environment; and

impedance measuring circuitry for measuring the full-load impedance associated with the plasma-producing environment of the electronic device fabrication reactor.

8. The monitoring system of claim 7, wherein said electronic device comprises a semiconductor wafer.

9. The monitoring system of claim 7, wherein said electronic device comprises a semiconductor memory device.

10. The monitoring system of claim 7, wherein said electronic device comprises a CD-ROM device.

11. The monitoring system of claim 7, wherein said voltage sensing circuitry comprises a plurality of filter circuits for filtering and sensing a plurality of radio frequency harmonic signals of said voltage for detecting shifts in said voltage during fabrication of the electronic device.

12. The monitoring system of claim 7, wherein said current sensing circuitry comprises a plurality of filter circuits for filtering and sensing a plurality of radio frequency harmonic signals of said current for detecting shifts in said current during fabrication of the electronic device.

13. The monitoring system of claim 7, wherein said phase angle sensing circuitry comprises a plurality of filter circuits for filtering and sensing a plurality of radio frequency harmonic signals of said phase angle for detecting shifts in said phase angle during fabrication of the electronic device.

14. The monitoring system of claim 7, wherein said full-load impedance measuring circuitry further comprises:

a first load measuring circuit for measuring the impedance of the electronic device and a mechanism for holding the electronic device in place in the electronic device fabrication reactor;

a second load measuring circuit for measuring the impedance of the plasma discharge and plasma sheath in the electronic device fabrication reactor;

a third load measuring circuit for measuring the impedance of the primary ground path for the electronic device fabrication reactor;

a fourth load measuring circuit for measuring the impedance of the secondary ground path for the electronic device fabrication reactor.