Determining endpoint in a substrate process
First Claim
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1. A method of processing a substrate in a process zone, the method comprising:
- (a) determining a reflectance spectrum of light reflected from a substrate, the light having a wavelength;
(b) processing the substrate by exposing the substrate to an energized gas in the process zone while light having the wavelength is reflected from the substrate;
(c) detecting light having the wavelength after the light is reflected from the substrate, and generating a signal trace of the intensity of the reflected light; and
(d) normalizing the signal trace with the reflectance spectrum of the light and evaluating the normalized signal trace to determine an endpoint of the process.
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Abstract
An endpoint detection method for detecting an endpoint of a process comprises determining a reflectance spectrum of light reflected from a substrate, the light having a wavelength, processing the substrate while light having the wavelength is reflected from the substrate, detecting light having the wavelength after the light is reflected from the substrate, generating a signal trace of the intensity of the reflected light and normalizing the signal trace with the reflectance spectrum of the light. The normalized signal trace can then be evaluated to determine an endpoint of the process.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of processing a substrate in a process zone, the method comprising:
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(a) determining a reflectance spectrum of light reflected from a substrate, the light having a wavelength; (b) processing the substrate by exposing the substrate to an energized gas in the process zone while light having the wavelength is reflected from the substrate; (c) detecting light having the wavelength after the light is reflected from the substrate, and generating a signal trace of the intensity of the reflected light; and (d) normalizing the signal trace with the reflectance spectrum of the light and evaluating the normalized signal trace to determine an endpoint of the process. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of processing a substrate in a process zone, the substrate comprising an overlying material and an underlying material below the overlying material, the method comprising:
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(a) determining a reflectance spectrum of light reflected from the underlying material of the substrate when it is substantially absent the overlying material; (b) processing the substrate having the overlying material and the underlying material, by exposing the substrate to an energized gas in the process zone while light having the wavelength is reflected from the substrate; and (c) during (b), detecting light having the wavelength after the light is reflected from the substrate, and generating a signal trace of the intensity of the reflected light; (d) normalizing the signal trace with the reflectance spectrum of the light from the underlying material; and (e) evaluating the normalized signal trace to determine an endpoint of the process. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification