Endpoint detection for high density plasma (HDP) processes

• US 6,919,279 B1
• Filed: 10/08/2002
• Issued: 07/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Novellus Systems Incorporated (Lam Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Novellus Systems Incorporated (Lam Research Corporation)
• Inventors: Florin, Didier, Rulkens, Ron
• Primary Examiner(s): Deo, Duy-Vu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Binh X.
• Application Number:
  US10/267,413
• Time in Patent Office: 1,015 Days
• Field of Search: 438/706, 438/710, 438/711, 438/714, 438/719
• US Class Current: 438/706
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/52 Controlling or regulating the coating process C23C16/45557, C23C16/279 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32935 Monitoring and controlling tubes by information coming from the object and/or discharge
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32963 End-point detection

Abstract

A method and system are provided for endpoint detection of plasma chamber cleaning or plasma etch processes. Optical emission spectroscopy is utilized to determine a spectral emission ratio of two or more light emitting reaction components at wavelengths in close proximity. When a spectral emission ratio or derivative thereof or mathematical function thereof falls below a selected threshold value, the plasma process may be terminated within a calculated time from the threshold value prior to an endpoint value cutoff. Advantageously, the system and methods of the present invention provide real-time, in-situ monitoring of plasma clean or etch processes to optimize the process and avoid under-cleaning or over-cleaning.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring a plasma process, comprising:

providing a spectral emission of a first reaction component at a selected wavelength;

providing a spectral emission of a second reaction component at a wavelength in close proximity to the selected wavelength of the first reaction component, wherein the close proximity is between about 1 nm and about 50 nm;

determining a ratio consisting of an intensity of the first reaction component spectral emission and an intensity of the second reaction component spectral emission; and

monitoring the ratio as a function of time to determine an endpoint of the plasma process.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first reaction component is selected from the group consisting of SiF_x, OH_x, O₂, O, CO_x, COF_x, NO_x, He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe, N₂, NF_x, SO_x, SF_x, PF_x, OPF_x, BF_x, AsF_x, and BiF_x, where x=0, 1, 2, 3, or 4.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second reaction component is selected from the group consisting of F, HF, Cl, Br, He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe, N, N₂, O, O₂, H, and H₂.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second reaction component is different from the first reaction component.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the ratio consists of the intensity of the first reaction component spectral emission divided by the intensity of the second reaction component spectral emission.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the ratio consists of the intensity of the second reaction component spectral emission divided by the intensity of the first reaction component spectral emission.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a second ratio consisting of intensities of spectral emissions of a plurality of reaction components divided by intensities of spectral emissions of a different plurality of reaction components.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the ratio is selected from the group consisting of O (777.5±

1 nm)/F (780±

2 nm), O (777.5±

1 nm)/F (776±

2 nm), O (616.5±

1 nm)/F (624.5±

2 nm), N₂ (575-607 nm)/F (624.5±

2 nm), N₂ (638-670 nm)/F (624.5±

2 nm), N₂(765-775 nm)/F (778 nm), CO (608±

3 nm)/F (624.5±

2 nm), CO (643.5±

3 nm)/F (624.5±

2 nm), CO (412±

3 nm)/N₂ (406±

3 nm), and CO (412±

3 nm)/N₂ (414.5±

3 nm).

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the ratio consisting of an intensity of a reaction product component spectral emission as the intensity of the first reaction component spectral emission divided by an intensity of reaction reactant component spectral emission as the intensity of the second reaction component spectral emission.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the reaction product component comprises O and the selected wavelength is between about 614 nm and about 779 nm.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the reaction product component comprises N₂ and the selected wavelength is between about 575 nm and about 775 nm.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the reaction product component comprises CO and the selckted wavelength is between about 605 nm and about 647 nm.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the reaction reactant component is F at a wavelength between about 624 nm and about 782 nm.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the reaction reactant component is N₂ at a wavelength between about 403 nm and about 418 nm.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a threshold value of the ratio, wherein the threshold value is reached at a threshold time.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising calculating an endpoint time using the threshold time.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the threshold value is between about 0.01 and about 2.0.

18. A method of monitoring a plasma process, comprising:

providing a spectral emission of a first reaction component at a selected wavelength;

providing a spectral emission of a second reaction component at a wavelength in close proximity to the selected wavelength of the first reaction component, wherein the close proximity is between about 1 nm and about 50 nm;

determining a ratio consisting of an intensity of the first reaction component spectral emission and an intensity of the second reaction component spectral emission;

determining a first derivative value of the ratio;

monitoring the first derivative value of the ratio as a function of time; and

ending a plasma process before the first derivative value reaches a value of about zero.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the first reaction component is selected from the group consisting of SiF_x, OH_xO₂, O, CO_x, COF_x, NO_x, He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe, N₂, NF_x, SO_x, SF_x, PF_x, OPF_x, BF_x, AsF_x, and BiF_x, where x=0, 1, 2, 3, or 4.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the second reaction component is selected from the group consisting of F, HF, Cl, Br, He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe, N, N₂, O, O₂, H, and H₂.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the second reaction component is different from the first reaction component.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the ratio consists of the intensity of the first reaction component specral emission divided by the intensity of the second reaction component spectral emission.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the ratio consists of the intensity of the second reaction component spectral emission divided by the intensity of the first reaction component spectral emission.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the ratio is selected from the group consisting of O (777.5±

1 nm)/F (780±

2 nm), O (777.5±

1 nm)/F (776±

2 nm), O (616.5±

1 nm)/F (624.5±

2 nm), N₂ (575-607 nm)/F (624.5±

2 nm), N₂ (638-670 nm)/F (624.5±

2 nm), N₂ (765-775 nm)/F (778 nm), CO (608±

3 nm)/F (624.5±

2 nm), CO (643.5±

3 nm)/F (624.5±

2 nm), CO (412±

3 nm)/N₂ (406±

3 nm), and CO (412±

3 nm)/N₂ (414.5±

3 nm).

25. The method of claim 18, futher comprising selecting a threshold value of the derivative value, wherein the threshold value of the derivative value is reached at a threshold time.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising calculating an endpoint time using the threshold time.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the threshold value is between about 10 and about 50.