Targeted data collection architecture

• US 7,565,220 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2006
• Issued: 07/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Inventors: Huang, Chung-Ho, Fan, Shih-Jeun
• Primary Examiner(s): DeCady; Albert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rapp; Chad
• Application Number:
  US11/536,585
• Publication Number:
  US 20080082653A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: 700/32, 700/51, 700/121, 707/102
• US Class Current: 700/121
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0221 Preprocessing measurements, e.g. data collection rate adjustment; Standardization of measurements; Time series or signal analysis, e.g. frequency analysis or wavelets; Trustworthiness of measurements; Indexes therefor; Measurements using easily measured parameters to estimate parameters difficult to measure; Virtual sensor creation; De-noising; Sensor fusion; Unconventional preprocessing inherently present in specific fault detection methods like PCA-based methods
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32935 Monitoring and controlling tubes by information coming from the object and/or discharge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

A targeted data collection system configured to collect processing data in a plasma processing system is provided. The system includes a data collection host and a plurality of plasma processing components having a plurality of sensors such that each of the plurality of plasma processing components having at least one sensor. Each of the sensors implements at least one intelligent targeted data agent that governs sensor data collection behavior. The system further includes a communication network coupling data collection host and plurality of sensors for bi-directional communication such that a given sensor of plurality of sensors receive information from data collection host pertaining to plasma processing system conditions occurring elsewhere from given sensor. Information received from data collection host causes the given sensor to collect at least a portion of the processing data in a first manner different from a second manner employed by sensor prior to receiving e information from the data collection host.

Claims

1. A targeted data collection system configured to collect processing data in a plasma processing system, the target data collection system comprising:

a data collection host;

a plurality of plasma processing components associated with a plurality of sensors such that each of said plurality of plasma processing components is associated with at least one sensor of said plurality of sensors, each of said sensors including at least one agent that governs sensor data collection behavior, said plurality of sensors including at least a first sensor and a second sensor, said first sensor including at least a first agent, said first agent defining at least a first condition and a second condition, said first condition requiring said first sensor to collect a first set of data in a first manner if said first agent is active, said second condition requiring said first sensor to collect a second set of data in a second manner different from said first manner if said first agent is active, said second sensor including at least a second agent, said second agent defining at least a third condition, said third condition requiring said second sensor to collect a third set of data in a third manner if said second anent is active, said second agent remains inactive unless said first agent triggers said first sensor to collect said second set of data in said second manner; and

a communication network coupling said data collection host and said plurality of sensors for bi-directional communication.

2. The targeted data collection system of claim 1 wherein

said second manner differs from said first manner in frequency of data collection,

said second sensor including at least a third agent that defines at least a fourth condition, said fourth condition requiring said second sensor to collect a fourth set of data in a fourth manner if said third agent is active,

said third agent collects signal data it said second agent sends a signal.

3. The targeted data collection system of claim 1 wherein said second manner differs from said first manner in a type of data collected.

4. The targeted data collection system of claim 1 wherein said second manner employs a sliding window approach for data collection.

5. The targeted data collection system of claim 1 wherein said first sensor includes at least two different agents, said two different agents affecting data collection behavior of said first sensor.

6. The targeted data collection system of claim 1 wherein said first manner represents an inactive sensor state, said second manner representing an active sensor state.

7. The targeted data collection system of claim 6 wherein said first sensor enters said active sensor state from said inactive sensor state only after said first sensor receives information.

8. The targeted data collection system of claim 1 wherein said first sensor is configured to measure one of temperature, voltage, and current.

9. The targeted data collection s stem of claim 1 wherein said first sensor includes a processor configured to process a collected by said first sensor.

10. The targeted data collection system of claim 9 wherein said processor is configured to generate statistics from data collected by said first sensor.

11. The targeted, data collection system of claim 1 wherein said third set of data represents one of recipe start signal and recipe end signal.

12. A method for collecting substrate processing data in a plasma processing system, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of agents at a plurality of sensors such that each sensor of said plurality of sensors is controlled at least in part by at least one sensor of said plurality of sensors, wherein said plurality of sensors includes at least a fast sensor and a second sensor, and said plurality of sensors is disposed at different components of said plasma processing system;

implementing at least a first agent in said first sensor, said first agent defining at least a first condition and a second condition, said first condition requiring said first sensor to collect a first set of data in a first manner if said first agent is active, said second condition requiring said first sensor to collect a second set of data in a second manner different from said first manner if said first agent is active;

implementing at least a second agent in said second sensor to govern data collection behavior of said second sensor, said second agent defining at least a third condition, third condition requiring said second sensor to collect a third set of data in a third manner if said second agent is active; and

keeping said second agent inactive unless said first agent triggers said first sensor to collect said second set of data in said second manner.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

implementing at least a third agent in said second sensor said third agent defining at least a fourth condition, said fourth condition requiring said second sensor to collect a fourth set of data in a fourth manner if said third agent is active; and

activating said third agent if said second agent sends a signal,

wherein said second manner differs from said first manner in frequency of data collection.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein said second manner differs from said first manner in a type of data collected.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein, said second manner employs a sliding window approach for data collection.

16. The method of claim 12 further comprising implementing at least one additional agent in said first sensor for governing data collection behavior of said first sensor.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein said first manner represents an inactive sensor state, said second manner representing an active sensor state.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said first sensor enters said active sensor state from said inactive sensor state only after said first sensor receives information.

19. The method of claim 12 wherein said first sensor is configured to measure one of temperature, voltage, and current.

20. The method of claim 12 wherein said first sensor includes a processor configured to process data collected by said first sensor.

22. The method of claim 12 wherein said third set of data represents one of recipe start signal and recipe end signal.

21. The method of clam 20 wherein said processor is configured to generate statistics from data collected by said first sensor.

23. An article of manufacture having thereon computer readable medium, said computer readable medium having thereon computer readable code that, when executed, governs data collection behavior of one or more sensors in a plasma processing system, the article of manufacture comprising:

computer readable code for a first sensor to collect a first set of data in a first manner if a first condition is met;

computer readable code for said first sensor to collect a second set of data in a second manner different from said first manner if a second condition is met;

computer readable code for implementing an agent for requiring a second sensor to collect a third set of data in a third manner if a third condition is met; and

computer readable code for activating said anent if said first sensor collects said second set of data in said second manner.

24. The article of manufacture of claim 23 wherein said second manner employs a sliding window approach for data collection.

25. The article of manufacture of claim 23 wherein said first mariner represents an inactive sensor state said second manner representing an active sensor state.

26. The article of manufacture of claim 23 wherein said first sensor is configured to measure one of temperature, voltage, and current.

27. The article of manufacture of claim 23 further comprising computer readable code for processing data collected by said first sensor.

28. The article of manufacturer of claim 27 wherein said processing data includes generating statistics from said first set of data.