Plasma processing apparatus and method

• US 6,908,529 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2002
• Issued: 06/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Junichi, Shiraishi, Daisuke, Ikuhara, Shoji, Yamamoto, Hideyuki, Kagoshima, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Hassanzadeh, Parviz
• Application Number:
  US10/087,771
• Publication Number:
  US 20030170984A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,204 Days
• Field of Search: 156/345.24, 156/345.25, 118/712, 118/715
• US Class Current: 156/345.24
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32935 Monitoring and controlling tubes by information coming from the object and/or discharge
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32972 Spectral analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67069 for drying etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67253 Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring

Abstract

A plasma processing system for processing a workpiece by using plasma generated in a chamber, includes a light transmissive member disposed in the chamber, the workpiece being disposed inside the light transmissive member; and a light receiving unit mounted on the chamber for receiving light inside the light transmissive member, wherein a state of processing the workpiece is detected by using data detected from light inside the light transmissive member before processing the workpiece and data detected from light inside the light transmissive member generated during processing the workpiece. A plasma processing method and system is provided which facilitates an operation of the system and executes a reliable processing.

Claims

1. A plasma processing apparatus for processing a workpiece using plasma generated in a cylindrical chamber, comprising:

a light transmissive member disposed in the chamber, the workpiece being disposed inside of the light transmissive member; and

a member mounted on a side wall of the chamber covering at least one hole disposed in the side wall and having mounted thereon a light emitting device which emits predetermined light into the chamber while the plasma is not generated and a light receiving device which receives the predetermined light reflected inside the chamber and transmitted through the light transmissive member;

wherein a state of processing of the workpiece is detected using data obtained from the predetermined light received by the light receiving device through the light transmissive member and data obtained from light inside the chamber which is received by the light receiving device through the light transmissive member during processing of the workpiece.

2. A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the state of processing of the workpiece is detected by correcting the data obtained from the light inside the chamber during processing of the workpiece using the data obtained from the predetermined light.

3. A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the state of processing of the workpiece is adjusted using the data obtained from the predetermined light and the data obtained from the light inside the chamber.

4. A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the state of processing of the workpiece is adjusted using the data obtained from the predetermined light and the data obtained from the light inside the chamber.

5. A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an abnormal state of processing of the workpiece is detected using the data obtained from the predetermined light.

6. A plasma processing apparatus for processing a workpiece using plasma generated In a cylindrical chamber, comprising:

a light transmissive member disposed in the chamber, the workpiece being disposed inside of the light transmissive member;

a member mounted on a side wall of the chamber covering at least one hole disposed in the side wall and having mounted thereon a light emitting device which emits predetermined light into the chamber while the plasma is not generated and a light receiving device which receives the predetermined light reflected inside the chamber and transmitted through the light transmissive member so that an optical path of the predetermined light emitted from the light emitting device and an optical path of the predetermined light reflected inside the chamber and received by the light receiving device are substantially in parallel;

wherein a state of processing of the workpiece is detected using data obtained from the predetermined light received by the light receiving device through the light transmissive member and data obtained from light inside the chamber which is received by the light receiving device through the light transmissive member during processing of the workpiece.

7. A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the light emitting device emits the predetermined light introduced through a fiber into the chamber.

8. A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the state of processing of the workpiece is adjusted using the data obtained from the predetermined light and the data obtained from the light inside the chamber.

9. A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the member having the light emitting device and the light receiving device mounted thereon is mounted on the side wall of the chamber so that a front end of the light receiving device is provided at the at least one hole in the side wall.

10. A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the state of processing of the workpiece is adjusted using the data obtained from the predetermined light and the data obtained from the light inside the chamber.

11. A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein an abnormal state of processing the workpiece is detected using the data detected from the predetermined light.

12. A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein an abnormal state of processing the workpiece is detected using the data detected from the predetermined light.

13. A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the state of processing of the workpiece is adjusted using the data obtained from the predetermined light and the data obtained from the light inside the chamber.

14. A plasma processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein an abnormal state of processing the workpiece is detected using the data detected from the predetermined light.