Current-based method and apparatus for detecting and classifying arcs
First Claim
1. A method of detecting and classifying arcs in a physical vapor deposition process comprising:
- monitoring a power supply voltage and current of a plasma generation apparatus;
detecting a plurality of instances when the voltage drops below a predetermined first voltage threshold;
timing the duration of each instance the voltage drops below the predetermined first voltage threshold;
detecting a plurality of instances the current spikes above a predetermined first current threshold;
timing the duration of each instance the current spikes above the predetermined first current threshold; and
identifying each instance the voltage drops below the predetermined first voltage threshold with and without a corresponding coincidental current spike and each instance the current spikes above the predetermined first current threshold with and without a corresponding coincidental voltage drop; and
sending data for each of the identified instances.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and technique are provided for generating a plasma using a power supply circuit and arc detection arrangement. The power supply circuit has a cathode enclosed in a chamber, and is adapted to generate a power-related parameter. The arc detection arrangement is communicatively coupled to the power supply circuit and adapted to assess the severity of arcing in the chamber by comparing the power-related parameter to at least one threshold. According to various implementations, arc occurrences, arcing duration, intensity and/or energy are measured responsive to comparing the power-related parameter to the at least one threshold. According to further implementations, the above-mentioned measured quantities are accumulated and/or further processed. An apparatus and method are also provided for detecting arc events when the current spikes above a threshold level. The method and apparatus is also for classifying the arc events based on the voltage and current signals and the duration each is beyond a threshold value.
26 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method of detecting and classifying arcs in a physical vapor deposition process comprising:
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monitoring a power supply voltage and current of a plasma generation apparatus; detecting a plurality of instances when the voltage drops below a predetermined first voltage threshold; timing the duration of each instance the voltage drops below the predetermined first voltage threshold; detecting a plurality of instances the current spikes above a predetermined first current threshold; timing the duration of each instance the current spikes above the predetermined first current threshold; and identifying each instance the voltage drops below the predetermined first voltage threshold with and without a corresponding coincidental current spike and each instance the current spikes above the predetermined first current threshold with and without a corresponding coincidental voltage drop; and sending data for each of the identified instances. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of determining an arc event in a plasma generation apparatus comprising the steps of:
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monitoring a power supply current and voltage; detecting a voltage drop in the monitored voltage; determining whether a current spike in the monitored current coincides with the voltage drop; determining that a first arc event type has occurred if it is determined that a current spike in the monitored current coincides with the voltage drop; determining that a second arc event type has occurred if it is determined that a current spike in the monitored current does not coincide with the voltage drop, and sending data based on the event type. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A method for detecting arcs in a plasma generation apparatus having an interface configured to detect a voltage and current of a supply of power, the plasma generation apparatus being configured to create an ionized gas between a target and a wafer, the method comprising the steps of:
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comparing the voltage to a voltage threshold value at a set frequency; and
,comparing the current to a current threshold value at the set frequency; first determining if an arc event occurred based on a first comparison of the voltage to the voltage threshold value and a first comparison of the current to the current threshold value; and second determining if another arc event occurred based on a second comparison of the voltage to the voltage threshold value and a second comparison of the current to the current threshold value, wherein responsive to the first determining that an arc event occurred, performing the second determining comprises delaying the second comparison of the voltage to the voltage threshold value and the second comparison of the current to the current threshold value for a transition delay period. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. An apparatus for detecting an arc event in a plasma generation chamber, the apparatus comprising:
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a power supply interface module configured to detect a power supply voltage and current applied to the plasma generation chamber; an arc detection unit communicatively coupled to the power supply interface module, the arc detection unit including a threshold comparator circuit arranged to compare the voltage to a first voltage threshold value and compare the current to a first current threshold value; and logic circuitry configured to make a determination of events based on an output of the threshold comparator circuit, to determine the duration of events based on the voltage dropping below the first voltage threshold value and the duration of an event based on the current spiking above the first current threshold value, and to classify events based on the output of the threshold comparator circuit and the duration of each event by; for each of the events where a voltage drop and a current spike are coincidental, assigning that event a first classification, for each of the events where one or more voltage drops without a corresponding coincidental current spike have a cumulative duration less than a predetermined time, assigning that event a second classification, for each of the events where one or more voltage drops without a corresponding coincidental current spike have a cumulative duration greater than a predetermined time, assigning that event a third classification, for each of the events where one or more current spikes without a corresponding coincidental voltage drop have a cumulative duration less than a predetermined time, assigning that event a fourth classification, and for each of the events where one or more current spikes without a corresponding coincidental voltage drop have a cumulative duration greater than a predetermined time, assigning that event a fifth classification. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of determining an arc event in a plasma generation apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:
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monitoring a power supply current and voltage; detecting a current spike in the monitored current; determining whether a voltage drop in the monitored voltage coincides with the current spike; determining that a first arc event type has occurred if it is determined that a voltage drop in the monitored current coincides with the current spike; determining that a second arc event type has occurred if it is determined that a voltage drop in the monitored current does not coincide with the current spike, and sending data based on the event type. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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26. A plasma generation apparatus, comprising:
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a power supply interface configured to monitor a power supply voltage and current of the plasma generation apparatus; an arc detector configured to detect a plurality of instances when the voltage drops below a predetermined first voltage threshold and a plurality of instances when the current spikes above a predetermined first current threshold; and logic circuitry configured to; time the duration of each instance the voltage drops below the predetermined first voltage threshold, time the duration of each instance the current spikes above the predetermined first current threshold, and identify each instance the voltage drops below the predetermined first voltage threshold with and without a corresponding coincidental current spike and each instance the current spikes above the predetermined first current threshold with and without a corresponding coincidental voltage drop. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification