Method for fault identification in a plasma process

• US 6,441,620 B1
• Filed: 08/29/2000
• Issued: 08/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Original Assignee: Scientific Systems Research Limited
• Inventors: Daniels, Stephen, Lawler, Justin, Scanlan, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Vincent Q.
• Application Number:
  US09/650,277
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: 324/709, 324/705, 324/459, 324/464, 324/76.21, 315/111.21, 315/111.51, 315/111.61, 315/111.71
• US Class Current: 324/459
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32174 Circuits specially adapted for controlling the RF discharge
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32935 Monitoring and controlling tubes by information coming from the object and/or discharge
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3299 Feedback systems

Abstract

A method of fault identification in a plasma process powered by an RF source comprises initially determining, in respect of a given baseline plasma process, the changes in magnitude of a plurality of Fourier components of the RF source resulting from changes in a plurality of the process input parameters from their baseline values. These magnitude changes are stored as reference data. During a subsequent production run, the plasma process is monitored for faults and if one is found the baseline process is repeated with input parameter values nominally the same as the original baseline values. The changes in the Fourier components from the original baseline values are determined and compared with the reference data to determine which input parameter(s) have changed.

Claims

1. A method of fault identification in a plasma process powered by an RF source, comprising the steps of:

(a) determining, in respect of a given baseline plasma process performed in advance of a production run, the changes in magnitude of a plurality of Fourier components of the RF source resulting from known changes in a plurality of the process input parameters from their baseline values,

(b) storing said parameter changes and corresponding Fourier component magnitude changes as reference data,

(c) running the plasma process during a subsequent production run,

(d) during said production run, determining if there is a fault in the plasma process,(e) if there is a fault, repeating the baseline process with input parameter values nominally the same as the baseline values of step (a),

(f) determining the magnitudes of the said Fourier components in respect of the repeat baseline process, and

(g) comparing the data determined at step (f) with the reference data to determine which input parameter(s) have changed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the Fourier components of step (a) are those of the voltage, current and phase of the RF power signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the baseline process is carried out on a test wafer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the baseline process is carried out on a product wafer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the baseline process is carried out in the absence of a wafer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein step (g) is performed by statistical techniques.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the variations in a quantity other than RF power as a function of the variations in the input parameters from the baseline values, and including such variations in the reference data.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the quantity other than RF power step is ion flux intensity.