Disturbance-Free, Recipe-Controlled Plasma Processing System And Method

Abstract

A plasma processing apparatus includes a vacuum processing apparatus for performing a multi-step processing operation for a sample, a sensor for monitoring process parameters during at least a first step of the processing operation, a signal compression unit for compressing a signal from the sensor to generate an apparatus state signal, a worked result estimate model unit which estimates a processed result on the basis of the apparatus state signal and a set processed-result estimation equation, an optimum recipe calculation model unit which calculates corrections to processing conditions so that the processed result becomes a target value, a usable recipe selecting unit which judges validity of an optimum recipe. At a next step of the processing operation, sample processing is performed under optimum conditions on the basis of the usable recipe selected by the selected usable recipe.

1 . A plasma processing apparatus comprising:
 a vacuum processing apparatus for performing a multi-step processing operation for a sample accommodated within a vacuum processing chamber of the plasma processing apparatus;   a sensor for monitoring process parameters during at least a first step of the processing operation of the vacuum processing apparatus;   a signal compression unit for compressing a signal from said sensor to generate an apparatus state signal;   a worked result estimate model unit which estimates a processed result on the basis of the apparatus state signal from the signal compression unit and a set processed-result estimation equation;   an optimum recipe calculation model unit which calculates corrections to processing conditions so that the processed result becomes a target value on the basis of the estimated processed result of the worked result estimate model unit; and   a usable recipe selecting unit which judges validity of an optimum recipe which is calculated by the optimum recipe calculation model unit and selects a usable recipe;   wherein at a next step of the processing operation for the sample within the vacuum processing chamber, sample processing is performed under optimum conditions on the basis of the usable recipe selected by the usable recipe selecting unit during the processing of the sample within the vacuum processing chamber.   
   
   
       2 . A plasma processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the worked result estimate model unit corrects the processed-result estimation model on the basis of the measured result of a shape of the sample obtained as a result of the processing. 
   
   
       3 . A plasma processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the usable recipe selecting means selects one of previously-stored recipes which is the closest to the optimum recipe calculated by the optimum recipe calculation model unit. 
   
   
       4 . A plasma processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein feed-forward control is applied to the optimum recipe calculating model unit on the basis of the measured result of a shape of the sample before the processing, to calculate processing conditions such that the processed result becomes the target value. 
   
   
       5 . A plasma processing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein feed-forward control is applied to the optimum recipe calculating model unit on the basis of the measured result of a shape of the sample before the processing, to calculate processing conditions such that the processed result becomes the target value. 
   
   
       6 . A plasma processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the optimum recipe calculating model unit corrects the processed-result estimation model on the basis of the measured result of a shape of the sample obtained as a result of the processing. 
   
   
       7 . A plasma processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the vacuum processing apparatus is a plasma etcher. 
   
   
       8 . A plasma processing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the vacuum processing apparatus is a plasma etcher. 
   
   
       9 . A plasma processing apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the vacuum processing apparatus is a plasma etcher.