End point detection method for plasma etching of semiconductor wafers with low exposed area

• US 7,871,830 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2006
• Issued: 01/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pivotal Systems Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pivotal Systems Corporation
• Inventors: Lane, Barton, Johal, Sumer S., Kieffel, Herve C., Spruytte, Sylvia G. J. P., Gorin, Georges J.
• Primary Examiner(s): ALANKO, ANITA KAREN
• Application Number:
  US11/335,099
• Publication Number:
  US 20060157446A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,826 Days
• Field of Search: 438/9, 438/689, 438/706, 438/714, 216/67, 216/83, 216/86
• US Class Current: 438/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32082 Radio frequency generated discharge H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394 and H01J37/32403 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32623 Mechanical discharge control means
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32935 Monitoring and controlling tubes by information coming from the object and/or discharge
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/26 Acting in response to an ongoing measurement without interruption of processing, e.g. endpoint detection, in-situ thickness measurement endpoint detection arrangements in CMP apparatus B24B37/013, in discharge apparatus H01J37/32

Abstract

A method for controlling the plasma etching of semiconductor wafers determines the impedance of a plasma chamber using values representing voltage, current, and the phase angle between them, as provided by a sensor. All or less than all of the data during a first time period may be used to calculate a model. During a second time period, real time data is used to calculate a version of the instant impedance of the chamber. This version of impendence is compared to a time-projected version of the model. The method determines that etching should be stopped when the received data deviates from the extrapolated model by a certain amount. In some embodiments a rolling average is used in the second time period, the rolling average compared to the model to determine the end point condition.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a plasma processing chamber, wherein the plasma processing chamber includes an RF generator, the RF generator providing a drive signal to an electrode to generate a gas plasma, and an RF sensor for sensing operating characteristics of the drive signal, wherein the plasma processing chamber processes a single semiconductor wafer at a time, the method consisting of:

(1) selecting a mathematical model equation of the form X(ti)=A+Be(exp (−

λ

*ti)), wherein X(ti) is an instant electrical reactance of the plasma processing chamber;

(2) commanding the plasma processing chamber to begin processing the wafer according to a predetermined plasma etching recipe;

(3) receiving a plurality of data sets from the RF sensor, each data set comprising a representation of RMS voltage, RMS current, and phase angle between the RMS voltage and RMS current during a first time period, wherein each data set corresponds to a unique time point;

(4) saving the data sets received from the RF sensor and their corresponding time points;

(5) calculating the variable parameters A, B, and λ

using the data set values;

(6) receiving an additional data set from the RF sensor during a second time period;

(7) saving the additional data set received from the RF sensor and its corresponding time point;

(8) using the values of the variable parameters A, B, and λ

from the first time period, calculating a value of the mathematical model for a time point corresponding to the same time point of the additional data set;

(9) calculating a residual between the additional data set and the value of the mathematical model for the time point corresponding to the time point of the additional data set;

(10) if and the residual is greater than a predetermined threshold, commanding the plasma processing chamber to stop processing; and

(11) if the residual is not greater than the threshold, repeating the process steps beginning with the operation (6) above, thereby extending the second time period.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein less than all of the data sets received during the first time period are used to calculate the mathematical model.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the instant electrical reactance is received from the RF sensor.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the instant electrical reactance of the plasma processing chamber is calculated by the formula of Reactance=(V*SIN(Theta)/I), wherein V, I, and Theta respectively represent the RMS voltage, RMS current, and the angle between the RMS voltage and the RMS current, provided to the electrode of the plasma processing chamber by the RF generator.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the mathematical model is modified to reduce the effect of noise during the first time period.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined threshold is a number of standard deviations of a difference between the data set and the mathematical model during the second time period.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the number of standard deviations is two.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the threshold is a sliding multiple-point average of a standard deviation of the difference between the data set and the mathematical model during the second time period.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the sliding multiple-point average of the standard deviation is approximately two.

10. The method according to claim 1, further including a step wherein the plasma processing chamber is commanded to stop processing if the total time of processing exceeds a predetermined value.