System and method for detecting a process point in multi-mode pulse processes

• US 9,640,371 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2014
• Issued: 05/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Inventors: Kabouzi, Yassine, Luque, Jorge, Tetiker, Mehmet Derya, Subramanian, Ramkumar, Yamaguchi, Yoko, Bailey, III, Andrew D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vinh, Lan
• Application Number:
  US14/523,770
• Publication Number:
  US 20160111261A1
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• Field of Search: 438 9, 438706, 438710, 438712, 438714, 438723, 216 58, 216 59, 216 60
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/334 Etching
• 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 37/32137 controlling of the discharge by modulation of energy
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32183 Matching circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32532 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32963 End-point detection
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/3065 Plasma etching; Reactive-ion etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67069 for drying etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67253 Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/26 Acting in response to an ongoing measurement without interruption of processing, e.g. endpoint detection, in-situ thickness measurement endpoint detection arrangements in CMP apparatus B24B37/013, in discharge apparatus H01J37/32

Abstract

A system and method of identifying a selected process point in a multi-mode pulsing process includes applying a multi-mode pulsing process to a selected wafer in a plasma process chamber, the multi-mode pulsing process including multiple cycles, each one of the cycles including at least one of multiple, different phases. At least one process output variable is collected for a selected at least one of the phases, during multiple cycles for the selected wafer. An envelope and/or a template of the collected at least one process output variable can be used to identify the selected process point. A first trajectory for the collected process output variable of a previous phase can be compared to a second trajectory of the process output variable of the selected phase. A multivariate analysis statistic of the second trajectory can be calculated and used to identify the selected process point.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

applying a multi-mode pulsing process to a selected wafer in a plasma process chamber, the multi-mode pulsing process including a plurality of cycles, each one of the plurality of cycles including a plurality of different phases;

collecting at least one process output variable for a phase of the plurality of phases during the plurality of cycles for the selected wafer;

comparing a plurality of trajectories of the at least one process output variable for the phase across the plurality of cycles;

calculating a distance from a point on a first one of the trajectories for a first one of the cycles to a point on a second one of the trajectories for a second one of the cycles; and

determining based on the distance whether an endpoint of the multi-mode pulsing process is reached.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein collecting the at least one process output variable for the phase during the plurality of cycles for the selected wafer includes collecting the at least one process output variable at a sampling rate of between 1 hertz and 10,000 hertz.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one process output variable is at least one of an optical emission spectrum emitted from plasma during the multi-mode pulsing process or a reflected spectrum reflected from a top surface of the selected wafer during the multi-mode pulsing process.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one process output variable is varied in each of the plurality of different phases.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of different phases has a duration of between 2 seconds and 20 seconds.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one process output variable includes a plurality of wavelengths of light.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a process changes for each of the plurality of different phases.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one process output variable includes an emitted spectrum, or a reflected spectrum, or an RF harmonic, or an RF voltage, or an RF current, or an RF impedance, or a process chamber temperature, or a process chamber pressure.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

analyzing the at least one process output variable; and

identifying a selected process point from the at least one process output variable.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein identifying the selected process point includes identifying the endpoint of the multi-mode pulsing process.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

differentiating the second trajectory of the phase in the second cycle that contains the selected process point from the plurality of trajectories, wherein differentiating includes;

calculating a multivariate analysis statistic for the second trajectory; and

identifying the selected process point when the multivariate analysis exceeds a threshold value.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein analyzing the at least one process output variable includes determining an envelope of the at least one process output variable and wherein the determined envelope includes a trend of the at least one process output variable prior to the selected process point.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein identifying the selected process point from the at least one process output variable includes identifying a multi-mode pulsing process point from the envelope of the at least one process output variable.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein identifying the selected process point from the at least one process output variable includes identifying the selected process point corresponding to a selected trend in a slope of the envelope.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein analyzing the at least one process output variable includes identifying a template for the selected process point of the multi-mode pulsing process, and wherein identifying the selected process point from the at least one process output variable includes matching the template for the selected process point to the at least one process output variable.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein identifying the template for the selected process point of the multi-mode pulsing process includes identifying a curve corresponding to the selected process point during the multi-mode pulsing process for a plurality of wafers.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the curve corresponding to the selected process point during the multi-mode pulsing process for a plurality of wafers is a unique curve.