Apparatus and method for automatically identifying chemical species within a plasma reactor environment
First Claim
1. In a method to control the environment of a plasma chamber containing at least one chemical species during a semiconductor fabrication procedure, comprising the steps of:
- generating a sample spectrum indicative of the chemical species in the plasma;
providing a library containing a multiplicity of predefined spectral patterns, each spectral pattern being indicative of a particular chemical species;
automatically correlating said spectrum with said predefined spectral patterns in said library, and yielding a correlation value for each libraried spectrum pattern;
identifying the chemical species in the plasma based on the highest correlation values, and generating an identifier list indicating the chemical species and abundances thereof in the plasma.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus to control the plasma environment in a semiconductor or thin-film fabrication chamber. The apparatus and method include a means for measuring an optical emission spectrum of the chemical species in the plasma and a library containing a multiplicity of predefined spectral patterns. A processor automatically correlates the spectrum with the predefined spectral patterns in the library, and yields a correlation value for all the correlations. A subset of the predefined spectral patterns based upon the highest correlation values are selected and used to identify the chemical species and abundances thereof in the plasma. A comparator compares the subset with a target set of plasma species and abundances and a control signal generator generates a control signal in response to the comparison to control the chamber environment. In a preferred embodiment, the control signal controls the plasma environment in the reactor chamber when said subset differs from said target set by a predefined amount.
136 Citations
19 Claims
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1. In a method to control the environment of a plasma chamber containing at least one chemical species during a semiconductor fabrication procedure, comprising the steps of:
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generating a sample spectrum indicative of the chemical species in the plasma; providing a library containing a multiplicity of predefined spectral patterns, each spectral pattern being indicative of a particular chemical species; automatically correlating said spectrum with said predefined spectral patterns in said library, and yielding a correlation value for each libraried spectrum pattern; identifying the chemical species in the plasma based on the highest correlation values, and generating an identifier list indicating the chemical species and abundances thereof in the plasma. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. In a method to control the environment of a processing chamber containing at least one chemical species comprising the steps of:
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generating a sample spectrum indicative of the chemical species in the plasma; providing a library containing a multiplicity of predefined spectral patterns, each spectral pattern being indicative of a particular chemical species; automatically correlating said spectrum with said predefined spectral patterns in said library, and yielding a correlation value for each libraried spectrum pattern; identifying the chemical species in the plasma based upon the highest correlation values, and generating an identifier list indicating the chemical species and abundances thereof in the plasma; and comparing said identified species and volumes with a target set of plasma species and volumes and determining the deviation of the identified species from said target. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. In an apparatus to control the plasma environment in a semiconductor fabrication chamber containing at least one chemical species, comprising:
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a means for generating a sample spectrum indicative of the chemical species in the plasma; a means for providing a library containing a multiplicity of predefined spectral patterns, each spectral pattern being indicative of a particular chemical species; a means for automatically correlating said spectrum with said predefined spectra patterns in said library, and yeilding a correlation value for each libraried spectrum pattern; a means for identifying the chemical species in the plasma based upon the highest correlation values, and generating an identifier list indicating the chemical species and volumes thereof in the plasma. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. In an apparatus to automate the control of the plasma environment in a semiconductor fabrication chamber containing at least one chemical species using spectroscopy to identify chemical and molecular species to a high degree of accuracy in the chamber, comprising:
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a means for generating a sample spectrum of the chemical species in the plasma; a means for providing a library containing a multiplicity of predefined spectral patterns; a processing for receiving said spectrum of intensity signals, said processor automatically correlating said sample spectrum with said multiplicity of predefined library spectra, and identifying the chemical species and abundances in the chamber plasma based on said correlation. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification