US2011011743A1PendingUtilityA1

Low power rf tuning using optical and non-reflected power methods

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Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Jun 28, 2006Filed: Sep 23, 2010Published: Jan 20, 2011
Est. expiryJun 28, 2026(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:James P. CruseTheresa Kramer GuariniJeffrey Charles Pierce
H10P 74/23H10P 72/0604H10P 72/0421H01J 37/32972H01J 37/321
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Claims

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention include methods and apparatuses that may be used for monitoring and adjusting plasma in a substrate processing system by using a plasma data monitoring assembly. In one embodiment, an apparatus for monitoring a plasma in a substrate processing system is provided. The apparatus includes a plasma chamber having a plurality of walls, at least one of the plurality of walls having a dielectric ceiling, at least one inner coil element and at least one outer coil element disposed outside the chamber, a current sensor coupled to one of the inner coil element or the outer coil element, the current sensor adapted to detect current from an inductively coupled plasma generated in the plasma chamber, an RF power source, and one or more adjustable capacitors coupled to each of the one or more coil elements.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A method for monitoring a plasma in a substrate processing system, comprising:
 monitoring a first plasma condition generated by an inductively coupled plasma within a chamber, the chamber having:
 one or more walls connected by a dielectric ceiling; and 
 one or more coil elements disposed outside the chamber; 
   associating the first plasma condition to an RF power within the processing system;   adjusting a matching circuit to obtain a repeatable plasma condition;   monitoring a second plasma condition generated by the inductively coupled plasma within the chamber by monitoring current to the one or more coil elements; and   adjusting one or more capacitors coupled to the one or more coil elements to maintain the repeatable plasma condition.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first or second plasma condition has a wavelength between about 200 nm and about 800 nm and the substrate processing system is adapted to detect the wavelength. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the monitoring the first or second plasma condition comprises utilizing an interferometer. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the monitoring the first or second plasma condition comprises utilizing a spectrometer. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the adjusting the matching circuit is performed before and after processing of a substrate. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate processing system is a plasma nitridation chamber. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the RF power has an effective power of about 5 Watts to about 30 kilo Watts. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the monitoring the first or second plasma condition comprises utilizing a current sensor. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus for monitoring a plasma in a substrate processing system, comprising:
 a plasma chamber comprising a plurality of walls, at least one wall having a dielectric ceiling;   one or more coil elements disposed outside the chamber;   a current sensor coupled to each of the one or more coil elements;   an RF power source; and   one or more adjustable capacitors coupled to each of the one or more coil elements.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the each of the adjustable capacitors further comprise:
 a movable capacitance plate.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the movable capacitance plate is coupled to a motor. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the chamber further comprises an optical sensor positioned outside of the chamber. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the optical sensor comprises a spectrometer. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the substrate processing system is a plasma nitridation chamber. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the optical sensor is adapted to detect electromagnetic radiation reflected from the inductively coupled plasma with wavelengths between about 200 nm and about 800 nm. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the RF power source has an effective power of about 5 Watts to about 30 kilo Watts. 
     
     
         17 . An apparatus for monitoring a plasma in a substrate processing system, comprising:
 a plasma chamber having a plurality of walls, at least one of the plurality of walls having a dielectric ceiling;   at least one inner coil element and at least one outer coil element disposed outside the chamber;   a current sensor coupled to one of the inner coil element or the outer coil element, the current sensor adapted to detect current from an inductively coupled plasma generated in the plasma chamber;   an RF power source; and   one or more adjustable capacitors coupled to each of the one or more coil elements.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the each of the adjustable capacitors further comprise:
 a movable capacitance plate.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the movable capacitance plate is coupled to a motor. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the chamber further comprises an optical sensor positioned outside of the chamber.

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