Chamber matching for power control mode

• US 9,119,283 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2013
• Issued: 08/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Inventors: Albarede, Luc
• Primary Examiner(s): Owens, Douglas W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sathiraju, Srinivas
• Application Number:
  US13/901,509
• Publication Number:
  US 20140265851A1
• Time in Patent Office: 824 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32183 Matching circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32899 Multiple chambers, e.g. cluster tools
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/46 using applied electromagnetic fields, e.g. high frequency or microwave energy H05H1/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 2242/26 Matching networks

Abstract

Systems and methods for performing chamber matching are described. One of the methods for performing chamber matching includes executing a first test within a first plasma chamber to measure a variable and executing a second test within a second plasma chamber to measure the variable. The first and second tests are executed based on one recipe. The method further includes determining a first relationship between the variable measured with the first test and power provided during the first test, determining a second relationship between the variable measured with the second test and power provided during the second test, and identifying power adjustment to apply to the second plasma chamber during a subsequent processing operation based on the first and second relationships. The power adjustment causes the second plasma chamber to perform the processing operation in a processing condition determined using the first plasma chamber.

Claims

1. A method for performing chamber-to-chamber matching, the method comprising:

executing a first test within a first plasma chamber to measure a variable, wherein the first test is executed under a condition that places the first plasma chamber in a no plasma zone;

executing a second test within a second plasma chamber to measure the variable, wherein the first and second tests are executed based on one recipe, wherein the second test is executed under a condition that places the second plasma chamber in the no plasma zone;

determining a first relationship between the variable measured with the first test and power provided during the first test;

determining a second relationship between the variable measured with the second test and power provided during the second test; and

identifying power adjustment to apply to the second plasma chamber during a subsequent processing operation based on the first and second relationships, the power adjustment causing the second plasma chamber to perform the processing operation in a processing condition determined using the first plasma chamber, wherein during the processing operation, plasma is stricken within the second plasma chamber.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the variable is current or voltage.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the variable is measured during the first test using a probe coupled to a chuck, the chuck located within the first plasma chamber.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the variable is measured during the second test using a probe coupled to a chuck, the chuck located within the second plasma chamber.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the variable is measured during the first test using a probe, the probe coupled to a point between a radio frequency (RF) generator and a wafer, the RF generator coupled via an RF cable to an impedance matching circuit, the impedance matching circuit coupled via an RF transmission line to the first plasma chamber, the wafer placed on a surface of the chuck.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the recipe includes a pressure within the first plasma chamber, a temperature within the first plasma chamber, power of an RF signal provided to the first plasma chamber, frequency of the RF signal, and gap between an upper electrode of the first plasma chamber and a lower electrode of the first plasma chamber.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the recipe includes a pressure within the second plasma chamber, a temperature within the second plasma chamber, power of an RF signal provided to the second plasma chamber, frequency of the RF signal, and gap between an upper electrode of the second plasma chamber and a lower electrode of the second plasma chamber.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first relationship is a straight line.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the second relationship is a straight line.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the power adjustment is a difference between the power provided during the first test and the power provided during the second test.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the subsequent processing operation includes etching, deposition, or cleaning of a wafer placed within the second plasma chamber.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing condition includes a value of a function of the variable, the value achieved during the first test when an amount of the power is provided to the first plasma chamber during the first test.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plasma chamber has a higher yield than the second plasma chamber.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the condition that places the first plasma chamber in the no plasma zone includes an amount of pressure within the first plasma chamber to avoid striking plasma within the first plasma chamber, and wherein the condition that places the second plasma chamber in the no plasma zone includes an amount of pressure within the second plasma chamber to avoid striking plasma within the second plasma chamber.

15. A method for performing intra-chamber matching, the method comprising:

executing a first test to measure a variable associated with a plasma chamber, the plasma chamber is in a first condition during execution of the first test, wherein during execution of the first test, the plasma chamber is operated to be in a no plasma zone;

executing a second test to measure the variable associated with the plasma chamber, the plasma chamber is in a second condition during execution of the second test, wherein during execution of the second test, the plasma chamber is operated to be in the no plasma zone;

determining a first relationship between the variable measured using the first test and power provided during the first test;

determining a second relationship between the variable measured using the second test and power provided during the second test; and

identifying power adjustment to apply to the plasma chamber during a subsequent processing operation based on the first and second relationships, the power adjustment causing the plasma chamber to perform the processing operation in a processing condition, the processing condition determined when the plasma chamber is in the first condition, wherein during the processing operation, plasma is stricken within the plasma chamber.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the second condition occurs in time after occurrence of the first condition.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the second condition occurs after performing processing on a wafer placed within the plasma chamber, the first condition occurring before performing the processing.

18. A plasma system for performing chamber-to-chamber matching, the plasma system comprising:

a first plasma chamber used to execute a first test to measure a variable, wherein the first plasma chamber is configured to operate in a no plasma zone during execution of the first test;

a radio frequency (RF) transmission line coupled to the first plasma chamber for communicating an RF signal to the first plasma chamber;

an impedance matching circuit coupled to the RF transmission line;

an RF generator coupled to the impedance matching circuit for supplying an RF signal to the impedance matching circuit;

a second plasma chamber used to execute a second test to measure the variable, wherein the first and second tests are executed based on one recipe, wherein the second test is executed after decoupling the first plasma chamber from the RF transmission line and coupling the second plasma chamber to the RF transmission line, wherein the second plasma chamber is configured to operate in the no plasma zone during execution of the second test; and

a host system including a processor, the host system coupled to the RF generator, the processor configured to;

determine a first relationship between the variable measured with the first test and power provided during the first test;

determine a second relationship between the variable measured with the second test and power provided during the second test; and

identify power adjustment to apply to the second plasma chamber during a subsequent processing operation based on the first and second relationships, the power adjustment causing the second plasma chamber to perform the processing operation in a processing condition determined using the first plasma chamber.

20. The plasma system of claim 18, wherein the first plasma chamber includes a first chuck, wherein the variable is measured during the first test using a probe coupled to the first chuck, wherein the second plasma chamber includes a second chuck, wherein the variable is measured during the second test using a probe coupled to the second chuck.

21. The plasma system of claim 18, wherein the first plasma chamber includes a chuck, wherein the variable is measured during the first test using a probe, the probe coupled to a point between the RF generator and a wafer placed on a surface of the chuck.

22. The plasma system of claim 18, wherein the first plasma chamber has a higher yield than the second plasma chamber.

19. A plasma system for performing intra-chamber matching, the plasma system comprising:

a plasma chamber used to execute a first test to measure a variable, the plasma chamber is in a first condition during execution of the first test, wherein the plasma chamber is configured to operate in a no plasma zone during execution of the first test,

the plasma chamber used to execute a second test to measure the variable, the plasma chamber is in a second condition during execution of the second test, wherein the plasma chamber is configured to operate in the no plasma zone during execution of the second test;

a radio frequency (RF) transmission line coupled to the plasma chamber for communicating an RF signal to the plasma chamber;

an impedance matching circuit coupled to the RF transmission line;

an RF generator coupled to the impedance matching circuit for supplying an RF signal to the impedance matching circuit; and

a host system including a processor, the host system coupled to the RF generator, the processor configured to;

determine a first relationship between the variable measured using the first test and power provided during the first test;

determine a second relationship between the variable measured using the second test and power provided during the second test; and

identify power adjustment to apply to the plasma chamber during a subsequent processing operation based on the first and second relationships, the power adjustment causing the plasma chamber to perform the processing operation in a processing condition, the processing condition determined when the plasma chamber is in the first condition.

23. The plasma system of claim 19, wherein the plasma chamber includes a chuck, wherein the variable is measured during each of the first and second tests using a probe coupled to the chuck.

24. The plasma system of claim 19, wherein the plasma chamber includes a chuck, wherein the variable is measured during each of the first and second tests using a probe, the probe coupled to a point between the RF generator and a wafer placed on a surface of the chuck.