Method and apparatus for monitoring and verifying equipment status
First Claim
1. An equipment status monitoring system, said equipment status monitoring system comprising:
- at least one multi-modal resonator included as a part of a semiconductor processing system;
a power source coupled to said at least one multi-modal resonator, said power source being configured to produce a microwave excitation signal corresponding to at least one mode of said multi-modal resonator and emit the microwave excitation signal into the semiconductor processing chamber;
a detector coupled to said at least one multi-modal resonator, said detector being configured to measure said microwave excitation signal; and
a control system connected to said detector and configured to provide a comparison of at least one measured excitation signal with a normal excitation signal corresponding to a normal status, wherein said comparison determines an equipment status.
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Abstract
An equipment status monitoring system having at least one multi-modal resonator included as a part of a semiconductor processing system and a power source coupled to the at least one multi-modal resonator. The power source is configured to produce a microwave excitation signal corresponding to at least one mode of the multi-modal resonator and emit the microwave excitation signal into the semiconductor processing chamber. The system includes a detector coupled to the at least one multi-modal resonator and configured to measure the excitation signal. The system includes a control system connected to the detector and configured to provide a comparison of at least one measured excitation signal with a normal excitation signal corresponding to a normal status.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. An equipment status monitoring system, said equipment status monitoring system comprising:
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at least one multi-modal resonator included as a part of a semiconductor processing system; a power source coupled to said at least one multi-modal resonator, said power source being configured to produce a microwave excitation signal corresponding to at least one mode of said multi-modal resonator and emit the microwave excitation signal into the semiconductor processing chamber; a detector coupled to said at least one multi-modal resonator, said detector being configured to measure said microwave excitation signal; and a control system connected to said detector and configured to provide a comparison of at least one measured excitation signal with a normal excitation signal corresponding to a normal status, wherein said comparison determines an equipment status. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of monitoring a status of a material processing system, said material processing system including a chamber, at least one multi-modal resonator positioned in relation to said chamber, a power source coupled to said multi-modal resonator, and a detector coupled to said multi-modal resonator, said method comprising:
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sweeping an output frequency of said power source to produce a microwave excitation signal; emitting the microwave excitation signal into a semiconductor processing chamber; recording said excitation signal from said multi-mode resonator; comparing said excitation signal with a normal excitation signal, wherein said normal excitation signal corresponds to a normal status of said material processing system; determining said status of said material processing system from said comparing; and providing said status to at least one of an operator and a control system for the material processing system. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. An equipment status monitoring system, said equipment status monitoring system comprising:
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at least one multi-modal resonator; a power source coupled to said at least one multi-modal resonator, said power source being configured to produce a microwave excitation signal corresponding to at least one mode of said multi-modal resonator; a detector coupled to said at least one multi-modal resonator, said detector being configured to measure said microwave excitation signal; and a control system connected to said detector and configured to provide a comparison of at least one measured excitation signal with a normal excitation signal corresponding to a normal status, wherein said comparison determines an equipment status wherein said comparison of at least one measured excitation signal with a normal excitation signal comprises a comparison of at least one of a signal frequency, a signal quality factor, a signal quality factor of at least one resonance mode, and an integrated signal.
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37. A method of monitoring a status of a material processing system, said material processing system including a chamber, at least one multi-modal resonator positioned in relation to said chamber, a power source coupled to said multi-modal resonator, and a detector coupled to said multi-modal resonator, said method comprising:
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sweeping an output frequency of said power source to produce a microwave excitation signal; recording said microwave excitation signal from said multi-mode resonator; comparing said excitation signal with a normal excitation signal, wherein said normal excitation signal corresponds to a normal status of said material processing system; determining said status of said material processing system from said comparing; and providing said status to at least one of an operator and a control system for the material processing system, wherein said comparing said excitation signal with said normal excitation signal comprises a comparison of at least one of a signal frequency, a signal quality factor, a signal quality factor of at least one resonance mode, and an integrated signal.
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Specification