Methods for measuring a set of electrical characteristics in a plasma

• US 7,994,794 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2010
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Inventors: Kimball, Christopher, Hudson, Eric, Marakhtanov, Alexei, Keil, Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Dole; Timothy J
• Application Number:
  US12/786,405
• Publication Number:
  US 20100229372A1
• Time in Patent Office: 442 Days
• Field of Search: 324/464, 315/111.21
• US Class Current: 324/464
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32431 Constructional details of the reactor
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32935 Monitoring and controlling tubes by information coming from the object and/or discharge
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/0081 by electric means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

Methods using a probe apparatus configured to measure a set of electrical characteristics in a plasma include providing a chamber wall including at least a set of plasma chamber surfaces configured to be exposed to a plasma, the plasma having a set of electrical characteristics. The method includes installing a collection disk structure configured to be exposed to the plasma, wherein the collection disk structure having at least a body disposed within the chamber wall and a collection disk structure surface that is either coplanar or recessed with at least one of the set of plasma chamber surfaces and providing a conductive path configured to transmit the set of electrical characteristics from the collection disk structure to a set of transducers. The method may include coupling a thermal grounding element with the conductive path for providing thermal grounding to at least the conductive path and may alternatively or additionally include disposing an insulation barrier configured to substantially electrically separate at least one of the collection disk and the conductive path.

Claims

1. A method to configure a plasma processing chamber for processing at least a substrate therein, comprising;

providing a chamber wall including at least a set of plasma chamber surfaces configured to be exposed to a plasma, said plasma having a set of electrical characteristics;

installing a collection disk structure configured to be exposed to said plasma, wherein said collection disk structure having at least a body disposed within said chamber wall and a collection disk structure surface coplanar with at least one of said set of plasma chamber surfaces;

providing a conductive path electrically communicating with said collection disk structure, and configured to transmit said set of electrical characteristics from said collection disk structure to a set of transducers; and

coupling a thermal grounding element with said conductive path for providing thermal grounding to at least said conductive path.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said electrical characteristics includes at least one of voltage, phase, and current.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said collection disk structure is formed of a material that includes at least metalized silicon.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a back surface of said collection disk structure is sputtered with a metal to facilitate electrical connection with said conductive path.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said collection disk structure is coupled to a surface of said conductive path using at least one leaf spring.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said conductive path is formed of a material that includes at least one of aluminum and stainless steel.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an insulation barrier configured to substantially electrically separate at least one of said collection disk structure and said conductive path from said set of plasma chamber surfaces.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising providing a gap between said conductive path and said insulation barrier.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said gap is dimensioned such that said gap is insufficiently large to facilitate plasma presence in said gap.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising providing a gap between said insulation barrier and at least one of said set of plasma chamber surfaces.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said gap is dimensioned such that said gap is insufficiently large to facilitate plasma presence in said gap.

12. A method to configure a plasma processing chamber for processing at least a substrate therein, comprising;

providing a chamber wall including at least a set of plasma chamber surfaces configured to be exposed to a plasma, said plasma having a set of electrical characteristics;

installing a collection disk structure configured to be exposed to said plasma, wherein said collection disk structure having at least a body disposed within said chamber wall and a collection disk structure surface recessed with respect to a plasma chamber surface within which said collection disk structure is disposed;

providing a conductive path electrically communicating with said collection disk structure, and configured to transmit said set of electrical characteristics from said collection disk structure to a set of transducers; and

coupling a thermal grounding element with said conductive path for providing thermal grounding to at least said conductive path.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said electrical characteristics includes at least one of voltage, phase, and current.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said collection disk structure is formed of a material that includes at least metalized silicon.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein a back surface of said collection disk structure is sputtered with a metal to facilitate electrical connection with said conductive path.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein said conductive path is formed of a material that includes at least one of aluminum and stainless steel.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing an insulation barrier configured to substantially electrically separate at least one of said collection disk structure and said conductive path from said set of plasma chamber surfaces.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising providing a gap between said conductive path and said insulation barrier.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said gap, is dimensioned such that said gap is insufficiently large to facilitate plasma presence in said gap.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising providing a gap between said insulation barrier and at least one of said set of plasma chamber surfaces.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said gap is dimensioned such that said gap is insufficiently large to facilitate plasma presence in said gap.

16. The method of claim l2, wherein said collection disk structure is coupled to a surface of said conductive path using at least one leaf spring.

23. A method to configure a plasma processing chamber for processing at least a substrate therein, comprising;

providing a chamber wall including at least a set of plasma chamber surfaces configured to be exposed to a plasma, said plasma having a set of electrical characteristics;

installing a collection disk structure configured to be exposed to said plasma, wherein said collection disk structure having at least a body disposed within said chamber wall and a collection disk structure surface being one of coplanar and recessed with respect to at least one of said set of plasma chamber surfaces;

coupling a conductive path to said collection disk structure, said conductive path configured to transmit said set of electrical characteristics from said collection disk structure to a set of transducers;

disposing an insulation barrier configured to substantially electrically separate at least one of said collection disk and said conductive path from said set of plasma chamber surfaces; and

placing a layer of thermally conductive adhesive between said conductive path and said insulation barrier.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said electrical characteristics includes at least one of voltage, phase, and current.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein said collection disk structure is formed of a material that includes at least metalized silicon.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein a back surface of said collection disk structure is sputtered with a metal to facilitate electrical connection with said conductive path.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein said collection disk structure is coupled to a surface of said conductive path using at least one leaf spring.

28. The method of claim 23, further comprising providing a gap between said conductive path and said insulation barrier.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said gap is dimensioned such that said gap is insufficiently large to facilitate plasma presence in said gap.

30. The method of claim 23, further comprising providing a gap between said insulation barrier and at least one of said set of plasma chamber surfaces.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein said gap is dimensioned such that said gap is insufficiently large to facilitate plasma presence in said gap.

32. The method of claim 23, wherein said insulation barrier comprises at least one of quartz, aluminum nitride, and ceramic.

33. The method of claim 23 wherein said collection disk structure surface is coplanar with respect to said at least one of said set of plasma chamber surfaces.

34. The method of claim 23 wherein said collection disk structure surface is recessed with respect to said at least one of said set of plasma chamber surfaces.