Methods for characterizing dielectric properties of parts

• US 7,777,500 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2008
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Inventors: Comendant, Keith, Sato, Arthur H., Wu, Feiyang, Liu, Qing, Kim, Jaehyun
• Primary Examiner(s): Dole; Timothy J
• Application Number:
  US12/240,414
• Publication Number:
  US 20090091335A1
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• Field of Search: 324/639, 324/663
• US Class Current: 324/663
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/04 by investigating resistance
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 27/2623 Measuring-systems or electronic circuits G01R27/2635, G01R27/2682 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

Characterizing dielectric properties of a part includes placing a full-sized part within a dielectric property measurement apparatus. In one embodiment, the full-sized part is a dielectric part of a plasma processing system. The dielectric property measurement apparatus is operated to determine a dielectric constant value of the full-sized part and a loss tangent value of the full-sized part. The determined dielectric constant and loss tangent values are affixed to the full-sized part.

Claims

1. A method for characterizing dielectric properties of a part, comprising:

placing a full-size part having its normal geometric configuration within a dielectric property measurement apparatus, wherein the dielectric property measurement apparatus includes an electrically grounded chamber, a lower electrode disposed within the chamber and connected to a radiofrequency (RF) transmission rod, and an electrically grounded upper electrode disposed within the chamber above the lower electrode, wherein the full-size part is placed on the lower electrode;

positioning the electrically grounded upper electrode to rest freely on top of the full-size part such that a contact force between the electrically grounded upper electrode and the full-size part is defined only by a weight of the electrically grounded upper electrode;

operating the dielectric property measurement apparatus to determine a dielectric constant value of the full-size part and a loss tangent value of the full-sized part; and

attaching the determined dielectric constant and loss tangent values to the full-size part.

2. A method for characterizing dielectric properties of a part as recited in claim 1, wherein the dielectric property measurement apparatus is operated at a radiofrequency (RF) power having a frequency substantially equal to a frequency to which the full-size part is to be exposed during use of the full-size part.

3. A method for characterizing dielectric properties of a part as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

exposing the full-size part to operational atmospheric conditions and operational temperatures during operation of the dielectric property measurement apparatus to determine the dielectric constant and the loss tangent values of the full-size part, wherein the operational atmospheric conditions and temperatures represent atmospheric conditions and temperatures to which the full-size part is to be exposed during use of the full-size part.

4. A method for characterizing dielectric properties of a part as recited in claim 1, wherein attaching the determined dielectric constant and loss tangent values to the full-size part is performed by embossing the determined dielectric constant and loss tangent values on the full-size part.

5. A method for characterizing dielectric properties of a part as recited in claim 1, wherein attaching the determined dielectric constant and loss tangent values to the full-size part is performed by affixing to the full-size part a tag displaying the determined dielectric constant and loss tangent values on the full-size part.

6. A method for characterizing dielectric properties of a part as recited in claim 1, wherein the full-size part is a dielectric component within a plasma processing system.

7. A method for characterizing dielectric properties of a part as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

storing the determined dielectric constant and loss tangent values of the full-size part on a computer readable medium; and

supplying the computer readable medium in conjunction with the full-size part.

8. A method for characterizing dielectric properties of a dielectric part of a plasma processing system, comprising:

placing a full-size version of the dielectric part having its normal geometric configuration within a dielectric property measurement apparatus, wherein the dielectric property measurement apparatus includes an electrically grounded chamber, a lower electrode disposed within the chamber and connected to a radiofrequency (RF) transmission rod, and an electrically grounded upper electrode disposed within the chamber above the lower electrode, wherein the full-size version of the dielectric part is placed on the lower electrode;

positioning the electrically grounded upper electrode to rest freely on top of the full-size version of the dielectric part such that a contact force between the electrically grounded upper electrode and the full-size version of the dielectric part is defined only by a weight of the electrically grounded upper electrode;

operating the dielectric property measurement apparatus to determine a capacitance value of the dielectric part, a resistance value of the dielectric part, a dielectric constant value of the dielectric part, and a loss tangent value of the dielectric part; and

embossing on the dielectric part each of the dielectric constant and loss tangent values of the dielectric part.

9. A method for characterizing dielectric properties of a dielectric part of a plasma processing system as recited in claim 8, wherein the dielectric property measurement apparatus is operated at a radiofrequency (RF) power having a frequency substantially equal to a frequency to which the dielectric part is to be exposed during its use within the plasma processing system.

10. A method for characterizing dielectric properties of a dielectric part of a plasma processing system as recited in claim 8, further comprising:

exposing the dielectric part to operational atmospheric conditions and operational temperatures during operation of the dielectric property measurement apparatus to determine the capacitance, resistance, dielectric constant, and loss tangent values of the dielectric part, wherein the operational atmospheric conditions and temperatures represent atmospheric conditions and temperatures to which the dielectric part is to be exposed during its use within the plasma processing system.