Semiconductor manufacturing methods, plasma processing methods and plasma processing apparatuses

• US 6,355,570 B1
• Filed: 03/02/1999
• Issued: 03/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Nakata, Toshihiko, Ninomiya, Takanori, Nakano, Hiroyuki, Uto, Sachio
• Primary Examiner(s): Utech, Benjamin L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DEO, DUY VU NGUYEN
• Application Number:
  US09/260,074
• Time in Patent Office: 1,106 Days
• Field of Search: 438/706, 438/710, 438/712, 438/711, 438/714, 438/709, 118/723.E, 118/723.MA, 356/336, 356/436, 356/431, 250/559.41
• US Class Current: 438/706
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/53 within a flowing fluid, e.g. smoke
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/94 Investigating contamination, e.g. dust G01N21/85 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/9501 Semiconductor wafers manufacturing processes per se of semiconductor devices implementing a measuring step H01L22/10

Abstract

The present invention provides a semiconductor manufacturing method, a plasma processing method and a plasma processing apparatus for generating a plasma in a processing chamber and carrying out processing on material to be processed by using the plasma, comprising a floating-foreign-particle measuring apparatus including: a light radiating optical system for radiating a light having a desired wavelength and completing intensity modulation at a desired frequency to the processing chamber; a scattered-light detecting optical system for separating a component with the desired wavelength from scattered lights obtained from the processing chamber as a result of radiation of the light by the light radiating optical system, for optically receiving the component and for converting the component into a first signal; and a foreign-particle-signal extracting unit which separates a second signal representing foreign particle floating in the plasma or in an area in proximity to the plasma from a third signal obtained by emission of the plasma for detection of the second signal by extraction of a component with the desired frequency used for the intensity modulation from the first signal obtained from the scattered-light detecting optical system.

Claims

1. A semiconductor manufacturing method comprising the steps of:

providing a semiconductor substrate in a processing chamber;

generating a plasma in the processing chamber;

manufacturing a semiconductor substrate by carrying out processing on the semiconductor substrate by the generated plasma in the processing chamber;

detecting a foreign particle floating within one of the generated plasma and an area in proximity thereto in the processing chamber including the steps of radiating an intensity-modulated light, into the processing chamber through a radiation window provided on a wall of the processing chamber;

optically separating a component of the light with a wavelength which is the same as that of the intensity-modulated light from a light from the processing chamber which is obtained through an observation window provided on the wall of the processing chamber and optically receiving the separated component of light by a detector and converting the received separated component of light into a first signal;

obtaining information of the floating foreign particle by extracting from the first signal a signal component having a frequency which is the same as that of the intensity-modulated light; and

taking the manufactured semiconductor substrate outside from the processing chamber.

2. A semiconductor manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein the intensity-modulated light is modulated at a frequency which is different from an excitation frequency of the generated plasma and its high-order frequencies.

3. A semiconductor manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein the intensity-modulated light is modulated at a frequency which is different from an emission frequency of the generated plasma and its high-order frequencies.

4. A semiconductor manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein the radiation window is the same as the observation window.

5. A semiconductor manufacturing method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of diagnosing a state of pollution on the semiconductor substrate or in the processing chamber, in accordance with the obtained information of the floating foreign particle.

6. A semiconductor manufacturing method according to claim 5, further comprising the step of removing the manufactured semiconductor from a semiconductor manufacturing line in accordance with the result of diagnosing of the state of pollution.

7. A semiconductor manufacturing method according to claim 5, further comprising the step of controlling cleaning of the processing chamber in accordance with the result of diagnosing of the state of pollution.

8. A semiconductor manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein the step of carrying out processing comprises the step of forming a film on the semiconductor substrate by the generated plasma.

9. A semiconductor manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein the step of carrying out processing comprises the step of etching the semiconductor substrate by the generated plasma.

10. A plasma processing method comprising the steps of:

providing a semiconductor substrate in a processing chamber;

generating a plasma in the processing chamber;

carrying out processing on the semiconductor substrate by the generated plasma in the processing chamber;

detecting a foreign particle floating within one of the generated plasma and an area in proximity thereto in the processing chamber including the steps of radiating an intensity-modulated light, into the processing chamber through a radiation window provided on a wall of the processing chamber;

optically separating a component of the light with wavelength which is the same with that of the intensity-modulated light from a light from the processing chamber which is obtained through an observation window provided on the wall of the processing chamber and optically receiving the separated component of light by a detector and converting the received separated component of light into a first signal;

obtaining information of the floating foreign particle by extracting from the first signal a signal component having a frequency which is the same as that of the intensity-modulated light; and

taking the semiconductor substrate outside from the processing chamber.

11. A plasma processing method according to claim 10, wherein the intensity-modulated light is modulated at a frequency which is different from an excitation frequency of the plasma and its high-order frequencies.

12. A plasma processing method according to claim 10, wherein the intensity-modulated light is modulated at a frequency which is different from an emission frequency of the plasma and its high-order frequencies.

13. A plasma processing method according to claim 10, wherein the step of carrying out processing comprises the step of forming a film on the semiconductor substrate by the reaction of the generated plasma.

14. A plasma processing method according to claim 10, wherein the step of carrying out processing comprises the step of etching the semiconductor substrate by the reaction of the generated plasma.