Method and apparatus for detecting plasma unconfinement

• US 8,257,503 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2008
• Issued: 09/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Inventors: Kim, KeeChan, Kim, Yunsang, Bailey, Andrew D. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Kornakov, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLAN, NICOLE R
• Application Number:
  US12/114,681
• Publication Number:
  US 20090272402A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,586 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 134/1.3
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/68 using high frequency electric fields
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67028 for cleaning followed by drying, rinsing, stripping, blasting or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67069 for drying etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67253 Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring

Abstract

A method for detecting plasma unconfinement in a reaction chamber during a bevel edge cleaning operation is provided. The method initiates with selecting a wavelength associated with expected by products of a bevel edge clean process. The method includes cleaning the bevel edge area of a substrate and monitoring the intensity of the selected wavelengths during the cleaning for deviation from a threshold wavelength intensity. The cleaning is terminated if the deviation from the threshold wavelength intensity exceeds a target deviation.

Claims

1. A method for detecting plasma unconfinement in a reaction chamber during a bevel edge cleaning operation, comprising:

selecting wavelengths associated with expected byproducts of a bevel edge clean process;

cleaning the bevel edge area of a substrate through a plasma confined to a region proximate to the bevel edge area;

monitoring the selected wavelengths originating within the chamber during the cleaning for deviation from a wavelength intensity value stored in an external controller, the deviation based on an averaged difference between a maximum wavelength and a minimum wavelength measured over a time period; and

terminating the cleaning if the deviation from the wavelength intensity value exceeds a target deviation, wherein the deviation from the wavelength intensity value exceeding the target deviation indicates an unconfined condition where the plasma extends outside the region proximate to the bevel edge area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the byproducts include silicon fluoride and carbon monoxide.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the wavelengths are monitored externally through a quartz window of the reaction chamber.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein cleaning the bevel edge area includes striking a plasma proximate to a peripheral edge of the substrate.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the plasma is a CF₄ based plasma.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein an inert gas flows through a center area of the reaction chamber and towards the bevel edge.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the unconfined condition is a result of an inner region of the substrate being etched.

8. A method for preventing plasma unconfinement from an edge region of a substrate in a reaction chamber during an edge cleaning process, comprising:

processing a semiconductor substrate in a processing chamber, the processing depositing byproducts on a peripheral edge of the substrate;

performing an edge cleaning process to remove the deposited byproducts, the edge cleaning process including,

striking a plasma confined to a peripheral edge region of the substrate;

monitoring confinement of the plasma to the peripheral edge region, the monitoring performed through a single window embedded into a sidewall of the reaction chamber proximate to the peripheral edge region, the monitoring including,

tracking a wavelength signal originated within the chamber during the edge cleaning process; and

determining whether the plasma remains confined to the peripheral edge region based on fluctuation of an averaged difference between a maximum wavelength and a minimum wavelength measured over a time period of the tracked wavelength signal relative to a wavelength intensity value stored in an external controller.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the byproducts include silicon fluoride and carbon monoxide.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the wavelength signal is monitored internally within the chamber through an optical emission spectrometer sensor integrated into the reaction chamber.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the process chamber is an etch chamber.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the plasma is a CF₄ based plasma.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein an inert gas flows through a center area of the reaction chamber and towards the bevel edge during the edge cleaning process.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein determining whether the plasma remains confined based on fluctuation of the tracked wavelength signal includes,

tracking deviation of the wavelength signal over a time period;

identifying the maximum wavelength, the minimum wavelength and an average wavelength during the time period.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

subtracting the minimum wavelength from the maximum wavelength and dividing a result by the average wavelength; and

comparing a result of the dividing to a threshold value to determine whether the plasma is confined for the time period.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein if the result of the dividing is greater than the threshold value then the edge cleaning process is terminated.

17. The method of claim 8, wherein fluctuation of the tracked wavelength signal is a result of an inner region of the substrate being etched.

18. A method for detecting plasma unconfinement in a reaction chamber during a bevel edge cleaning operation, comprising:

selecting wavelengths associated with expected byproducts of a bevel edge clean process;

cleaning the bevel edge area of a substrate through a plasma confined to a region proximate to the bevel edge area;

monitoring the selected wavelengths originating within the chamber during the cleaning for deviation from a wavelength intensity value stored in an external controller, the deviation based on a ratio of a difference and an average wavelength, the difference between a maximum wavelength and a minimum wavelength, the maximum wavelength, the minimum wavelength, and the average wavelength measured over a time period; and

terminating the cleaning if the deviation from the wavelength intensity value exceeds a target deviation, wherein the deviation from the wavelength intensity value exceeding the target deviation indicates an unconfined condition where the plasma extends outside the region proximate to the bevel edge area.