Plasma arcing sensor

• US 6,500,389 B1
• Filed: 04/28/2000
• Issued: 12/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Microelectronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: United Microelectronics Corporation
• Inventors: Su, Kuan-Cheng, Chou, Hsiao-Pang
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden, Jill
• Assistant Examiner(s): SINES, BRIAN J
• Application Number:
  US09/561,117
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 422/88, 438/48, 438/49, 438/608, 438/622, 438/739
• US Class Current: 422/88
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32211 Means for coupling power to the plasma
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32935 Monitoring and controlling tubes by information coming from the object and/or discharge

Abstract

A plasma arcing sensor is used to increase the frequency of plasma arcing by way of neutralization of positive charges and negative charges. When the plasma arcing can be predicted, the process parameters to prevent from the plasma arcing can be carried out. The plasma arcing sensor comprises a top conductive layer formed over a substrate. A conductive layer is disposed between the top conductive layer and the wafer where the conductive layer and the top conductive layer are electrically isolated with dielectrics.

Claims

1. A plasma arcing sensor for promoting arcing in a plasma chamber, comprising:

a substrate;

a conductive layer, disposed on the substrate;

a dielectric layer, formed on the conductive layer;

a metal layer, formed on the dielectric layer; and

an insulating layer, covering the metal layer, wherein the insulating layer has an opening to expose the metal layer, whereby a plasma arcing can be produced under a plasma environment when a charge density on the exposed metal layer is sufficiently high;

wherein a surface area of the exposed metal layer is smaller than a surface area of the conductive layer.

2. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the conductive layer comprises metal layer.

3. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the conductive layer comprises polysilicon layer.

4. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein an area ratio between the exposed metal layer and the conductive layer is in the range of 1 to 1/100000.

5. A plasma arcing sensor for promoting arcing in a plasma chamber, comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of conductive layers, disposed on the substrate and isolated from one another via a plurality of first dielectric layers;

a top conductive layer, disposed over the conductive layers and isolated from the conductive layers via a second dielectric layer; and

an insulating layer, covering the top conductive layer, wherein the insulating layer has an opening to expose the top conductive layer, whereby a plasma arcing can be produced under a plasma environment when a charge density on the exposed top conductive layer is sufficiently high;

wherein a surface area of the exposed top conductive layer is smaller than a surface area of the conductive layers.

6. The sensor according to claim 5, wherein the conductive layer comprises metal layer.

7. The sensor according to claim 5, wherein the conductive layer comprises polysilicon layer.

8. The sensor according to claim 5, wherein the top conductive layer comprises metal layer.

9. The sensor according to claim 5, wherein an area ratio between the exposed top conductive layer and the conductive layer is in the range of 1 to 1/100000.