Tuning a parameter associated with plasma impedance
First Claim
1. A method for tuning a parameter associated with plasma impedance, comprising:
- receiving information to determine a variable, the information measured at a transmission line, the information measured when the parameter has a first value, the transmission line used to provide power to a plasma chamber via an impedance matching circuit;
determining whether the variable is at a local minima;
providing the first value to generate a radio frequency (RF) signal upon determining that the variable is at the local minima, the RF signal corresponding to the first value, the RF signal to be sent to the plasma chamber;
changing the first value to a second value of the parameter upon determining that the variable is not at the local minima; and
determining whether the variable is at a local minima when the parameter has the second value,wherein the method is executed by a processor.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for tuning a parameter associated with plasma impedance are described. One of the methods includes receiving information to determine a variable. The information is measured at a transmission line and is measured when the parameter has a first value. The transmission line is used to provide power to a plasma chamber. The method further includes determining whether the variable is at a local minima and providing the first value to tune the impedance matching circuit upon determining that the variable is at the local minima. The method includes changing the first value to a second value of the parameter upon determining that the variable is not at the local minima and determining whether the variable is at a local minima when the parameter has the second value.
-
Citations
14 Claims
-
1. A method for tuning a parameter associated with plasma impedance, comprising:
-
receiving information to determine a variable, the information measured at a transmission line, the information measured when the parameter has a first value, the transmission line used to provide power to a plasma chamber via an impedance matching circuit; determining whether the variable is at a local minima; providing the first value to generate a radio frequency (RF) signal upon determining that the variable is at the local minima, the RF signal corresponding to the first value, the RF signal to be sent to the plasma chamber; changing the first value to a second value of the parameter upon determining that the variable is not at the local minima; and determining whether the variable is at a local minima when the parameter has the second value, wherein the method is executed by a processor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
-
-
4. A method for tuning a parameter associated with plasma impedance, comprising:
-
receiving information to determine a variable, the information measured at a transmission line, the information measured when the parameter has a first value, the transmission line used to provide power to a plasma chamber via an impedance matching circuit; determining whether the variable is at a local minima when the parameter has the first value; determining whether the first value of the parameter is within a limit of a learned value upon determining that the variable is at the local minima, the learned value determined during a learning routine; providing the learned value to generate a radio frequency (RF) signal or to tune the impedance matching circuit upon determining that the first value of the parameter is within the limit; and changing the first value to a second value of the parameter upon determining that the parameter has the first value that is outside the limit, wherein the method is executed by a processor. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A method for tuning a parameter associated with plasma impedance, comprising:
-
receiving information to determine a variable, the information measured at a transmission line, the information measured when the parameter has a first value, the transmission line used to provide power to a plasma chamber via an impedance matching circuit; determining a local minima of the variable, the local minima achieved when the parameter has the first value; tuning the parameter by changing the first value to one or more other values of the parameter; determining a number of events for which the variable is unstable when the parameter has the one or more other values; determining whether the number of events exceeds a boundary; reversing a direction of tuning the parameter upon determining that the number of events exceeds the boundary; and discontinuing further tuning of the parameter upon determining that the number of events does not exceed the boundary, wherein the method is executed by a processor. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
-
Specification