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Method and apparatus for monitoring plasma processing operations

  • US 6,132,577 A
  • Filed: 04/23/1998
  • Issued: 10/17/2000
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1998
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A system for running a plasma recipe on a product, said system comprising:

  • a processing chamber comprising a product access, wherein at least one product may be introduced into said processing chamber through said product access;

    means for removing materials from an interior of said processing chamber while no product is loaded in said processing chamber, said means for removing comprising a plasma present within said processing chamber while said processing chamber is devoid of any said product, said means for removing comprising means for plasma cleaning said interior of said processing chamber;

    means for obtaining optical emissions of said plasma used by said means for removing at least a plurality of times during operation of said means for removing, wherein said means for obtaining comprises means for obtaining a current optical emissions segment of said plasma in said processing chamber, said current optical emissions segment comprising optical emissions which includes at least wavelengths from least about 250 nanometers to about 1,000 nanometers, inclusive, which defines a first wavelength range, and at a first wavelength resolution throughout said first wavelength range, wherein said first wavelength resolution is defined as a wavelength spacing between each adjacent pair of wavelengths throughout said first wavelength range, and wherein said first wavelength resolution is no more than about 1 nanometer;

    means for comparing a current pattern of at least a portion of said optical emissions defined by at least one of a plurality of executions of said means for obtaining with a first standard pattern stored on a computer-readable storage medium; and

    means for deactivating said means for removing, said means for deactivating being responsive to at least a first condition, said first condition being when said current pattern is within a predetermined tolerance of said first standard pattern and which is equated with an endpoint of a plasma cleaning operation provided by said means for plasma cleaning.

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