Plasma processing apparatus for adjusting plasma processing through detecting plasma processing state within chamber

• US 6,841,032 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2002
• Issued: 01/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Junichi, Ikuhara, Shoji, Yamamoto, Hideyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Hassanzadeh, Parviz
• Application Number:
  US10/094,714
• Publication Number:
  US 20030173028A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,036 Days
• Field of Search: 156/345.24, 156/345.25, 118/712, 438/5, 438/8, 438/14, 216/60
• US Class Current: 156/345.24
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/71 thermally excited
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32935 Monitoring and controlling tubes by information coming from the object and/or discharge

Abstract

A plasma processing apparatus for processing an object arranged within a chamber by utilizing the plasma caused within the chamber, the apparatus including: a sensor having plural lines of a plurality of elements for detecting a plurality of strip-like beams; an application unit for applying the plurality of strip-like beams generated from the light within the chamber in such a way that each of the illumination faces of the strip-like beams makes an angle with respect to each of the lines of the elements; and a control unit for adjusting the operation of the apparatus using outputs from the sensor.

Claims

1. A plasma processing apparatus for processing an object arranged within a chamber by utilizing the plasma generated inside said chamber, said apparatus comprising:

a sensor having an array of a plurality of elements for detecting a plurality of strip-like beams, and having plural lines substantially in parallel along each of which a row of said plurality of elements is aligned;

an application device for applying the plurality of strip-like beams respectively having different wavelengths generated from the light within said chamber on the plural lines of said plurality of elements; and

a controller adjusting the operation of said apparatus using outputs from said sensor,

wherein directions of lines of said plurality of elements, for adjacent elements, are crossing, and said sensor detects one of said strip-like beams in a manner so that at least one of the plurality of the strip-like beams respectively having different wavelengths makes angles with respect to the direction of said plural lines, extending on at least portions of at least two adjacent ones of said plural lines.

2. A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one of the plurality of the strip-like beams extends on at least portions of at least two adjacent ones of the plural lines of said elements so as to cross at least portions of the at least two adjacent ones of the plural lines of said elements.

3. A plasma processing apparatus comprising:

a sample stage, arranged within a chamber, for placing thereon an object to be processed utilizing a plasma generated within said chamber;

a spectroscope which introduces thereinto the light within said chamber through a slit to generate a plurality of beams having different wavelengths;

a sensor having an array of a plurality of elements, for detecting a plurality of strip-like beams, and having plural parallel lines alone each of which a row of said plurality of elements are aligned;

a detector which detects the intensities of the plurality of beams using outputs from said sensor; and

a controller for adjusting the processing for the object to be processed using outputs from said detector;

wherein directions of lines of said plurality of elements, for adjacent elements, are crossing, and the plurality of strip-like beams respectively having different wavelengths are applied onto said elements in a manner so that at least one of the plurality of the strip-like beams respectively having different wavelengths makes angles with respect to the direction of the plural parallel lines, extending on at least portions of at least two adjacent ones of said plural parallel lines.

4. A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the at least one of the plurality of the strip-like beams extends on at least portions of at least two adjacent ones of the plural parallel lines so as to cross at least portions of the at least two adjacent ones of the plural parallel lines.