Method and apparatus for monitoring and verifying equipment status

• US 7,260,500 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2003
• Issued: 08/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Strang, Eric J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsai; Carol S. W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Charioui; Mohamed
• Application Number:
  US10/495,117
• Publication Number:
  US 20040267547A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,664 Days
• Field of Search: 702/31, 702/64, 702/65, 702/124, 702182-185, 702/190, 702/193, 324/652, 324/653, 324/655, 356/461, 356/463, 356467-470, 356/490, 372/26, 427/575
• US Class Current: 702/183
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32192 Microwave generated discharge H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394, H01J37/32403 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32275 Microwave reflectors
• 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

Abstract

An equipment status monitoring system having at least one multi-modal resonator included as a part of a semiconductor processing system and a power source coupled to the at least one multi-modal resonator. The power source is configured to produce a microwave excitation signal corresponding to at least one mode of the multi-modal resonator and emit the microwave excitation signal into the semiconductor processing chamber. The system includes a detector coupled to the at least one multi-modal resonator and configured to measure the excitation signal. The system includes a control system connected to the detector and configured to provide a comparison of at least one measured excitation signal with a normal excitation signal corresponding to a normal status.

Claims

1. An equipment status monitoring system, said equipment status monitoring system comprising:

at least one multi-modal resonator included as a part of a semiconductor processing system;

a power source coupled to said at least one multi-modal resonator, said power source being configured to produce a microwave excitation signal corresponding to at least one mode of said multi-modal resonator and emit the microwave excitation signal into the semiconductor processing chamber;

a detector coupled to said at least one multi-modal resonator, said detector being configured to measure said microwave excitation signal; and

a control system connected to said detector and configured to provide a comparison of at least one measured excitation signal with a normal excitation signal corresponding to a normal status, wherein said comparison determines an equipment status.

2. The equipment status monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein said comparison of at least one measured excitation signal with a normal excitation signal comprises a comparison of an integrated signal.

3. The equipment status monitoring system according to claim 2, wherein said comparison of said integrated signal comprises a comparison of at least one of a zeroth moment, a first moment, a second moment and a third moment of said at least one measured excitation signal and said normal excitation signal.

4. The equipment status monitoring system according to claim 3, wherein said comparison of a differentiated signal comprises a comparison of at least one slope in said at least one measured excitation signal with at least one slope in said normal excitation signal.

5. The equipment status monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein said comparison of at least one measured excitation signal with a normal excitation signal comprises a comparison of signal amplitude.

6. The equipment status monitoring system according to claim 5, wherein said comparison of signal amplitude comprises comparing at least one modal amplitude in said at least one measured excitation signal to at least one modal amplitude in said normal excitation signal.

7. The equipment status monitoring system according to claim 5, wherein said comparison of signal amplitude comprises comparing at least one ratio of a first modal amplitude in said at least one measured excitation signal and a second modal amplitude in said at least one measured excitation signal to at least one ratio of a first modal amplitude in said normal excitation signal and a second modal amplitude in said normal excitation signal.

8. The equipment status monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein said comparison of at least one measured excitation signal with a normal excitation signal comprises a comparison of signal quality factor.

9. The equipment status monitoring system according to claim 8, wherein said signal quality factor corresponds to a quality factor of at least one resonance mode.

10. The equipment status monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the resonator comprises two opposing mirrors disposed as part of the semiconductor processing chamber.

11. The equipment status monitoring system according to claim 10, wherein one of the mirrors comprises a waveguide aperture configured to transmit microwave radiation into the semiconductor processing chamber.

12. The equipment status monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein said equipment status includes at least one of substrate presence, substrate type, substrate location, chamber assembly status, and consumable status.

13. The equipment status monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein said normal excitation signal comprises an excitation signal associated with at least one of normal substrate presence, normal substrate type, normal substrate location, normal chamber assembly status, and normal consumable status.

14. The equipment status monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein said excitation signal is one of a voltage, current and power proportional to a microwave power transmitted through said multi-modal resonator.

15. The equipment status monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein said excitation signal is a spectrum comprising at least one modal frequency.

16. The equipment status monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein said comparison of at least one measured excitation signal with a normal excitation signal comprises a comparison of at least one signal frequency.

17. The equipment status monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein said comparison of at least one measured excitation signal with a normal excitation signal comprises a comparison of a differentiated signal.

18. A method of monitoring a status of a material processing system, said material processing system including a chamber, at least one multi-modal resonator positioned in relation to said chamber, a power source coupled to said multi-modal resonator, and a detector coupled to said multi-modal resonator, said method comprising:

sweeping an output frequency of said power source to produce a microwave excitation signal;

emitting the microwave excitation signal into a semiconductor processing chamber;

recording said excitation signal from said multi-mode resonator;

comparing said excitation signal with a normal excitation signal, wherein said normal excitation signal corresponds to a normal status of said material processing system;

determining said status of said material processing system from said comparing; and

providing said status to at least one of an operator and a control system for the material processing system.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein said comparing said excitation signal with said normal excitation signal comprises comparing a signal amplitude.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein said comparing a signal amplitude comprises comparing at least one modal amplitude in said excitation signal to at least one modal amplitude in said normal excitation signal.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein said comparing a signal amplitude comprises comparing at least one ratio of a first modal amplitude in said excitation signal and a second modal amplitude in said excitation signal to at least one ratio of a first modal amplitude in said normal excitation signal and a second modal amplitude in said normal excitation signal.

22. The method according to claim 18, wherein said comparing said excitation signal with said normal excitation signal comprises a comparison of signal quality factor.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein said signal quality factor corresponds to a quality factor of at least one resonance mode.

24. The method according to claim 18, wherein said comparing said excitation signal with said normal excitation signal comprises a comparison of an integrated signal.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein said comparison of said integrated signal comprises a comparison of at least one of a zeroth moment, a first moment, a second moment and a third moment of said excitation signal and said normal excitation signal.

26. The method according to claim 18, wherein said comparing said excitation signal with said normal excitation signal comprises a comparison of a differentiated signal.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein said comparison of a differentiated signal comprises a comparison of at least one slope in said excitation signal with at least one slope in said normal excitation signal.

28. The method according to claim 18, wherein emitting comprises emitting the excitation signal into a semiconductor processing chamber having two opposing mirrors disposed as part of the semiconductor processing chamber.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein emitting comprises transmitting microwave radiation through a waveguide aperture in one of the mirrors into the semiconductor processing chamber.

30. The method according to claim 18, wherein said status of said material processing system includes at least one of substrate presence, substrate type, substrate location, chamber assembly status, and consumable status.

31. The method according to claim 18, wherein said normal status of said material processing system corresponds to at least one of normal substrate presence, normal substrate type, normal substrate location, normal chamber assembly status, and normal consumable status.

32. The method according to claim 18, wherein the method further includes altering said status of said material processing system by adjusting at least one of said substrate presence, said substrate type, said substrate location, said chamber assembly status, and said consumable status.

33. The method according to claim 18, wherein said sweeping said output frequency of said power source comprises varying an input bias voltage of said power source according to at least one of a periodic and an aperiodic function.

34. The method according to claim 18, wherein said microwave signal is a voltage proportional to a power transmitted through said multi-modal resonator.

35. The method according to claim 18, wherein said comparing said excitation signal with said normal excitation signal comprises a comparison of signal frequency.

36. An equipment status monitoring system, said equipment status monitoring system comprising:

at least one multi-modal resonator;

a power source coupled to said at least one multi-modal resonator, said power source being configured to produce a microwave excitation signal corresponding to at least one mode of said multi-modal resonator;

a detector coupled to said at least one multi-modal resonator, said detector being configured to measure said microwave excitation signal; and

a control system connected to said detector and configured to provide a comparison of at least one measured excitation signal with a normal excitation signal corresponding to a normal status, wherein said comparison determines an equipment status wherein said comparison of at least one measured excitation signal with a normal excitation signal comprises a comparison of at least one of a signal frequency, a signal quality factor, a signal quality factor of at least one resonance mode, and an integrated signal.

37. A method of monitoring a status of a material processing system, said material processing system including a chamber, at least one multi-modal resonator positioned in relation to said chamber, a power source coupled to said multi-modal resonator, and a detector coupled to said multi-modal resonator, said method comprising:

sweeping an output frequency of said power source to produce a microwave excitation signal;

recording said microwave excitation signal from said multi-mode resonator;

comparing said excitation signal with a normal excitation signal, wherein said normal excitation signal corresponds to a normal status of said material processing system;

determining said status of said material processing system from said comparing; and

providing said status to at least one of an operator and a control system for the material processing system,

wherein said comparing said excitation signal with said normal excitation signal comprises a comparison of at least one of a signal frequency, a signal quality factor, a signal quality factor of at least one resonance mode, and an integrated signal.