Non-intrusive plasma probe

• US 6,894,474 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2002
• Issued: 05/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Liang, Qiwei, Lai, Canfeng, Cox, Michael S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dole, Timothy J.
• Application Number:
  US10/165,489
• Publication Number:
  US 20030227283A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 324/71.1, 324/459, 324/464, 324/465, 324/754, 73/300.1, 73/300.4, 73/310.5, 436/156
• US Class Current: 324/71.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32935 Monitoring and controlling tubes by information coming from the object and/or discharge
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/0006 Investigating plasma, e.g. measuring the degree of ionisation or the electron temperature

Abstract

A probe for measuring plasma properties in a processing chamber, comprises a conductive rod having a front portion and a rear portion. The front portion of the conductive rod comprises a probe surface adapted to be coplanar with an interior wall of the chamber. The probe also includes an insulating sheath circumscribing the conductive rod.

Claims

1. A probe for measuring plasma properties in a processing chamber, comprising:

a conductive rod comprising a front portion and a rear portion, wherein the front portion comprises a probe surface adapted to be coplanar with an interior wall of the chamber;

an insulating sheath circumscribing the conductive rod, and

a first seal positioned between the sheath and the conductive rod, wherein the rear portion of the conductive rod comprises a flanged area for biasing the first seal.

2. The probe of claim 1 wherein the insulating sheath has a front sheath and a rear sheath, the front portion of the conductive rod is circumscribed by the front sheath and the rear portion of the conductive rod is circumscribed by the rear sheath.

3. The probe of claim 2 wherein the front sheath comprises a ceramic material.

4. The probe of claim 3 wherein the ceramic material is selected from the group consisting of alumina, quartz, sapphire and combinations thereof.

5. The probe of claim 2 wherein the rear sheath comprises a polymeric material.

6. The probe of claim 5 wherein the polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene, polyimide, acetal resin, and combinations thereof.

7. The probe of claim 1 further comprising a second seal positioned between the insulating sheath and an exterior wall of the chamber.

8. The probe of claim 1 wherein the probe surface has a rounded edge.

9. The probe of claim 1 wherein the insulating sheath comprises a rim that extends beyond the probe surface.

10. The probe of claim 1 wherein the insulating sheath comprises a material that is compatible with an environment within the chamber.

11. The probe of claim 1 wherein the insulating sheath comprises a ceramic material.

12. The probe of claim 11 wherein the ceramic material is selected from the group consisting of alumina, quartz, sapphire, and combinations thereof.

13. The probe of claim 1 wherein the insulating sheath comprises a polymeric material.

14. The probe of claim 13 wherein the polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene, polyimide, acetal resin, and combinations thereof.

15. A probe for measuring plasma properties in a processing chamber, comprising:

a conductive rod including a front portion and a rear portion, wherein the front portion comprises a probe surface having a rounded edge, wherein the probe surface is adapted to be coplanar with an interior wall of the chamber, and wherein the rear portion is adapted to be connected to one or more monitoring devices;

a front insulating sheath circumscribing and in contact with the front portion of the conductive rod, wherein the front sheath comprises a rim that extends beyond the probe surface into an interior of the chamber; and

a rear insulating sheath circumscribing and in contact with the rear portion of the conductive rod.

16. The probe of claim 15 further comprising a first seal positioned between the front insulating sheath and the conductive rod.

17. The probe of claim 15 further comprising a second seal positioned between the front insulating sheath and an exterior wall of the chamber.

18. The probe of claim 15 wherein the rear portion of the conductive rod comprises a flanged area for biasing the first seal.

19. The probe of claim 15 wherein the front insulating sheath comprises a material that is compatible with an environment within the chamber.

20. The probe of claim 15 wherein the front insulating sheath comprises a ceramic material.

21. The probe of claim 20 wherein the ceramic material is selected from the group consisting of alumina, quartz, sapphire, and combinations thereof.

22. The probe of claim 15 wherein the rear insulating sheath comprises a polymeric material.

23. The probe of claim 22 wherein the polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene, polyimide, acetal resin, and combinations thereof.

24. A probe for measuring plasma properties in a processing chamber, comprising:

a conductive rod including a front portion and a rear portion, wherein the front portion comprises a probe surface having a rounded edge, wherein the probe surface is adapted to be coplanar with an interior wall of the chamber, wherein the rear portion comprises a flanged area, and wherein the rear portion is adapted to be connected to one or more monitoring devices;

a front insulating sheath circumscribing and in contact with the front portion of the conductive rod, wherein the front sheath comprises a rim that extends beyond the probe surface into an interior portion of the chamber;

a rear insulating sheath circumscribing and in contact with the rear portion of the conductive rod;

a first seal positioned between the front sheath and the flanged area of the conductive rod; and

a second seal positioned between the front sheath and an exterior wall of the chamber.

25. The probe of claim 24 wherein the front insulating sheath comprises a material that is compatible with an environment within the chamber.

26. The probe of claim 24 wherein the front insulating sheath comprises a ceramic material.

27. The probe of claim 26 wherein the ceramic material is selected from the group consisting of alumina, quartz, sapphire, and combinations thereof.

28. The probe of claim 24 wherein the rear insulating sheath comprises a polymeric material.

29. The probe of claim 28 wherein the polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene, polyimide, acetal resin, and combinations thereof.

30. A probe for measuring plasma properties in a processing chamber, comprising:

a conductive rod comprising a front portion and a rear portion, wherein the front portion comprises a probe surface adapted to be coplanar with an interior wall of the chamber;

an insulating sheath circumscribing the conductive rod, wherein the insulating sheath comprises a rim that extends beyond the probe surface; and

a first seal positioned between the sheath and the conductive rod.

31. The probe of claim 30, wherein he insulating sheath has a front sheath and a rear sheath, the front portion of the conductive rod is circumscribed by the front sheath and the rear portion of the conductive rod is circumscribed by the rear sheath.

32. The probe of claim 31, wherein the front sheath comprises a ceramic material.

33. The probe of claim 32, wherein the ceramic material is selected from the group consisting of alumina, quartz, sapphire and combinations thereof.

34. The probe of claim 31, wherein the rear sheath comprises a polymeric material.

35. The probe of claim 34, wherein the polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene polyimide, acetal resin, and combinations thereof.

36. The probe of claim 30 further comprising a second seal positioned between the insulating sheath and an exterior wall of the chamber.

37. The probe of claim 30 wherein the probe surface has a rounded edge.

38. The probe of claim 30, wherein the insulating sheath comprises a material that is compatible with an environment within the chamber.

39. The probe of claim 30, wherein the insulating sheath comprises a ceramic material.

40. The probe of claim 39, wherein the ceramic material is selected from the group consisting of alumina quartz, sapphire, and combinations thereof.

41. The probe of claim 30, wherein the insulating sheath comprises a polymeric material.

42. The probe of claim 41, wherein the polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene, polyimide, acetel resin, and combinations thereof.