Workpiece processing device with contact temperature sensor

Abstract

A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for processing one or more workpieces is provided. The device includes one or more components exposed to radio frequency energy or heat, and one or more optical contact temperature sensors disposed on the one or more components. A method for measuring a temperature of a component of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is also provided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to apparatus, systems, and methods for processing substrates using a plasma source. Background Art

[0002] Plasma processing technology is widely used in the semiconductor industry for deposition, etching, resist removal and related processing of semiconductor wafers and other substrates. Plasma sources (such as microwave, ECR, induction, etc.) are commonly used in plasma processing to generate high-density plasma and reactive species for processing substrates. Plasma stripping tools can be used for stripping processes, such as photoresist removal. The plasma stripping tool may include a plasma chamber for generating plasma and a separate processing chamber for processing the substrate. The processing chamber may be located "downstream" of the plasma chamber so that the substrate is not directly exposed to the plasma. A separation grid can be used to separate the processing chamber from the plasma chamber. The separation grid may be transparent to neutral substances but opaque to charged particles in the plasma. The separation grid may include a sheet of material with holes. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Various aspects and advantages of the embodiments of the present disclosure will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be learned from the description, or may be learned through practice of the embodiments.

[0004] One exemplary aspect of the present disclosure relates to semiconductor manufacturing equipment for processing one or more workpieces. The equipment includes one or more components exposed to radio frequency (RF) energy or heat and one or more optical contact temperature sensors disposed on the one or more components.

[0005] Another exemplary aspect of the present disclosure relates to an apparatus for processing a workpiece, the apparatus comprising a plasma chamber having a sidewall; an inductively coupled plasma source configured to generate plasma in the plasma chamber; a processing chamber separated from the plasma chamber by a separator grid; a susceptor disposed in the processing chamber, the susceptor configured to support the workpiece during processing; and an optical contact temperature sensor disposed at at least one of: (i) the sidewall of the plasma chamber; (ii) the separator grid; or (iii) the susceptor.

[0006] Another exemplary aspect of the present disclosure relates to a method for measuring the temperature of a component of semiconductor manufacturing equipment. The method includes generating data related to the temperature of the component using an optical contact temperature sensor. The optical contact temperature sensor is disposed on the component. The method also includes determining the temperature of the component based at least in part on the data obtained from the optical contact temperature sensor.

[0007] These and other features, aspects and advantages of the embodiments may be better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims.The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the relevant principles. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] This specification is intended for persons skilled in the art and discusses the embodiments in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0009] Figure 1 An exemplary optical contact temperature sensor according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure is shown;

[0010] Figure 2 An exemplary plasma processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0011] Figure 3 An exemplary plasma processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0012] Figure 4 An exemplary plasma processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0013] Figure 5 An exemplary sidewall of a plasma chamber of a plasma processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0014] Figure 6 illustrates an exemplary sidewall of a plasma chamber according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0015] Figure 7 An exemplary grid plate of a separator grid of a plasma processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0016] Figure 8 An exemplary grid plate of a separator grid of a plasma processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0017] Figure 9 An exemplary top plate of a plasma processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0018] Figure 10 An exemplary susceptor for a plasma processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0019] Figure 11 An exemplary plasma processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0020] Figure 12 The exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown Figure 11 An exemplary dielectric window of the plasma processing apparatus shown; and

[0021] Figure 13 A flow chart of an exemplary temperature measurement process according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments, one or more examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings. Each example is provided to illustrate the embodiments and is not intended to limit the present disclosure. Indeed, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations may be made to the embodiments without departing from the scope or spirit of the present disclosure. For example, a feature shown or described as part of one embodiment may be used in another embodiment to produce yet another embodiment. Therefore, aspects of the present disclosure are intended to encompass such modifications and variations.

[0023] Semiconductor manufacturing equipment may be subject to harsh conditions. For example, plasma processing of a workpiece may involve generating a plasma from a process gas in a plasma chamber. The plasma may be generated using a generator such as an inductively coupled power supply or a capacitively coupled power supply. Components of the plasma chamber, such as the sidewalls of the plasma chamber, may be exposed to radio frequency (RF) energy or heat during operation of the equipment. In addition, other chambers such as processing chambers may also be exposed to thermomechanical stresses from RF energy or heat. Frequent or extreme exposure may significantly reduce the useful life of the component. In addition, it may be difficult to accurately measure the thermomechanical stress (e.g., temperature) of the component. In addition, different parts of the component may be subjected to different thermomechanical stresses, such as heat or RF energy. This may cause some parts of the component to degrade or fail faster than other parts. It is difficult to accurately measure the temperature of different locations on the component in real time.

[0024] Thus, exemplary aspects of the present disclosure relate to semiconductor manufacturing equipment for processing one or more workpieces. The equipment includes one or more components exposed to RF energy or heat. The equipment also includes one or more optical contact temperature sensors disposed on the one or more components. The optical contact temperature sensors can be configured to accurately measure the temperature of the components. Furthermore, the optical contact temperature sensors can be configured to measure the temperature of the components in real time at different locations.

[0025] Various aspects of the present disclosure provide numerous technical effects and benefits. For example, the device allows for real-time measurement of the temperature of components in semiconductor processing equipment. This temperature information provides a more accurate understanding of the lifecycle of the components. Consequently, components only need to be replaced after a certain threshold level of heat or RF energy exposure is reached, which can be determined more easily and accurately according to the methods described herein. Accordingly, only components that reach a certain threshold exposure limit are replaced or repaired in a timely manner, saving time and cost. Furthermore, since components are only replaced or repaired after a certain level of thermo-mechanical stress is reached, downtime of semiconductor equipment can be reduced. Furthermore, the use of sensors as described in the present disclosure does not require additional filtering or processing steps in order to effectively determine the temperature from the data provided by these sensors. Consequently, the processing process is simplified and more efficient.

[0026] Variations and modifications may be made to these exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. Unless expressly indicated herein, the singular forms "a", "an", "and" and "the" as used in the specification include plural referents. "First", "second", "third", etc., as used in the specification are used only as identifiers and do not necessarily indicate any order, whether implied or otherwise. For the purposes of illustration and discussion, the exemplary aspects may be discussed with reference to a "substrate", "workpiece" or "workpiece". Using the content provided by this disclosure, one of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the exemplary aspects of the present disclosure can be used with any suitable workpiece. The term "about" used in conjunction with a numerical value refers to within 20% of the stated numerical value.

[0027] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an optical contact temperature sensor 10 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The optical contact temperature sensor 10 can detect thermomechanical properties in a variety of ways. For example, the sensor 10 can be a fiber Bragg grating (FGB) sensor that can provide measurements at one or more different locations along the length of an optical fiber 12. For example, the sensor 10 includes a plurality of Bragg gratings 13 arranged along the length of the optical fiber 12. The Bragg gratings 13 can be spaced at equal distances along the length of the optical fiber 12. In other embodiments, the Bragg gratings 13 can be randomly spaced at various distances along the length of the optical fiber 12.

[0028] The optical fiber 12 can comprise a single optical fiber or a bundle of multiple optical fibers. In some embodiments, the optical fiber 12 can be a single-mode optical fiber, which is configured to transmit a single beam of light. In some embodiments, the optical fiber 12 can comprise multiple layers. For example, the optical fiber 12 can have an inner core and an outer portion. The inner core can be made of a different material than the outer portion of the optical fiber. For example, the inner core can be made of a material with a higher refractive index than the material making up the outer portion. For example, the inner core can be made of a doped glass material, such as SiO2 doped with germanium. The difference in refractive index between the inner core and the outer portion causes light to propagate only within the inner core.

[0029] Each Bragg grating 13 has a region with a different refractive index than that of the optical fiber 12. Therefore, each Bragg grating 13 will reflect a specific bandwidth of light at the interface between the Bragg grating 13 and the optical fiber 12. For example, light emitted by the light source 15 at wavelengths λa and λb is not reflected but instead is guided by the optical fiber 12 to the signal detector 16. However, a portion of the light at wavelength λc will be reflected back to the light source 15 at the interface between each Bragg grating 13 and the optical fiber 12, while another portion of the light will continue on to the signal detector 16. The bandwidth of the reflected light, and the resulting reflected energy function, depends on the wavelength λ of the FGB sensor. The wavelength λ depends on various thermomechanical properties experienced by the optical fiber 12, such as temperature. Temperature measurements can then be determined from the reflected wavelength λ signal using various known calculation methods. These methods are known to those skilled in the art.

[0030] In embodiments, one or more wavelengths of light can be directed through optical fiber 12, and sensor 10 can interact with each different wavelength of light. For example, a spectrum of light can be directed through optical fiber 12. The reflected spectrum can then be analyzed to simultaneously measure signals from multiple sensors 10. For example, an interferometer can be used to separate the spectrum according to the wavelengths of its component light.

[0031] The optical temperature sensor 10 of the present disclosure can be disposed on or positioned on one or more components of semiconductor manufacturing equipment. Exemplary embodiments of semiconductor manufacturing equipment suitable for performing the disclosed process will now be discussed. The terms "semiconductor manufacturing equipment" and "processing equipment" are used interchangeably herein.

[0032] Figure 2An exemplary plasma processing apparatus 100 is shown, which can be used to perform a process according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown, the plasma processing apparatus 100 includes a processing chamber 110 and a plasma chamber 120 separate from the processing chamber 110. The processing chamber 110 includes an operable substrate support or pedestal 112 for supporting a workpiece 114 to be processed, such as a semiconductor wafer. In this exemplary embodiment, plasma is generated in the plasma chamber 120 (i.e., the plasma generation region) by an inductively coupled plasma source 135, and desired species are directed from the plasma chamber 120 to the surface of the workpiece 114 via a separator grid assembly 200.

[0033] For purposes of illustration and discussion, various aspects of the present disclosure are discussed using an inductively coupled plasma source as an example. Using the information provided herein, one of ordinary skill in the art will understand that any plasma source (e.g., an inductively coupled plasma source, a capacitively coupled plasma source, etc.) can be used without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0034] The plasma chamber 120 includes dielectric sidewalls 122 and a top plate 124. The dielectric sidewalls 122, top plate 124, and separator grid 200 define a plasma chamber interior 125. The dielectric sidewalls 122, top plate 124, separator grid 200, and / or susceptor may be made of dielectric materials such as quartz, ceramic, and / or alumina. An inductively coupled plasma source 135 may include an induction coil 130 positioned adjacent the dielectric sidewalls 122 surrounding the plasma chamber 120. The induction coil 130 is connected to an RF power generator 134 via a suitable matching network 132. Process gases (e.g., reactant gases and / or carrier gases) may be provided to the chamber interior from a gas supply 150 and an annular gas distribution channel 151, or other suitable gas introduction mechanism. When the induction coil 130 is energized by RF power from the RF power generator 134, a plasma may be generated in the plasma chamber 120. In certain embodiments, the plasma processing apparatus 100 may include an optional grounded Faraday shield 128 to reduce capacitive coupling between the inductive coil 130 and the plasma.

[0035] One or more controllers (not shown) can be used to control the flow of gases at various locations on the plasma processing apparatus 100. For example, one or more controllers can be used to control the gas delivery system 150, which provides gases to the plasma chamber 120. The one or more controllers can also be configured to control the flow of gases to additional gas ports between the grid plates of the separator grid 200, embodiments of which are discussed further below.

[0036] Figure 3An example plasma processing apparatus 500 is shown that can be used to implement processes according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 2 The plasma processing apparatus 100 is similar to the plasma processing apparatus 100 in FIG.

[0037] More specifically, the plasma processing apparatus 500 includes a processing chamber 110 and a plasma chamber 120 separate from the processing chamber 110. The processing chamber 110 includes an operable substrate support or pedestal 112 for supporting a workpiece 114 to be processed, such as a semiconductor wafer. In this exemplary embodiment, plasma is generated in the plasma chamber 120 (i.e., the plasma generation region) by an inductively coupled plasma source 135, and desired species are directed from the plasma chamber 120 to the surface of the workpiece 114 via a separator grid assembly 200.

[0038] The plasma chamber 120 includes dielectric sidewalls 122 and a top plate 124. The dielectric sidewalls 122, top plate 124, and separator grid 200 define a plasma chamber interior 125. The dielectric sidewalls 122 may be made of a dielectric material such as quartz and / or alumina. An inductively coupled plasma source 135 may include an induction coil 130 positioned adjacent the dielectric sidewalls 122 surrounding the plasma chamber 120. The induction coil 130 is connected to an RF power generator 134 via a suitable matching network 132. A process gas (e.g., an inert gas) may be provided to the chamber interior from a gas supply 150 and an annular gas distribution channel 151, or other suitable gas introduction mechanism. When the induction coil 130 is energized by RF power from the RF power generator 134, a plasma may be generated in the plasma chamber 120. In certain embodiments, the plasma processing apparatus 100 may include an optional grounded Faraday shield 128 to reduce capacitive coupling between the induction coil 130 and the plasma.

[0039] like Figure 3 As shown, a separator grid 200 separates the plasma chamber 120 from the processing chamber 110. The separator grid 200 can be used to filter ions from the plasma-generated mixture in the plasma chamber 120 to produce a filtered mixture. The filtered mixture can be exposed to the workpiece 114 in the processing chamber.

[0040] In some embodiments, the separation grid 200 may be a multi-plate separation grid. For example, the separation grid 200 may include a first grid plate 210 and a second grid plate 220 spaced apart in parallel with each other. The first grid plate 210 and the second grid plate 220 may be separated by a certain distance.

[0041] The first grid plate 210 can have a first grid layout having a plurality of holes. The second grid plate 220 can have a second grid layout having a plurality of holes. The first grid layout can be the same as or different from the second grid layout. Charged particles can recombine on the walls of their paths as they pass through the holes of each grid plate 210, 220 in the separation grid. Neutral species (e.g., free radicals) can flow relatively freely through the holes in the first grid plate 210 and the second grid plate 220. The size of the holes and the thickness of each grid plate 210 and 220 can affect the transparency of charged and neutral particles.

[0042] In some embodiments, the first grid plate 210 can be made of metal (e.g., aluminum) or other conductive materials, and / or the second grid plate 220 can be made of conductive or dielectric materials (e.g., quartz, ceramic, etc.). In some embodiments, the first grid plate 210 and / or the second grid plate 220 can be made of other materials, such as silicon or silicon carbide. If the grid plates are made of metal or other conductive materials, they can be grounded.

[0043] As described above, hydrogen gas may be injected into the material passing through the separator grid 200 to generate one or more hydrogen radicals for exposure to the workpiece 114. The hydrogen radicals may be used to perform various semiconductor manufacturing processes.

[0044] Figure 3 The example plasma processing apparatus 500 in FIG. 1 is capable of generating a first plasma 502 (e.g., a remote plasma) in the plasma chamber 120 and a second plasma 504 (e.g., a direct plasma) in the processing chamber 110. As used herein, "remote plasma" refers to a plasma generated remote from a workpiece, such as a plasma generated in a plasma chamber separated from the workpiece by a separation grid. As used herein, "direct plasma" refers to a plasma directly exposed to the workpiece, such as a plasma generated in a processing chamber having a susceptor operable to support the workpiece.

[0045] More specifically, Figure 3 The plasma processing apparatus 500 includes a bias source having a bias electrode 510 in a pedestal 112. The bias electrode 510 can be connected to an RF power generator 514 via a suitable matching network 512. When the bias electrode 510 is energized by RF energy, a second plasma 504 can be generated from the mixture in the processing chamber 110 for direct exposure to the workpiece 114. The processing chamber 110 can include a gas exhaust port 516 for exhausting gas from the processing chamber 110. Oxygen radicals used in the pretreatment process according to exemplary aspects of the present disclosure, and / or hydrogen radicals used in the hydrogen radical treatment process, can be generated by the first plasma 502 and / or the second plasma 504.

[0046] Figure 4 Shown with Figure 2 and Figure 3 A similar processing chamber 600 is shown. More specifically, the plasma processing apparatus 600 includes a processing chamber 110 and a plasma chamber 120 separate from the processing chamber 110. The processing chamber 110 includes an operable substrate support or pedestal 112 for supporting a workpiece 114 to be processed, such as a semiconductor wafer. In this exemplary embodiment, plasma is generated in the plasma chamber 120 (i.e., the plasma generation region) by an inductively coupled plasma source 135, and desired species are directed from the plasma chamber 120 to the surface of the workpiece 114 via a separation grid assembly 200.

[0047] The plasma chamber 120 includes dielectric sidewalls 122 and a top plate 124. The dielectric sidewalls 122, top plate 124, and separator grid 200 define a plasma chamber interior 125. The dielectric sidewalls 122 may be made of a dielectric material such as quartz and / or alumina. An inductively coupled plasma source 135 may include an induction coil 130 positioned adjacent the dielectric sidewalls 122 surrounding the plasma chamber 120. The induction coil 130 is connected to an RF power generator 134 via a suitable matching network 132. A process gas (e.g., an inert gas) may be provided to the chamber interior from a gas supply 150 and an annular gas distribution channel 151, or other suitable gas introduction mechanism. When the induction coil 130 is energized by RF power from the RF power generator 134, a plasma may be generated in the plasma chamber 120. In certain embodiments, the plasma processing apparatus 100 may include an optional grounded Faraday shield 128 to reduce capacitive coupling between the induction coil 130 and the plasma.

[0048] like Figure 4 As shown, a separator grid 200 separates the plasma chamber 120 from the processing chamber 110. The separator grid 200 can be used to filter ions from the plasma-generated mixture in the plasma chamber 120 to produce a filtered mixture. The filtered mixture can be exposed to the workpiece 114 in the processing chamber.

[0049] In some embodiments, the separation grid 200 may be a multi-plate separation grid. For example, the separation grid 200 may include a first grid plate 210 and a second grid plate 220 spaced apart in parallel with each other. The first grid plate 210 and the second grid plate 220 may be separated by a certain distance.

[0050] The first grid plate 210 can have a first grid layout having a plurality of holes. The second grid plate 220 can have a second grid layout having a plurality of holes. The first grid layout can be the same as or different from the second grid layout. Charged particles can recombine on the walls of their paths as they pass through the holes of each grid plate 210, 220 in the separation grid. Neutral species (e.g., free radicals) can flow relatively freely through the holes in the first grid plate 210 and the second grid plate 220. The size of the holes and the thickness of each grid plate 210 and 220 can affect the transparency of charged and neutral particles.

[0051] In some embodiments, the first grid plate 210 can be made of metal (e.g., aluminum) or other conductive materials, and / or the second grid plate 220 can be made of conductive or dielectric materials (e.g., quartz, ceramic, etc.). In some embodiments, the first grid plate 210 and / or the second grid plate 220 can be made of other materials, such as silicon or silicon carbide. If the grid plates are made of metal or other conductive materials, they can be grounded.

[0052] Figure 4 The example operable plasma processing apparatus 600 in FIG. 1 is capable of generating a first plasma 602 (e.g., a remote plasma) in the plasma chamber 120 and a second plasma 604 (e.g., a direct plasma) in the processing chamber 110. As shown, the plasma processing apparatus 600 may include an inclined dielectric sidewall 622 extending from a vertical sidewall 122 associated with the remote plasma chamber 120. The inclined dielectric sidewall 622 may constitute a portion of the processing chamber 110.

[0053] The second inductive plasma source 635 can be located proximate to the dielectric sidewall 622. The second inductive plasma source 635 can include an inductive coil 610 connected to an RF generator 614 via a suitable matching network 612. When the inductive coil 610 is energized by RF energy, a direct plasma 604 can be induced from the mixture in the processing chamber 110. A Faraday shield 628 can be disposed between the inductive coil 610 and the sidewall 622.

[0054] The pedestal 112 can be movable in a vertical direction V. For example, the pedestal 112 can include a vertical lift 616 that can be configured to adjust the distance between the pedestal 112 and the separation grid assembly 200. For example, the pedestal 112 can be positioned in a first vertical position for processing using a remote plasma 602. The pedestal 112 can be positioned in a second vertical position for processing using a direct plasma 604. The first vertical position can be closer to the separation grid assembly 200 than the second vertical position.

[0055] Figure 3The plasma processing apparatus 600 includes a bias source having a bias electrode 510 in a susceptor 112. The bias electrode 510 can be connected to an RF power generator 514 via a suitable matching network 512. The processing chamber 110 can include a gas exhaust port 516 for exhausting gas from the processing chamber 110. Oxygen radicals used in the pretreatment process according to exemplary aspects of the present disclosure, and / or hydrogen radicals used in the hydrogen radical treatment process, can be generated by the first plasma 602 and / or the second plasma 604.

[0056] like Figure 5-10 As shown, the optical contact temperature sensor 10 can be arranged at Figure 2-Figure 4 Various components of the plasma processing equipment shown. Figure 5-Figure 6 As shown, the optical contact temperature sensor 10 is disposed on the dielectric sidewall 122 of the plasma chamber 120. Figure 5 As shown, the optical contact temperature sensor 10 including the optical fiber 12 having a plurality of Bragg gratings 13 can be wound around the outer surface or the inner surface of the dielectric sidewall 122. As shown, the optical contact temperature sensor 10 can be wound along the longitudinal axis (L), for example, the optical contact temperature sensor 10 completes a rotation around the axis L from the bottom to the top of the sidewall 122. In other embodiments, such as Figure 6 As shown, the optical contact temperature sensor 10 can be arranged in a linear manner along the axis L. Figure 6 As shown, additional optical contact temperature sensors 10 may be arranged linearly along the axis L. Although a plurality of optical contact temperature sensors 10 are shown in the drawings, the present disclosure is not limited thereto and may include one or more optical contact temperature sensors 10 .

[0057] Now refer to Figure 7-Figure 8 , showing that according to Figure 2-Figure 4 As shown in the figure, the separation grid 200 includes at least one grid plate 210. The grid plate 210 is provided with a variety of holes 207 (or channels) for filtering ions in the plasma generated in the plasma chamber. The optical contact temperature sensor 10 including the optical fiber and the Bragg grating 13 can be arranged on the surface of the grid plate 210. Figure 7As shown, a plurality of optical contact temperature sensors 10 are arranged on the grid plate 210 in the form of concentric circles. The optical contact temperature sensors 10 can be arranged in any manner, but in some cases, the optical contact temperature sensors are arranged at different positions of the grid plate 200 so that temperature measurements can be taken from different positions. The optical contact temperature sensors 10 can be arranged on any side of the grid plate. For example, in an embodiment, one or more optical contact temperature sensors 10 are arranged on the side of the grid plate facing the plasma chamber. In other embodiments, one or more optical contact temperature sensors 10 are arranged on the side of the grid plate facing the processing chamber. As Figure 8 As shown, individual optical contact temperature sensors 10 may be arranged in a random manner on the grid plate 210 .

[0058] Figure 9 The optical contact temperature sensor 10 is shown disposed on the top plate 124 of the plasma chamber 120. As shown, the optical contact temperature sensor 10, which includes an optical fiber 12 and a plurality of Bragg gratings 13, is disposed on the top plate 124 of the plasma chamber 120. Although only one optical contact temperature sensor 10 is disclosed, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In fact, multiple optical contact temperature sensors 10 may be disposed on the top plate 124 of the plasma chamber 120 in any manner. Furthermore, the optical contact temperature sensor 10 may be disposed on either the outer or inner surface of the top plate 124.

[0059] and Figure 9 similar, Figure 10 A base 112 is shown, having an optical contact temperature sensor 10 disposed thereon. As shown, the optical contact temperature sensor 10 includes an optical fiber 12 and a plurality of Bragg gratings 13. Although only one optical contact temperature sensor 10 is disclosed, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In fact, multiple optical contact temperature sensors 10 may be disposed on the base 112 in any manner. Furthermore, the optical contact temperature sensor 10 may be disposed on a surface of the base 112 that faces the workpiece 114, or on a surface of the base 112 that does not face the workpiece 114.

[0060] Figure 11 Another plasma processing apparatus 1100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Plasma processing apparatus 1100 includes a processing chamber defining an interior space 1102. A susceptor or substrate support 1104 is used to support a substrate 1106, such as a semiconductor wafer, within interior space 1102. A dielectric window 1110 is positioned above substrate support 1104. Dielectric window 1110 includes a relatively flat central portion 1112 and an inclined peripheral portion 1114. Dielectric window 1110 contains a space in central portion 1112 for introducing process gases into interior space 1102 via showerhead 1120.

[0061] The apparatus 1100 further includes a plurality of inductive elements, such as a primary inductive element 1130 and a secondary inductive element 1140, for generating an inductive plasma in the interior space 1102. The inductive elements 1130 and 1140 may include coils or antenna elements that, when supplied with RF power, induce plasma in the process gas in the interior space 1102 of the plasma processing apparatus 1100. For example, a first RF generator 1160 may be configured to provide electromagnetic energy to the primary inductive element 1130 via a matching network 1162. A second RF generator 1170 may be configured to provide electromagnetic energy to the secondary inductive element 1140 via a matching network 1172.

[0062] Although the present disclosure refers to a primary inductive element and a secondary inductive element, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the terms "primary" and "secondary" are used for convenience only. The secondary inductive coil can operate independently of the primary inductive coil, and vice versa.

[0063] According to aspects of the present disclosure, the apparatus 1100 may include a metal shield portion 1152 surrounding the secondary inductive element 1140. As discussed in more detail below, the metal shield portion 1152 separates the primary inductive element 1130 from the secondary inductive element 1140 to reduce crosstalk between the inductive elements 1130, 1140. The apparatus 1100 may also include a Faraday shield 1154 disposed between the primary inductive element 1130 and the dielectric window 1130. The Faraday shield 1154 may be a slotted metal shield that reduces capacitive coupling between the primary inductive element 1154 and the processing chamber 1102. As shown, the Faraday shield 1154 may be mounted on an angled portion of the dielectric shield 1110.

[0064] In certain embodiments, the metal shield 1152 and the Faraday shield 1154 can form a unified unitary body 1150 for ease of manufacturing and other purposes. The multi-turn coil of the primary inductive element 1130 can be located adjacent to the Faraday shield portion 1154 of the unified metal shield / Faraday shield 1150. The secondary inductive element 1140 can be located adjacent to the metal shield portion 1152 of the unified metal shield / Faraday shield 1150, for example, between the metal shield portion 1152 and the dielectric window 1110.

[0065] The primary inductive element 1130 and the secondary inductive element 1140 are positioned on either side of the metal shield 1152. This arrangement allows the primary and secondary inductive elements 1130, 1140 to have different structural configurations and perform different functions. For example, the primary inductive element 1130 may include a multi-turn coil located near the outer portion of the processing chamber. The primary inductive element 1130 can be used for basic plasma generation and reliable startup during the inherent transient ignition phase. The primary inductive element 1130 can be connected to a high-power RF generator and an expensive auto-tuning matching network, and can operate at enhanced RF frequencies, such as approximately 13.56 MHz.

[0066] The secondary inductive element 1140 can be used for calibration and support functions, and can improve plasma stability during steady-state operation. Because the secondary inductive element 1140 primarily performs calibration and support functions, as well as improving plasma stability during steady-state operation, it does not require connection to a powerful RF generator like the primary inductive element 1130, allowing for a different and more cost-effective design, thus overcoming challenges with previous designs. The secondary inductive element 1140 can also operate at a lower frequency, such as approximately 2 MHz, allowing it to be very compact and mounted within the limited space above the dielectric window.

[0067] Because different frequencies can be applied to the primary inductive element 1130 and the secondary inductive element 1140, interference between the inductive elements 1130, 1140 is reduced. More specifically, the only interaction between the inductive elements 1130, 1140 in the plasma is through the plasma density. Consequently, no phase synchronization is required between the RF generator 1160 connected to the primary inductive element 1130 and the RF generator 1170 connected to the secondary inductive element 1140. Power control between the inductive elements is independent. Furthermore, because the inductive elements 1130, 1140 operate at significantly different frequencies, frequency tuning of the RF generators 1160, 1170 to match power delivery to the plasma is practical, significantly simplifying the design and cost of any additional matching networks.

[0068] like Figure 12As shown, the optical contact temperature sensor 10 is disposed on the dielectric window 1110. The optical contact temperature sensor 10 includes an optical fiber and a plurality of Bragg gratings 13. As shown, the first optical contact temperature sensor 10 is disposed on the flat central portion 1112, and the second optical contact temperature sensor 10 is disposed on the inclined peripheral portion 1114 of the dielectric window 1110. However, in embodiments, the optical contact temperature sensor 1110 may be disposed only on the flat central portion 1112 or the inclined peripheral portion 1112. In some embodiments, the optical contact temperature sensor 10 is disposed on the outer surface of the dielectric window. However, in other embodiments, the optical contact temperature sensor 10 may be disposed on the inner surface of the dielectric window 1110, i.e., the surface facing the processing chamber 1102.

[0069] In each of the embodiments shown and described herein, the optical contact temperature sensor 10 can be used to determine the temperature of multiple components of a plasma processing apparatus in real time. Additionally, the optical contact temperature sensor 10 can be used to determine the temperature of various portions of a component in real time.

[0070] Figure 13 A flow chart of a temperature measurement process (2000) for measuring the temperature of a component of a semiconductor manufacturing device is shown. The temperature measurement process (2000) can be applied to Figure 2-Figure 4 or Figure 11 However, as will be discussed in detail below, according to exemplary aspects of the present disclosure, the temperature measurement process (2000) may be implemented in other ways without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Figure 13 For purposes of illustration and discussion, steps are shown that are performed in a particular order. Based on the disclosure provided herein, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the various steps of any method described herein may be omitted, expanded, performed simultaneously, rearranged, and / or modified in various ways without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, various additional steps (not shown) may also be performed without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0071] In (2002), a temperature measurement process (2000) includes generating data related to the temperature of a component using an optical contact temperature measurement sensor. For example, as described above, the optical contact temperature sensor is disposed on at least one component of semiconductor manufacturing equipment. The optical contact temperature sensor includes an optical fiber having one or more Bragg gratings. Each Bragg grating can reflect light with a different phase shift, which causes interference to occur, thereby canceling out most of the reflected light. However, reflected light with the same phase shift accumulates into a strong reflection peak. The reflection bandwidth and the resulting energy function depend on the bandwidth of the FBG sensor. The wavelength depends on various thermomechanical properties experienced by the optical fiber of the optical temperature sensor. Therefore, the optical contact temperature sensor can provide data (e.g., reflection wavelength data or phase shift data) that can be used to determine the temperature.

[0072] In some embodiments, one or more wavelengths of light can be directed through an optical fiber, and the FGB sensor interacts differently with each wavelength. In some embodiments, an optical signal containing a spectrum of light is directed through an optical contact temperature sensor, and then the reflected spectra are analyzed to simultaneously measure multiple FBG signals.

[0073] In (2004), the temperature measurement process (2000) includes determining the temperature of the component based at least in part on data obtained from the optical temperature sensor. For example, as described in (2002), the reflectance spectrum of the optical temperature sensor 10 can be analyzed, for example, using an interferometer to separate the spectrum according to the wavelengths of its component rays. Thus, various thermomechanical properties of the optical fiber (e.g., temperature) can be calculated according to known methods. These methods and calculations are known and further described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2016 / 0024912, which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0074] Furthermore, data from the optical contact temperature sensors can be transmitted to one or more processors for processing and determining a corresponding temperature. For example, the data from the optical contact temperature sensors can be transmitted to a computing device capable of executing one or more programs thereon, the computing device being configured to process the data from the one or more optical contact temperature sensors to determine the temperature of the component. The computing device can include a processor, a controller, and / or a memory, all configured to execute machine-readable instructions to process the data from the optical contact temperature sensors.

[0075] Although the present subject matter has been described in detail with reference to specific exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that those skilled in the art, after understanding the above, can easily modify, change, and substitute equivalents for these embodiments. Therefore, the scope of the present disclosure is presented by way of example and not by way of limitation, and the present disclosure does not exclude such modifications, changes, and / or supplements to the present subject matter that are obvious to those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for processing one or more workpieces, the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprising: One or more components exposed to radio frequency energy; as well as One or more optical contact temperature sensors are disposed on the one or more components.

2. The semiconductor manufacturing equipment according to claim 1, wherein The one or more optical contact temperature sensors include fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors.

3. The semiconductor manufacturing equipment according to claim 2, wherein: The FBG sensor includes a plurality of Bragg gratings arranged at different positions along an optical fiber.

4. The semiconductor manufacturing equipment according to claim 3, wherein Each Bragg grating has a first refractive index different from a second refractive index of the optical fiber.

5. The semiconductor manufacturing equipment according to claim 1, wherein The one or more components include a sidewall of the plasma chamber.

6. The semiconductor manufacturing equipment according to claim 1, wherein The one or more components include a separator grid.

7. The semiconductor manufacturing equipment according to claim 1, wherein The one or more components include a base.

8. The semiconductor manufacturing equipment according to claim 1, wherein The one or more components include a quartz material.

9. The semiconductor manufacturing equipment according to claim 1, wherein The one or more components include a ceramic material.

10. The semiconductor manufacturing equipment according to claim 1, wherein The optical temperature sensor is wrapped along a longitudinal axis of the one or more components.

11. The semiconductor manufacturing equipment according to claim 1, wherein The optical temperature sensors are arranged in a linear manner along the length of the one or more components.

12. The semiconductor manufacturing equipment of claim 1, wherein the optical temperature sensor is capable of sensing temperatures ranging from approximately 0°C up to approximately 1000°C.

13. An apparatus for processing a workpiece, the apparatus comprising: a plasma chamber having a sidewall; an inductively coupled plasma source configured to generate plasma in the plasma chamber; a processing chamber, the processing chamber being separated from the plasma chamber by a separation grid; a susceptor disposed in the processing chamber and configured to support a workpiece during processing; as well as An optical contact temperature sensor is disposed on at least one of (i) the sidewall of the plasma chamber, (ii) the separator grid, or (iii) the susceptor.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein The optical contact temperature sensor includes a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein The FBG sensor includes a plurality of Bragg gratings arranged at different positions along an optical fiber.

16. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein The optical contact temperature sensor is wrapped along a longitudinal axis of the plasma chamber sidewall.

17. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein The optical contact temperature sensor is disposed in a linear manner along a longitudinal axis of the sidewall of the plasma chamber.

18. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein The sidewall of the plasma chamber includes a quartz material or a ceramic material.

19. A method for measuring the temperature of a component of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, the method comprising: generating data related to a temperature of a component using an optical contact temperature sensor disposed on the component; as well as The temperature of the component is determined based at least in part on the data obtained from the optical contact temperature sensor.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein The optical contact temperature sensor includes an FGB sensor.

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