Tuning a parameter associated with plasma impedance

• US 9,627,182 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2016
• Issued: 04/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Inventors: Valcore, Jr., John C., Lyndaker, Bradford J.
• Primary Examiner(s): VO, TUYET THI
• Application Number:
  US15/063,430
• Publication Number:
  US 20160189932A1
• Time in Patent Office: 407 Days
• Field of Search: 15634544, 15634545, 15634546, 15634547, 15634543, 15634524, 1563451, 118715, 118722, 118723 R, 118723 I, 118723 IR
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32082 Radio frequency generated discharge H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394 and H01J37/32403 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/321 the radio frequency energy being inductively coupled to the plasma
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32183 Matching circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3244 Gas supply means
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32935 Monitoring and controlling tubes by information coming from the object and/or discharge
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3299 Feedback systems
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/46 using applied electromagnetic fields, e.g. high frequency or microwave energy H05H1/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/466 using capacitive coupling means, e.g. electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 2242/26 Matching networks

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.

Claims

1. A system for tuning a parameter associated with plasma impedance, comprising:

a radio frequency (RF) generator configured to generate an RF signal;

a line connected to the RF generator;

an impedance matching circuit connected to the line; and

one or more processors coupled to the RF generator, the one or more processors configured to;

receive information to determine a variable, the information measured at the line, the information measured when the parameter has a first value;

determine whether the variable is at a local minima when the parameter has the first value;

provide the first value to generate the RF signal upon determining that the variable is at the local minima; and

change the first value to a second value of the parameter upon determining that the variable is not at the local minima.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processor are configured to:

determine whether the variable is at the local minima when the parameter has the second value; and

provide the second value to generate the RF signal upon determining that the variable is at the local minima and when the parameter has the second value.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein to determine whether the variable is at the local minima when the parameter has a first value, the one or more processors are configured to:

determine whether the variable exceeds a threshold when the parameter has the first value;

or

determine whether the variable is stable when the parameter has the first value;

or

a combination thereof.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the information includes voltage, current, power, or a combination thereof, wherein the variable includes gamma, reflected power, complex voltage reflection coefficient, plasma impedance, or a combination thereof.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the local minima is other than an absolute minima.

6. A system for tuning a parameter associated with plasma impedance, comprising:

a radio frequency (RF) generator configured to generate an RF signal;

a line connected to the RF generator;

an impedance matching circuit connected to the line; and

one or more processors coupled to the RF generator, the one or more processors configured to;

receive information to determine a variable, the information measured at the line, the information measured when the parameter has a first value;

determine whether the variable is at a local minima when the parameter has the first value;

determine 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;

provide the learned value to generate the RF signal upon determining that the first value of the parameter is within the limit; and

change the first value to a second value of the parameter upon determining that the parameter has the first value that is outside the limit.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

determine whether the second value of the parameter is within the limit of the learned value upon determining that the variable is at the local minima and when the parameter has the second value; and

provide the learned value to generate the RF signal upon determining that the second value of the parameter is within the limit.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein to determine whether the variable is at the local minima when the parameter has the first value, the one or more processors are configured to:

determine whether the variable exceeds a threshold when the parameter has the first value; and

determine whether the variable is stable when the parameter has the first value.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the variable is unstable when the variable oscillates between a minimum value and a maximum value, and a range between the minimum value and the maximum value exceeds a predetermined range.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the variable is stable when the variable lacks the oscillation.

11. The system of claim 6, wherein the local minima is other than an absolute minima.

12. The system of claim 6, wherein the information includes voltage, current, power, or a combination thereof, wherein the variable includes gamma, reflected power, complex voltage reflection coefficient, plasma impedance, or a combination thereof.

13. A system for tuning a parameter associated with plasma impedance, comprising:

a radio frequency (RF) generator configured to generate an RF signal;

a line connected to the RF generator;

an impedance matching circuit connected to the line; and

one or more processors coupled to the RF generator, the one or more processors configured to;

receive information to determine a variable, the information measured at the line, the information measured when the parameter has a first value;

determine a local minima of the variable, the local minima achieved when the parameter has the first value;

tune the parameter by changing the first value to one or more other values of the parameter;

determine a number of events for which the variable is unstable when the parameter has the one or more other values;

determine whether the number of events exceeds a boundary;

reverse a direction of tuning the parameter upon determining that the number of events exceeds the boundary; and

discontinue further tuning of the parameter upon determining that the number of events does not exceed the boundary.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein to determine the local minima of the variable, the one or more processors are configured to:

determine that the variable does not exceed a threshold when the parameter has the first value; and

determine that the variable is stable when the parameter has the first value.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein to reverse the direction of tuning the parameter, the one or more processors are configured to increase a value of the parameter or decrease a value of the parameter.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the local minima is other than an absolute minima.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the information includes voltage, current, power, or a combination thereof, wherein the variable includes gamma, reflected power, complex voltage reflection coefficient, plasma impedance, or a combination thereof.

18. A system for tuning a parameter associated with plasma impedance, comprising:

a radio frequency (RF) generator configured to generate an RF signal;

a line connected to the RF generator;

an impedance matching circuit connected to the line; and

one or more processors coupled to the RF generator, the one or more processors configured to;

receive information to determine a variable, the information measured at the line, the information measured when the parameter has a first value;

determine whether the variable is at a local minima when the parameter has the first value;

control the impedance matching circuit using the first value upon determining that the variable is at the local minima; and

change the first value to a second value of the parameter upon determining that the variable is not at the local minima.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

determine whether the variable is at a local minima when the parameter has the second value; and

control the impedance matching circuit using the second value upon determining that the variable is at the local minima.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein to determine whether the variable is at the local minima when the parameter has a first value, the one or more processors are configured to:

determine whether the variable exceeds a threshold when the parameter has the first value;

or

determine whether the variable is stable when the parameter has the first value;

or

a combination thereof.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the information includes voltage, current, power, or a combination thereof, wherein the variable includes gamma, reflected power, complex voltage reflection coefficient, plasma impedance, or a combination thereof, wherein the local minima is other than an absolute minima.