Arrangement for identifying uncontrolled events at the process module level and methods thereof

• US 8,618,807 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2010
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Inventors: Albarede, Luc, Venugopal, Vijayakumar C
• Primary Examiner(s): Koval, Melissa
• Assistant Examiner(s): MILLER, DANIEL R
• Application Number:
  US12/826,568
• Publication Number:
  US 20100332014A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,281 Days
• Field of Search: 324/409, 324/464, 324/536, 361 42- 48
• US Class Current: 324/500
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31202 Semiconductor equipment communication standard SECS
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32935 Monitoring and controlling tubes by information coming from the object and/or discharge

Abstract

A method for detecting an in-situ fast transient event within a processing chamber during substrate processing is provided. The method includes a set of sensors comparing a data set to a set of criteria (in-situ fast transient events) to determine if the first data set includes a potential in-situ fast transient event. If the first data set includes the potential in-situ fast transient event, the method also includes saving an electrical signature that occurs in a time period during which the potential in-situ fast transient event occurs. The method further includes comparing the electrical signature against a set of stored arc signatures. If a match is determined, the method yet also includes classifying the electrical signature as a first in-situ fast transient event and determining a severity level for the first in-situ fast transient event based on a predefined set of threshold ranges.

Claims

1. A method for detecting an in-situ fast transient event within a processing chamber of a plasma processing system during substrate processing, said method comprising:

receiving data indicative of electrical conditions within the processing chamber using a fast-transient sensor operating at a high sampling rate, wherein the fast-transient sensor comprises a sensor controller implementing a fast sampling transient algorithm contemporaneously with the receipt of the data, wherein the fast sampling transient algorithm identifies potential in-situ fast transient events in the received data based on the application of pre-defined criteria, wherein the pre-defined criteria includes a simultaneous voltage and current spike in the received data;

when a potential in-situ fast transient event in the received data is identified by the sensor controller, extracting from the received data an electrical signature corresponding to the potential in-situ fast transient event, wherein the extraction is implemented by the fast sampling transient algorithm and performed in a time period during which the potential in-situ fast transient event occurs;

receiving, by an analyzing module separate from the fast-transient sensor, the electrical signature directly from the fast-transient sensor, wherein the analyzing module is a process-module-level analysis server to perform analysis for a process module and a set of fast-transient sensors associated with the process module;

analyzing the received electrical signature by the analyzing module, wherein analyzing includes comparing the received electrical signature against a set of stored arc signatures;

classifying, by the analyzing module, the received electrical signature as a first in-situ fast transient event when the received electrical signature matches one of the set of stored arc signatures;

adding, by the analyzing module, the received electrical signature to a library as a non-fast transient event when the received electrical signature does not match one of the set of stored arc signatures; and

determining, by the analyzing module, a severity level for the first in-situ fast transient event based on a predefined set of threshold ranges.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said first in-situ fast transient event is a micro-arcing event.

2. The method of claim further including determining a course of action based on said severity level of said first in-situ fast transient event.

4. An arrangement for detecting an in-situ fast transient event within a processing chamber of a plasma processing system, wherein said processing chamber includes a plurality of sensors configured for collecting data during substrate processing, said arrangement comprising:

a fast-transient sensor operating at a high sampling rate configured to receive data indicative of electrical conditions within the processing chamber, wherein the fast-transient sensor comprises a sensor controller implementing a fast sampling transient algorithm contemporaneously with the receipt of the data, wherein the fast sampling transient algorithm identifies potential in-situ fast transient events in the received data based on the application of pre-defined criteria, wherein the pre-defined criteria includes a simultaneous voltage and current spike in the received data;

wherein the sensor controller is configured such that when a potential in-situ fast transient event in the received data is identified by the sensor controller, the fast sampling transient algorithm extracts from the received data an electrical signature corresponding to the potential in-situ fast transient event, wherein the extraction is performed in a time period during which the potential in-situ fast transient event occurs;

an analyzing module separate from the fast-transient sensor configured to receive the electrical signature directly from the fast-transient sensor, wherein the analyzing module is a process-module-level analysis server configured to perform analysis for a process module and a set of fast-transient sensors associated with the process module;

wherein the analyzing module is further configured to;

analyze the received electrical signature by comparing the received electrical signature against a set of stored arc signatures;

classify the received electrical signature as a first in-situ fast transient event when the received electrical signature matches one of the set of stored arc signatures;

add the received electrical signature to a library as a non-fast transient event when the received electrical signature does not match one of the set of stored arc signatures; and

determine a severity level for the first in-situ fast transient event based on a predefined set of threshold ranges.

5. The arrangement of claim 4 further including a library, wherein said library is configured for storing said set of stored arc signatures.

6. The arrangement of claim 5 wherein said library is configured for storing non-fast transient signatures.

7. The arrangement of claim 4 wherein analyzing module is configured for sending said course of action directly to a process module controller when said fast transient event is identified during said substrate processing.

8. The arrangement of claim 4 wherein said analyzing module is further configured for determining a course of action based on said severity level of said fast transient event.

9. The arrangement of claim 4 wherein said fast transient event is a micro-arcing event.

10. The arrangement of claim 4 wherein said fast sampling transient algorithm module is controlled by said analyzing module that is configured to interact directly with said plurality of sensors.