Apparatus and method for processing a substrate, and method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using the same

Abstract

A substrate processing apparatus, a substrate processing method, and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device are provided. The substrate processing method includes providing a substrate into a processing chamber, introducing a reference light into the processing chamber, generating a plasma light in the processing chamber while performing an etching process on the substrate, receiving the reference light and the plasma light, and detecting an etching end point by analyzing the reference light and the plasma light. Detecting the etching end point includes a compensation adjustment based on a rate of change of an absorption signal of the reference light relative to a rate of change of an emission signal of the plasma light.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2018-0145245, filed on November 22, 2018, with the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for processing substrates and methods for manufacturing semiconductor devices, and more specifically, to substrate processing apparatus, substrate processing methods, and methods for manufacturing semiconductor devices using the same for detecting the end point of etching. Background Technology

[0004] Semiconductor devices are manufactured using various semiconductor manufacturing processes such as deposition, ion implantation, photolithography, and etching. Plasma can be used to perform some semiconductor manufacturing processes. Due to the increasing integration of semiconductor devices, their structures have become complex. In particular, semiconductor devices with even more complex structures have recently been developed. Correspondingly, semiconductor manufacturing processes become more complex, and therefore typically require more manufacturing time to produce semiconductor devices. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Some exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide substrate processing apparatus and methods with improved detectability and reliability.

[0006] According to some exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a substrate processing method may include: providing a substrate into a processing chamber; introducing reference light into the processing chamber; generating plasma light in the processing chamber while performing an etching process on the substrate; receiving the reference light and the plasma light; and detecting an etching end point by analyzing the reference light and the plasma light. The step of detecting the etching end point may include a compensation adjustment based on the rate of change of the absorption signal of the reference light relative to the rate of change of the emission signal of the plasma light.

[0007] According to some exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a substrate processing method may include: providing a substrate into a processing chamber; introducing reference light into the processing chamber using a light source; providing RF power using a radio frequency (RF) power supply to generate plasma light in the processing chamber; and monitoring the condition of the processing chamber by receiving the reference light and the plasma light. The step of monitoring the condition of the processing chamber may include: obtaining an absorption signal of the reference light and an emission signal of the plasma light; obtaining the emission signal of the plasma light; and obtaining the absorption signal of the reference light by eliminating the emission signal of the plasma light from the absorption signal of the reference light and the emission signal of the plasma light.

[0008] According to some exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device may include: providing a semiconductor device including an etch target layer to a processing chamber; performing an etching process on the semiconductor device; monitoring the condition of the processing chamber to detect an etching end point; and, after detecting the etching end point, terminating the etching process and subsequently performing subsequent processing on the semiconductor device. The step of performing the etching process may include: introducing reference light into the processing chamber using a light source; and providing RF power using a radio frequency (RF) power supply to generate plasma light in the processing chamber. The step of detecting the etching end point may include: analyzing the plasma light to obtain an emission signal of the plasma light; analyzing the reference light to obtain an absorption signal of the reference light; and compensating for the detection of the etching end point by considering the absorption signal of the reference light relative to the emission signal of the plasma light.

[0009] According to some exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a substrate processing apparatus may include: a processing chamber including a first viewport and a second viewport facing each other; a light source adjacent to the first viewport and providing reference light to the processing chamber; a radio frequency (RF) power supply providing RF power to generate plasma light in the processing chamber; a light receiver adjacent to the second viewport and arranged to receive the reference light and the plasma light; an analyzer receiving the reference light and the plasma light from the light receiver and configured to analyze the reference light and the plasma light; and a polarization filter adjacent to the light receiver and filtering at least a portion of the light received on the second viewport having a transverse electromagnetic (TE) mode.

[0010] Details of other example embodiments are included in the description and accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0011] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a substrate processing apparatus illustrating some example embodiments of the concept according to the present invention is shown.

[0012] Figure 2A A flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to some example embodiments of the concept of the present invention is shown.

[0013] Figure 2B It shows Figure 2A The flowchart shows a detailed process for performing the etching process, monitoring the condition of the processing chamber, and detecting the end point of the etching process.

[0014] Figures 3A to 3G It shows things like Figure 2A and Figure 2B The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device is shown.

[0015] Figure 4A graph illustrating plasma intensity is shown, illustrating some example embodiments of the concept according to the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0016] Some exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0017] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a substrate processing apparatus 1 illustrating some exemplary embodiments of the invention is shown. The substrate processing apparatus 1 may use, for example, plasma to etch the substrate S. The substrate S may be a semiconductor substrate for manufacturing semiconductor devices, such as a semiconductor substrate for manufacturing multiple integrated circuits on a wafer from which semiconductor chips are formed when diced, or the substrate S may be a glass substrate for manufacturing flat panel display devices, but the invention is not limited thereto.

[0018] The substrate processing apparatus 1 can be a capacitively coupled plasma processing apparatus; alternatively, it can be an inductively coupled plasma processing apparatus, a microwave plasma processing apparatus, or any other type of plasma processing apparatus. An example of the substrate processing apparatus 1 being a capacitively coupled plasma processing apparatus will be described below. To effectively perform the plasma processing process, it is important to check the internal condition of the processing chamber and verify the plasma conditions (electron density, ion density, etc.).

[0019] The substrate processing apparatus 1 may include a processing chamber 100, a radio frequency (RF) power supply 200, a matching unit 300, a light source 420, a light receiver OF, an analysis unit 440, and a controller 500.

[0020] The processing chamber 100 may have an internal space 101 in which the substrate S is processed. Plasma can be generated in the internal space 101 (see...). Figure 3C The substrate S is processed by plasma within the internal space 101 (P). The processing chamber 100 may have a sealed structure to maintain a vacuum state. The processing chamber 100 may include one or more metals and dielectric materials. Although not shown, the processing chamber 100 may include an upper chamber portion and a lower chamber portion combined with each other, and may have a hollow hexahedral shape, a hollow cylindrical shape, or any other shape.

[0021] The processing chamber 100 may include a first wall 102, a second wall 104, a third wall 106, and a fourth wall 108. The first wall 102 may be an upper wall, and the third wall 106 may be a lower wall facing the first wall 102. The second wall 104 may be a side wall, and the fourth wall 108 may be a opposite side wall facing the second wall 104.

[0022] The processing chamber 100 may include viewports 110a and 110b, a nozzle 120, and a worktable 130.

[0023] Viewports 110a and 110b may be disposed on the processing chamber 100. The first viewport 110a may be mounted on a side wall of the processing chamber 100, and the second viewport 110b may be mounted on an opposite side wall facing the said side wall. For example, the first viewport 110a may be disposed on a fourth wall 108 of the processing chamber 100, and the second viewport 110b may be disposed on a second wall 104. Ordinal numbers such as “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., can be simply used as labels for specific elements, steps, etc., thereby distinguishing such elements, steps, etc. from one another. Items not described in the specification using “first,” “second,” etc., may still be referred to as “first” or “second” in the claims. Furthermore, items referenced with a specific ordinal number (e.g., “third” in a specific claim) may be described elsewhere using a different ordinal number (e.g., “first” in the specification or another claim).

[0024] Viewports 110a and 110b may be made of glass, quartz, or other light-transmitting materials. Viewports 110a and 110b may be transparent to infrared, ultraviolet, or visible light. Viewports 110a and 110b may be located in hermetically sealed openings to allow the processing chamber 100 to remain under vacuum without introducing impurities.

[0025] Viewports 110a and 110b are not limited to being arranged on the side wall of the processing chamber 100, but may also be arranged on the upper wall of the processing chamber 100 or in the exhaust section (not shown) of the processing chamber 100. Viewports 110a and 110b may have an anti-reflective coating and may have a constant transmittance independent of wavelength. Figure 1 Two viewports 110a and 110b facing each other are shown, but the number and arrangement of viewports 110a and 110b are not limited to this. Viewports 110a and 110b may also be provided with deposition shields. In one embodiment, viewports 110a and 110b may form sidewalls of the processing chamber 100 such that the walls of the processing chamber 100 include the viewports. For example, the second wall 104 and the fourth wall 108 may be formed partly by one or more chamber housing materials (e.g., metals and dielectric materials) and partly by viewports formed of, for example, transparent materials (e.g., glass, quartz, etc.).

[0026] Although not shown, the processing chamber 100 may also include a gas supply port and a gas exhaust port. Processing gases for processing the semiconductor device can be supplied through the gas supply port (not shown), and unreacted source gases and byproducts from the semiconductor device processing can be discharged through the gas exhaust port (not shown). The processing gases may include, for example, one or more of CF4, C4F6, C4F8, COS, CHF3, HBr, SiCl4, O2, N2, H2, NF3, SF6, He, Xe, and Ar. However, the inventive concept is not limited thereto.

[0027] The nozzle 120 can be placed within the internal space 101 of the processing chamber 100. The nozzle 120 can be mounted in the upper inner portion of the processing chamber 100. The nozzle 120 can supply processing gas into the processing chamber 100. The nozzle 120 can uniformly spray the processing gas onto the substrate S. The nozzle 120 can serve as a top electrode. The nozzle 120 can be connected to a reference potential. For example, during plasma etching, the nozzle 120 can be grounded (G) or alternatively connected to radio frequency (RF) power. Hereinafter, the nozzle 120 may also be referred to as a top electrode.

[0028] A stage 130 may be disposed within the internal space 101 of the processing chamber 100 to support a semiconductor device. A substrate S may be mounted on the top surface of the stage 130. The stage 130 may be mounted in the inner bottom side of the processing chamber 100. The stage 130 may be arranged facing the nozzle 120. The stage 130 may serve as a bottom electrode to which multiple RF powers are supplied from the RF power supply 200. The stage 130 may be shaped like a flat plate. For example, the stage 130 may be equipped with an electrostatic chuck that uses electrostatic force to rigidly place a semiconductor device, such as a semiconductor wafer, thereon. The stage 130 may include a heater that heats the semiconductor device to a temperature suitable for plasma processing. For example, the heater may be provided in the form of a hot wire embedded in the stage 130. Hereinafter, the stage 130 may also be referred to as a bottom electrode. The stage 130 may have a limiting ring 140 disposed outside the substrate S on its top surface.

[0029] An RF power supply 200 can be provided to supply radio frequency (RF) power to the bottom electrode 130 for plasma generation or plasma control. The RF power supply 200 can be provided as a single power generator or multiple power generators. For example, the RF power supply 200 may include a first RF power generator 220 and a second RF power generator 240. Optionally, the RF power supply 200 can apply RF power not only to the bottom electrode 130 but also to any other component. For example, the RF power supply 200 can apply RF power to the top electrode 120.

[0030] The first RF power generator 220 can supply first RF power having a first frequency. The first RF power generator 220 can be a source RF power source supplying the source RF power, and the first RF power can generate plasma in the processing chamber 100. For example, when the first RF power is applied to the bottom electrode 130, plasma can be generated from the processing gas introduced into the processing chamber 100. Alternatively, multiple first RF power generators 220 can be provided, each applying source RF power.

[0031] The second RF power generator 240 can supply a second RF power having a second frequency. The second frequency can be lower than the first frequency. The second RF power generator 240 can be a bias RF power supply, and the second RF power can cause cations to travel onto the substrate S. In this specification, the first frequency and the second frequency can be radio frequency (RF).

[0032] When the RF power supply 200 applies radio frequency energy to the processing chamber 100, an electric field can exist between the bottom electrode 130 and the top electrode 120, caused by the potential difference between them. As a result, plasma can be generated in the processing chamber 100. The density of the plasma generated on the substrate S can be varied according to the potential difference between the bottom electrode 130 and the top electrode 120. The radio frequency of the RF power supply 200 can be controlled to adjust the plasma conditions in the processing chamber 100.

[0033] Matching unit 300 can be an RF matching circuit installed between RF power supply 200 and processing chamber 100. Matching unit 300 can reduce or minimize the loss of RF power generated by RF power supply 200. Therefore, it can be used to obtain improved transmission efficiency of RF power supplied from RF power supply 200 to bottom electrode 130. Multiple matching units 300 can be provided to correspond to the number of RF power generators 220 and 240, and multiple matching units 300 can be connected to the respective RF power generators 220 and 240. For simplicity, multiple matching units are omitted.

[0034] The light source 420 may be arranged adjacent to the first viewport 110a. The light source 420 may be driven at low power (e.g., 1 mW or less) so as not to affect the chemical reactions of the plasma (e.g., excitation or dissociation). The light source 420 may be, for example, a bulb including xenon (Xe). A first collimator 422 located outside the first viewport 120a may be disposed between the light source 420 and the first viewport 110a. The first collimator 422 may be a collimating lens, but the inventive concept is not limited thereto. The first collimator 422 may collimate the reference light emitted from the light source 420 (see...) Figure 3CThe light beam (RL) generated and output by the light source 420 is collimated. Although not shown, an optical fiber cable may be provided between the light source 420 and the first collimator 422.

[0035] The optical receiver OF can be arranged adjacent to the second viewport 110b. The optical receiver OF can be, for example, an optical fiber. The optical receiver OF can receive the reference light RL emitted from the light source 420 and the plasma light PL generated from the plasma P (see [reference]). Figure 3C In this specification, for clarity of description, the reference light RL emitted from the light source 420 is described independently of the plasma light PL generated from the plasma P.

[0036] A second collimator 432 may be disposed between the light receiving unit OF and the second viewport 110b, and is formed outside the second viewport 110b. The second collimator 432 may be a collimating lens, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The second collimator 432 can collimate the light received from inside the processing chamber 100 and transmitted toward the light receiving unit OF.

[0037] A filter 430 can be disposed between the second collimator 432 and the second viewport 110b. The filter 430 can filter at least a portion of the light received from inside the processing chamber 100 and transmitted toward the light receiving unit OF. The filter 430 can filter the polarization component of the light received from inside the processing chamber 100. For example, the filter 430 can at least filter the portion of the light received from inside the processing chamber 100 that has a transverse electric wave (TE) mode, so that this portion is not transmitted to the light receiving unit OF. Filtering the TE mode component can eliminate noise components generated in the processing chamber 100, such as amplified noise caused by reflection between the nozzle 120 and the substrate S. The light receiving unit OF can transmit the received light (e.g., filtered collimated light) to the analysis unit 440.

[0038] The analysis unit 440 can be an analyzer and includes devices such as a spectrometer. For example, the analysis unit 440 (such as a spectrometer) may include measurement components and hardware and software components configured to perform measurement and analysis tasks (such as those described herein). The analysis unit 440 can use emission spectroscopy (OES) mode and absorption spectroscopy (OAS) mode. The analysis unit 440 can convert the reference light RL and the plasma light PL into electrical signals and analyze the converted electrical signals. For example, the analysis unit 440 can receive the plasma light PL to analyze the emission signal of the plasma light PL, and also receive the reference light RL and the plasma light PL to analyze the absorption signal of the reference light RL. Through the above processing, the status of the processing chamber 100 can be monitored. The analysis unit 440 may include a display (not shown) and other user input / output devices for user control.

[0039] The controller 500 can control the nozzle 120, the worktable 130, the RF power supply 200, the matching unit 300, the light source 420, the light receiver OF, and the analysis unit 440. For example, the controller 500 can control the RF power supply 200, the light source 420, the light receiver OF, and the analysis unit 440, and synchronize them. For example, the controller 500 may include control components such as hardware and software components configured to perform control functions (such as the control functions described herein). A detailed description will be given below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0040] Figure 2A A flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to some example embodiments of the concept of the present invention is shown. Figure 2B It shows Figure 2A The flowchart shows a detailed process flow diagram of step S200, which involves performing the etching process, and step S300, which involves monitoring the condition of the processing chamber and detecting the end point of the etching process. Therefore, Figure 2A and Figure 2B An example embodiment is shown. Figures 3A to 3G It shows Figure 2A and Figure 2B The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device is shown below. (Refer to the following...) Figures 2A to 3G Methods for manufacturing semiconductor devices according to some exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described.

[0041] Reference Figure 2A The substrate S can be loaded into the processing chamber 100 (S100). The substrate S can be accommodated on the stage 130. Although not shown, lifting elements (e.g., a robotic arm) can be provided to load the substrate S. The substrate S can be a semiconductor substrate for manufacturing semiconductor devices or a glass substrate for manufacturing flat panel display devices, but the inventive concept is not limited thereto.

[0042] refer to Figure 3A The substrate S may include a semiconductor layer 10, a pattern 20, an anti-reflective layer 22, and an etch target layer 30. The semiconductor layer 10 may be a silicon substrate, a germanium substrate, or a silicon-germanium substrate. The pattern 20 may be formed on the semiconductor layer 10, and the anti-reflective layer 22 and the etch target layer 30 may be formed on the pattern 20. Except for the etch target layer 30, the semiconductor layer 10, the pattern 20, and the anti-reflective layer 22 may be non-etch target layers.

[0043] The etch target layer 30 may be composed of a semiconductor material, a conductive material, a dielectric material, or a combination thereof. For example, when the etch target layer 30 is composed of a semiconductor material, it may include the same semiconductor material as the semiconductor material of the semiconductor substrate and / or the semiconductor material of the epitaxial layer. Alternatively, the etch target layer 30 may include a conductive material, such as doped polysilicon, metal silicide, metal, metal nitride, or a combination thereof. When the etch target layer 30 is composed of a dielectric material, it may include a dielectric material, such as silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, a low-k dielectric whose dielectric constant is less than that of silicon oxide, or a combination thereof. Alternatively, the etch target layer 30 may include crystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, doped silicon, silicon-germanium, carbon-based materials, or a combination thereof. Figure 3A An etch target layer 30 consisting of a single layer is shown; however, alternatively, the etch target layer 30 may be formed of multiple stacked layers. For example, the etch target layer 30 may include multiple stacked dielectric layers and at least one conductive or semiconductor layer between these dielectric layers.

[0044] Reference Figure 2A and Figure 2B Plasma is generated in the processing chamber 100 to perform an etching process (S200). The etching process includes introducing reference light into the processing chamber 100 (S210) and generating plasma (S220). Introducing reference light into the processing chamber 100 (S210) and generating plasma (S220) can be performed simultaneously.

[0045] Reference Figure 2A , Figure 2B and Figures 3C to 3G The procedure can be performed to monitor the condition of the processing chamber 100 and detect the etching end point (S300). The procedure of monitoring the condition of the processing chamber 100 and detecting the etching end point (S300) may include analyzing the plasma light and reference light (S310), detecting the etching end point (S320), and detecting the compensation etching end point (S330).

[0046] For example, refer to Figure 3B The controller 500 can control the ON / OFF state of each of the light source 420, the analysis unit 440, and the RF power supply 200. Figure 3B An example is shown where the controller 500 controls a Xenon bulb as a light source 420, a spectrometer as an analysis unit 440, and a source RF power generator as a first RF power generator 220.

[0047] The controller 500 can synchronize and simultaneously turn on the light source 420, the spectrometer 440, and the first RF power generator 220. The light source 420 and the first RF power generator 220 can be supplied in pulse mode. In the figure, for simplification, the duration is shown, but it may differ from the actual time period. For example, the ON / OFF period of the light source 420 may correspond to several seconds [s], but the ON / OFF period of the first RF power generator 220 may correspond to several milliseconds [ms]. The ON / OFF period of the first RF power generator 220 can be relatively short and can have a frequency such that the plasma generation effect can be controlled to resemble the plasma generation effect that occurs when the first RF power generator is always ON.

[0048] Based on the first duration or time period during which the light source 420 is in the ON state (e.g., Figure 3B The duration (A) and the second duration (or) when the light source 420 is in the OFF state. Figure 3B The controller 500 can analyze the plasma light PL and the reference light RL (S310) based on the duration (B). Figure 3C A schematic diagram corresponding to the first duration (A) is shown. Figure 3D A schematic diagram corresponding to the second duration (B) is shown.

[0049] Reference Figure 3B and Figure 3C During the first duration (A), the light source 420 supplies reference light RL to the processing chamber 100 and generates plasma light PL from the plasma P. During the first duration (A), the light receiving unit OF simultaneously receives both the reference light RL and the plasma light PL. In this case, the absorption signal can be obtained from the reference light RL, and the emission signal of the plasma light PL can also be obtained. In this specification, it is assumed that the reference light RL has no effect on the emission signal or emission spectrum (OES). Conversely, the plasma light PL can affect both the emission and absorption signals.

[0050] Reference Figure 3B and Figure 3D During the second duration or time period (e.g., B), the light source 420 is in the OFF state, and therefore only plasma light PL is generated from plasma P. During the second duration (B), the light receiver OF only receives plasma light PL. In this case, the emission signal of plasma light PL can be obtained.

[0051] The controller 500 is configured to use the emission signal obtained from the plasma light PL during the second duration (B) to extract the absorption signal of the reference light RL only, thereby compensating for the light generated by the plasma. For example, the controller 500 can extract the absorption signal of the reference light RL only by eliminating the emission signal of the plasma light PL obtained in the second duration (B) from the absorption signal of the reference light RL obtained in the first duration (A) and the emission signal of the plasma light PL. Furthermore, the controller 500 can use data from the first duration (A) and the second duration (B) to detect the emission signal of the plasma light PL and the absorption signal of the reference light RL.

[0052] Reference Figure 3E The intensity of the plasma optical pulse (PL) emission signal can be determined. In this case, it may be difficult to detect the etch end point. The intensity of the PL emission signal can be determined at the etch target layer (see...). Figure 3A 30) is etched to expose the non-etched target layer (e.g., Figure 3A The etching end point is identified when the time indicated by reference numeral 22) changes drastically. However, referring to... Figure 3E It may be difficult to detect points where the intensity of the plasma light (PL) emission signal suddenly changes.

[0053] Reference Figure 3F The intensity of the absorption signal of the reference light RL can be determined. The reference light RL can be provided at a lower power to minimize the impact on the chemical reactions inside the processing chamber 100. However, it can be seen that the output intensity of the reference light RL decreases over time, and therefore the amplitude of the absorption signal of the reference light RL increases. Thus, it is known that external factors reduce the output intensity of the reference light RL and therefore increase the amplitude of the absorption signal. The contamination level of the processing chamber 100 can be detected by monitoring the absorption signal of the reference light RL in real time. For example, contamination of the inner surface 100i of the processing chamber 100 or viewports 100a and 100b can be detected. Therefore, viewports 110a or 110b or any other component can be replaced if necessary.

[0054] For example, the level of contamination inside the processing chamber 100 can be determined by using the decrease in the intensity of the reference light RL, indicated by the increase in the amplitude of the absorbed signal of the reference light RL, and this can be used to estimate the effect on the intensity of the reflected signal of the plasma light PL.

[0055] According to various aspects of the present invention, the etching end point (S320 and S330) can be detected and compensated by considering the rate of change of the absorption signal of the reference light RL relative to the rate of change of the emission signal of the plasma light PL (e.g., to correct inaccurate determination of the etching end point due to variations in the processing chamber, such as additional contamination). For example, errors in the etching end point can be compensated for by dividing the rate of change of the emission signal of the plasma light PL by the rate of change of the absorption signal of the reference light RL (e.g., by performing a compensation adjustment). The rate of change of the emission signal of the plasma light PL at a specific time can be obtained from the emission signal of the plasma light PL (e.g., by detecting a series of emission measurements over a period of time and determining the rate of change at a given time based on an overall emission-versus-time curve), and the rate of change of the absorption signal of the reference light RL at a specific time can be obtained from the absorption signal of the reference light RL (e.g., by detecting a series of absorption measurements over a period of time and determining the rate of change at a given time based on an overall absorption-versus-time curve). For example, when the rate of change of the emission signal of the plasma light PL is divided by the rate of change of the absorption signal of the reference light RL for a series of time points, the resulting values ​​can form a characteristic curve graph. This characteristic curve graph includes obvious points of change where the curve suddenly changes (also described as signal edge points or signal jumps). The time point where one of these points of change occurs can correspond to the etching end point. Therefore, errors caused by internal contamination can be compensated for. The detection of the etching end point and error compensation (S320 and S330) can be performed simultaneously, but the inventive concept is not limited thereto. The etching end point can be referred to as the etching completion point.

[0056] Figure 3G A graph comparing the emission signal pOES of plasma light according to a comparative example with the compensated emission signal cOES of plasma light according to some exemplary embodiments of the present invention is shown. The emission signal pOES of the plasma light of the comparative example can be compared with... Figure 3E The data is the same. As mentioned above, by compensating for detection errors caused by internal contamination, the compensated emission signal cOES of the plasma light can be used to more easily detect the etch end point EP. Therefore, reliability can be improved and detectability can be increased. Figure 3G In this context, the etching end point EP can correspond to the point in time when the cOES curve suddenly bends near its end.

[0057] Reference Figure 2A When the etching end point is determined, the etching process can be terminated (S400), and subsequent processing can then be performed on the substrate S (S500). This is because the etching end point indicates the exposure of a non-etched target layer (e.g., Figure 3A (Ref. 22) Therefore, the etching process can be terminated immediately after the etching end point is determined. Subsequent processing can be, but is not limited to, cleaning processes and any other processes for fabricating different layers, patterns, and components for semiconductor devices to form integrated circuits on a bare die (which can be diced into chips and formed into semiconductor packages). If desired, the substrate S can undergo subsequent processing in the same processing chamber 100, or the substrate S can be unloaded from processing chamber 100 and subsequently loaded into other processing chambers.

[0058] According to the present invention, substrate processing apparatus and methods with improved detectability and reliability can be provided.

[0059] Figure 4 A graph illustrating plasma intensity according to some example embodiments of the invention is shown. When the absorption signal of the reference light RL is monitored by connecting an optical sensor (e.g., a Fast-Time OES) to the light receiver OF and the analysis unit 440, the controller 500 can detect the specific time AP at which the arc occurs. In the case of performing component analysis at the specific time AP, the optical sensor can be used to locate the specific component (e.g., the nozzle) where the arc occurs.

[0060] According to some exemplary embodiments of the present invention, substrate processing apparatus and methods with improved detectability and reliability can be provided.

[0061] The effects of this invention are not limited to those described above. Those skilled in the art will readily understand, based on the foregoing description and accompanying drawings, other effects not mentioned above.

[0062] These embodiments are presented to facilitate understanding of the inventive concept, but should not be construed as limiting the scope of the inventive concept, which is intended to cover various combinations, modifications, and variations. The technical scope of protection of the inventive concept will be defined by the technical spirit of the appended claims, and is intended to include all modifications and equivalents that substantially fall within the spirit and scope of the invention, and not limited to the textual description in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A substrate processing method, comprising: providing a substrate into a processing chamber; introducing a reference light into the processing chamber; generating a plasma light in the processing chamber while performing an etching process on the substrate; receiving the reference light and the plasma light; and detecting an etching end point by analyzing the reference light and the plasma light, wherein detecting the etching end point includes a compensation adjustment based on a rate of change of an absorption signal of the reference light relative to a rate of change of an emission signal of the plasma light, wherein receiving the reference light and the plasma light includes filtering at least a portion of the reference light and the plasma light having a transverse electric wave mode, and receiving a remaining portion of the reference light and the plasma light.

2. The substrate processing method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the plasma light includes obtaining a rate of change of an emission signal of the plasma light, analyzing the reference light includes obtaining a rate of change of an absorption signal of the reference light, and detecting the etching end point includes obtaining a compensated emission signal of the plasma light by dividing the rate of change of the emission signal of the plasma light by the rate of change of the absorption signal of the reference light.

3. The substrate processing method of claim 1, wherein the reference light is introduced by a light source, and the plasma light is introduced by supplying radio frequency power generated from a radio frequency power source, and the light source and the radio frequency power source are synchronized such that introducing the reference light is performed simultaneously with generating the plasma light. the light source and the radio frequency power source are switched on / off in a pulsed mode, 4. The substrate processing method according to claim 3, wherein wherein receiving the reference light and the plasma light includes: receiving the reference light and the plasma light for a first duration of time; and selectively receiving the plasma light without the reference light for a second duration of time. receiving the reference light and the plasma light includes:

5. The substrate processing method according to claim 4, wherein obtaining an absorption signal of the reference light and an emission signal of the plasma light for the first duration of time; and obtaining the emission signal of the plasma light for the second duration of time. the compensation adjustment includes obtaining the absorption signal of the reference light by canceling the emission signal of the plasma light obtained in the second duration of time from the absorption signal of the reference light and the emission signal of the plasma light obtained in the first duration of time.

6. The substrate processing method according to claim 5, wherein receiving the reference light and the plasma light monitors a condition of the processing chamber.

7. The substrate processing method of claim 1, further comprising: monitoring the condition of the processing chamber includes monitoring a level of contamination of an inner surface of the processing chamber.

8. The substrate processing method according to claim 7, wherein monitoring the condition of the processing chamber includes analyzing a component in the processing chamber where an arc occurs using the absorption signal of the reference light.

9. The substrate processing method according to claim 7, wherein introducing the reference light into the substrate chamber includes providing the reference light to a first viewport on a sidewall of the processing chamber, 10. The substrate processing method according to claim 1, wherein wherein the provided reference light is collimated by a first collimator adjacent to the first viewport. ​ 11. The substrate processing method according to claim 10, wherein receiving the reference light and the plasma light includes providing the reference light and the plasma light to a second viewport arranged to face a sidewall of the processing chamber, wherein the provided reference light and plasma light are collimated by a second collimator adjacent to the second viewport.

12. A substrate processing method, comprising: providing a substrate into a processing chamber; introducing a reference light into the processing chamber using a light source; providing radio frequency power to generate plasma light in the processing chamber using a radio frequency power source; and monitoring a condition of the processing chamber by receiving the reference light and the plasma light, wherein receiving the reference light and the plasma light includes filtering at least a portion of the reference light and the plasma light having a transverse electric wave mode, and receiving a remaining portion of the reference light and the plasma light, wherein monitoring the condition of the processing chamber includes: obtaining an absorption signal of the reference light and an emission signal of the plasma light; obtaining an emission signal of the plasma light; and obtaining an absorption signal of the reference light by canceling the emission signal of the plasma light from the absorption signal of the reference light and the emission signal of the plasma light.

13. The substrate processing method according to claim 12, wherein, Monitoring the condition of the processing chamber includes monitoring a contamination level of an inner surface of the processing chamber.

14. The substrate processing method of claim 12, wherein, Monitoring the condition of the processing chamber includes analyzing a component in the processing chamber where an arc occurs using the absorption signal of the reference light.

15. The substrate processing method of claim 12, wherein, The light source and the radio frequency power source are synchronized to switch to an on state simultaneously.

16. The substrate processing method of claim 15, wherein, The light source and the radio frequency power source are switched in a pulsed mode, wherein receiving the reference light and the plasma light includes: obtaining the absorption signal of the reference light and the emission signal of the plasma light for a first duration; and obtaining the emission signal of the plasma light for a second duration.

17. The substrate processing method of claim 12, further comprising: detecting an etch end point by analyzing the reference light and the plasma light, wherein detecting the etch end point includes: obtaining a rate of change of the emission signal of the plasma light; obtaining a rate of change of the absorption signal of the reference light; and compensating detection of the etch end point by considering the rate of change of the absorption signal of the reference light with respect to the rate of change of the emission signal of the plasma light.

18. The substrate processing method of claim 17, wherein, Compensating detection of the etch end point includes obtaining a compensated emission signal of the plasma light by dividing the rate of change of the emission signal of the plasma light by the rate of change of the absorption signal of the reference light.

19. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising: providing the semiconductor device including an etch target layer to a processing chamber; performing an etch process on the semiconductor device; monitoring a condition of the processing chamber to detect an etch end point; and after detecting the etch end point, terminating the etch process and subsequently performing a subsequent process on the semiconductor device, wherein performing the etch process includes: introducing a reference light into the processing chamber using a light source; and providing radio frequency power to generate plasma light in the processing chamber using a radio frequency power source; and wherein detecting the etch end point includes: receiving the reference light and the plasma light; analyzing the plasma light to obtain an emission signal of the plasma light; analyzing the reference light to obtain an absorption signal of the reference light; and compensating for detection of the etch end point by considering the absorption signal of the reference light with respect to the emission signal of the plasma light, wherein receiving the reference light and the plasma light includes filtering at least a portion of the reference light and the plasma light having a transverse electric wave mode, and receiving a remaining portion of the reference light and the plasma light.

20. The method of fabricating a semiconductor device according to claim 19, wherein, the light source and the RF power source are synchronized such that introducing the reference light using the light source is performed concurrently with providing the RF power using the RF power source.

21. The method of fabricating a semiconductor device according to claim 20, wherein, the light source and the RF power source are switched on / off in a pulsed mode, wherein receiving the reference light and the plasma light includes: receiving the reference light and the plasma light for a first duration, and selectively receiving the plasma light without the reference light for a second duration.

22. A substrate processing apparatus comprising: a process chamber including a first viewport and a second viewport facing each other; a light source adjacent to the first viewport and providing a reference light to the process chamber; a RF power source providing RF power to generate a plasma light in the process chamber; a light receiving portion adjacent to the second viewport and arranged to receive the reference light and the plasma light; an analyzer receiving the reference light and the plasma light from the light receiving portion and configured to analyze the reference light and the plasma light; and a polarization filter adjacent to the light receiving portion and filtering at least a portion of the reference light and the plasma light received on the second viewport having a transverse electric wave mode.

23. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 22, further comprising a controller by which the light source and the RF power source are controlled, the controller synchronizing the light source and the RF power source to switch the light source and the RF power source to an on state concurrently. wherein ​

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