Partial pressure measuring method and partial pressure measuring apparatus

• US 7,814,796 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2008
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yoshinaga, Mitsuhiro, Yamamoto, Masahiro, Yamanishi, Hitoshi, Muragishi, Isao, Koiwasaki, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Caputo; Lisa M
• Assistant Examiner(s): JENKINS, JERMAINE L
• Application Number:
  US12/103,763
• Publication Number:
  US 20080257014A1
• Time in Patent Office: 916 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 73/705
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/0042 Controlling partial pressure or flow rate of reactive or inert gases with feedback of measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 11/02 by optical means
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/0037 by spectrometry

Abstract

Provided is a partial pressure measuring method and a partial pressure measuring apparatus by which a partial pressure distribution is easily measured in a vacuum chamber. The partial pressure measuring method and the partial pressure measuring apparatus includes: moving a local plasma source dedicated to partial pressure measuring provided in the vacuum chamber, to a location at which the measuring is to be performed; and measuring a partial pressure distribution in the vacuum chamber, by receiving emission of plasma generated by the local plasma source through a window which is formed in a wall part of the vacuum chamber and through which the emission passes, and thereby performing emission spectral analysis on intensity of the emission.

Claims

1. A partial pressure measuring method comprising:

moving a local plasma source to a location at which partial pressure is to be measured, the local plasma source being provided in a vacuum chamber and dedicated to the partial pressure measuring; and

measuring a partial pressure distribution in the vacuum chamber, by (i) receiving, through a window, emission of plasma generated by the local plasma source and (ii) performing emission spectral analysis on intensity of the emission, the window being provided in a wall part of the vacuum chamber and through the window the emission passing.

2. The partial pressure measuring method according to claim 1,

wherein the local plasma source has an electrode which is one of a DC parallel plate electrode, a high-frequency parallel plate electrode, an inductively coupled plasma coil electrode, and a mesh opposite electrode.

3. The partial pressure measuring method according to claim 2,

wherein said partial pressure measuring method is performed in the vacuum chamber in a processing apparatus which includes in the vacuum chamber:

a process plasma source used for processing performed in the processing apparatus; and

a substrate which is to be processed in the processing apparatus, and

said partial pressure measuring method further comprises performing adjustment based on the partial pressure distribution measured in said measuring, so that a distribution of the intensity of the emission regarding each of said plurality of local plasma sources becomes homogeneous in the vacuum chamber,

wherein said adjusting includes physically forming a thin film on the substrate, by using another plasma generated by applying a high voltage to the process plasma source.

4. The partial pressure measuring method according to claim 3,

wherein the processing apparatus is a sputtering apparatus which has a target as a plasma source in the vacuum chamber and forms a thin film on the substrate by using another plasma generated by applying a high voltage to the target, and

in said adjusting, at least one of a gas flow volume, a gas mix ratio, a target application power, and a pressure control valve opening degree is adjusted based on the partial pressure distribution measured in said measuring, so that a distribution of the intensity of the emission becomes homogeneous in the vacuum chamber.

5. The partial pressure measuring method according to claim 1,

wherein the local plasma source has:

a surface which is substantively in a floating state; and

a metal surface facing the surface.

6. A partial pressure measuring method comprising

measuring a partial pressure distribution at plurality of locations in a vacuum chamber, by (i) receiving, through a window, emission of plasma generated by each of a plurality of local plasma sources in the vacuum chamber and (ii) performing emission spectral analysis on intensity of the emission regarding each of said plurality of local plasma sources, the window being provided in a wall part of the vacuum chamber and through the window the emission passing.

7. The partial pressure measuring method according to claim 6,

wherein the local plasma source has an electrode which is one of a DC parallel plate electrode, a high-frequency parallel plate electrode, an inductively coupled plasma coil electrode, and a mesh opposite electrode.

8. The partial pressure measuring method according to claim 6,

wherein the local plasma source has:

a surface which is substantively in a floating state; and

a metal surface facing the surface.

9. A partial pressure measuring apparatus comprising:

a local plasma source which is provided in a vacuum chamber and dedicated to partial pressure measuring;

a moving unit operable to move the local plasma source to a location at which the partial pressure is to be measured;

a window which is formed in a wall part of the vacuum chamber and through which the emission passes; and

a measurement unit operable to measure a partial pressure distribution in the vacuum chamber, by (i) receiving, through the window, emission of plasma generated by the local plasma source and (ii) performing emission spectral analysis on intensity of the emission.

10. The partial pressure measuring apparatus according to claim 9,

wherein said local plasma source has an electrode which is one of a DC parallel plate electrode, a high-frequency parallel plate electrode, an inductively coupled plasma coil electrode, and a mesh opposite electrode.

11. The partial pressure measuring apparatus according to claim 10,

wherein said partial pressure measuring apparatus is included in a processing apparatus which has in the vacuum chamber:

a process plasma source used for processing performed in the processing apparatus; and

a substrate which is to be processed in the processing apparatus,

the manufacturing apparatus performs adjustment based on the partial pressure distribution measured by said measuring unit, so that a distribution of the intensity of the emission becomes homogeneous in the vacuum chamber, and

forms physically a thin film on the substrate, by using another plasma generated by applying a high voltage to said process plasma source.

12. The partial pressure measuring apparatus according to claim 9,

wherein said local plasma source has:

a surface which is substantively in a floating state; and

a metal surface facing the surface.

13. The partial pressure measuring apparatus according to claim 11,

wherein the processing apparatus

is a sputtering apparatus which has a target as a plasma source in the vacuum chamber and forms a thin film on the substrate by using another plasma generated by applying a high voltage to the target, and

adjusts at least one of a gas flow volume, a gas mix ratio, a target application power, and a pressure control valve opening degree, based on the partial pressure distribution measured by said measurement unit, so that a distribution of the intensity of the emission becomes homogeneous in the vacuum chamber.

14. A partial pressure measuring apparatus comprising:

a plurality of local plasma sources which are provided in a vacuum chamber and dedicated to partial pressure measuring;

a window which is formed in a wall part of the vacuum chamber and through which the emission passes; and

a measurement unit operable to measure a partial pressure distribution in the vacuum chamber, by (i) receiving, through the window, emission of plasma generated by each of the plurality of local plasma sources and (ii) performing emission spectral analysis on intensity of the emission regarding each of said plurality of local plasma sources.

15. The partial pressure measuring apparatus according to claim 14,

wherein said local plasma source has an electrode which is one of a DC parallel plate electrode, a high-frequency parallel plate electrode, an inductively coupled plasma coil electrode, and a mesh opposite electrode.

16. The partial pressure measuring apparatus according to claim 14,

wherein said local plasma source has:

a surface which is substantively in a floating state; and

a metal surface facing the surface.