Detector for process kit ring wear

Abstract

To provide a processing chamber.SOLUTION: In a processing chamber, a diagnostic disc 110 includes a disc body 201 having a sidewall around a circumference of the disc body and at least one protrusion extending outwardly from a top of the sidewall. Non-contact sensor 230A, 230C are attached to underside of each of at least one protrusion 204A, 204B .... A printed circuit board (PCB) 203 is positioned at the inside formed by the disc body. Circuitry 205 is disposed on the PCB and coupled to each non-contact sensor, the circuitry including at least a wireless communication circuit, a memory, and a battery. A cover 210 is positioned over the circuitry inside the sidewall 202. The cover seals the circuitry within the interior formed by the disc body from an environment outside the disc body.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2A

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Some embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a device for detecting the end-of-life (EoL) of rings of in-situ process kits. Background

[0002] During plasma processing, the energized gas often contains highly corrosive species that etch and erode the exposed portions of the substrate being processed and the components around the substrate being processed. The components are on the same plane as the substrate and include process kit rings (e.g., wafer edge rings, or more simply edge rings and support rings) that surround the substrate. Conventionally, after several process cycles (e.g., called process time, radio frequency (RF) time), before inconsistent or undesirable process results occur, and before eroded particles from the edge ring contaminate the processing in the chamber and cause particle defects on the substrate, the worn edge ring is replaced. Conventionally, to determine the level of erosion (or wear) of the edge ring and replace the edge ring, the processing chamber is vented, the upper source components of the plasma etching gas are removed, and access to the edge ring is provided. This venting and disassembly is not only labor-intensive but also results in the loss of several hours of productivity of the substrate processing apparatus during processing. Further, since the interior of the processing chamber may be contaminated when it is exposed, after opening the processing chamber, a time-consuming re-qualification process of the processing chamber is performed. Summary

[0003] Some embodiments described herein cover diagnosing the end-of-life (EoL) of an edge ring and / or other process kit rings, and methods for automatically replacing the edge ring and / or other process kit rings. The method can begin by using at least one non-contact sensor to acquire sensor data of the upper surface of a process kit ring disposed within a processing chamber. At least a portion of the process kit ring is within the field of view of the at least one non-contact sensor. The method can continue by analyzing the sensor data by a computing system to determine the degree of erosion of the upper surface of the process kit ring. The method can continue by initiating automatic replacement of the process kit ring if it is determined that the degree of erosion meets an end-of-life (EoL) threshold.

[0004] In some embodiments, the diagnostic disk can have sidewalls around the circumference of the disk and at least one protrusion extending outwardly from an upper portion of the sidewalls. At least one non-contact sensor can be attached under each of the at least one protrusion. A printed circuit board (PCB) can be disposed on the disk, circuits can be disposed on the PCB and coupled to each non-contact sensor. The circuits can include at least a wireless communication circuit, memory, and a battery. A cover can be disposed over the circuits inside the sidewalls, and the cover seals the circuits inside the disk from the environment outside the disk body.

[0005] In an exemplary embodiment, the processing chamber includes a chamber body. The processing chamber can include a source lid coupled to the upper portion of the chamber body, where the chamber body and the source lid together surround an internal volume. The processing chamber can include a substrate support assembly disposed within the internal volume and including a chuck configured to support a substrate in a fixed position during processing of the substrate. The processing chamber can include an edge ring disposed around the circumference of the chuck, where at least one of the chamber body or the source lid defines an opening at a position that is at least one of above or on a side of the edge ring. The processing chamber can include a non-contact sensor disposed within the opening and on the line of sight of the edge ring, where at least a portion of the edge ring is within the field of view of the non-contact sensor. The processing chamber can include a plasma-resistant lens or window disposed in the opening and separating the non-contact sensor from the internal volume, where the plasma-resistant lens or window protects the non-contact sensor from corrosive gases within the internal volume. The processing chamber can include a computing device operatively coupled to the non-contact sensor. In an embodiment, the computing device receives sensor data from the non-contact sensor of the upper surface of the edge ring, analyzes the sensor data to determine the degree of erosion of the upper surface of the edge ring, and initiates an automatic replacement of the edge ring in response to a determination that the degree of erosion meets an end-of-life (EoL) threshold. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] The present invention, by way of example and not limitation, is illustrated in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals indicate similar elements. In this disclosure, different references to "embodiment" or "an embodiment" are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references should be construed to mean at least one.

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[0007] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a closed-loop, in-situ system and method for monitoring erosion of a process edge ring, determining the end-of-life (EoL) of the edge ring, and initiating a robot-driven edge replacement process without opening the vent of the processing chamber or the chamber source lid. In addition to measuring and replacing the chamber or the edge ring, other process kit rings can also be measured and / or replaced (e.g., support rings, etc.). Embodiments described herein with respect to the edge ring should be understood to apply to other process kit rings within the processing chamber. The term "in-situ" herein means in place, meaning that the processing chamber remains intact and there is no need to disassemble or expose the processing chamber to the atmosphere to perform the disclosed edge ring diagnosis and replacement. Also, the disclosed methods and systems described in the embodiments provide flat alignment and centering of a support ring around a chuck (e.g., an electrostatic chuck (ESC)) on which a substrate (e.g., a wafer) is held during processing. Embodiments are described herein with reference to wafers. However, the embodiments apply to other substrates to be processed.

[0008] One embodiment provides for automatic replacement of the edge ring without venting the processing chamber, which improves the yield of processed wafers and equipment utilization time in a customer's manufacturing facility (fab). Additionally or alternatively, other embodiments provide for adjustability of the wafer edge to vary the plasma sheath and / or chemistry at specific locations near the wafer edge by moving the edge ring vertically (e.g., depending on whether it is coplanar with the wafer surface). Such embodiments benefit from an in-situ diagnostic method for determining wear of the edge ring (due to erosion and / or corrosion) and replacement with a new edge ring that provides improved process results without interruption and / or disassembly of the processing of the substrate processing system or substrate processing chamber.

[0009] Various embodiments can assist in monitoring and detecting when the degree of erosion of an edge ring exceeds its wear threshold indicating its EoL using a non-contact sensor (e.g., a depth camera or proximity sensor, etc.). Image data or sensor data from the non-contact sensor (e.g., data indicating the roughness of the surface of the edge ring) is transmitted to a computing system, which can analyze the data and determine whether the level of erosion is within the threshold. When the erosive wear exceeds this EoL threshold, the disclosed system can initiate an automatic replacement of the worn edge ring with a new one.

[0010] In one embodiment, one or more non-contact sensors are included in a diagnostic disk, which is approximately the same size as the wafer and is adapted to be inserted into and removed from the processing chamber with the same robotic motion used for wafer movement. The diagnostic disk can wirelessly transmit sensor data to a computing system. In other embodiments, a non-contact sensor (e.g., a high-resolution depth camera) is placed within an endpoint window or an upper source gas nozzle hole to monitor the erosion of the edge ring. The sensor data can be transmitted from this stationary non-contact sensor to the computing system either wired or wirelessly. Both of these approaches advantageously avoid venting of the processing chamber or disassembly of the processing chamber, for example, by removing the top source component of the plasma etching gas. This process not only saves valuable man-hours but also avoids downtime of the substrate processing system. Further, the embodiments prevent the interior of the processing chamber from being exposed to the atmosphere or the external environment, thereby reducing contamination of the processing chamber. Further, the embodiments enable tracking the state of the edge ring and enable replacing the edge ring at an appropriate time based on empirical data rather than on speculative work.

[0011] FIG. 1A shows a simplified top view of an exemplary processing system 100 according to one aspect of the present disclosure. The processing system 100 includes a factory interface 91 that can couple a plurality of substrate cassettes 102 (e.g., front opening unified pods (FOUPs) and side storage pods (SSPs)) to transport a substrate (e.g., a wafer such as a silicon wafer) to the processing system 100. In an embodiment, the substrate cassette 102 includes, in addition to the wafer, an edge ring 90 (e.g., a new edge ring) and a diagnostic disk 110. The diagnostic disk 110 can be used to diagnose the EoL of the edge ring simultaneously with the operation of one or more processing systems. Also, the factory interface 91 can transport the edge ring 90 and the diagnostic disk 110 in and out of the processing system 100 using the same functionality as described for wafer transport.

[0012] Further, the processing system 100 can include first vacuum ports 103a, 103b that can couple the factory interface 91 to respective stations 104a, 104b, which may be, for example, a degassing chamber and / or a load lock. Second vacuum ports 105a, 105b are coupled to respective stations 104a, 104b and are disposed between the stations 104a, 104b and the transfer chamber 106 to facilitate the transfer of substrates to the transfer chamber 106. The transfer chamber 106 includes a plurality of processing chambers 107 (also referred to as process chambers) disposed around and coupled to the transfer chamber 106. The processing chambers 107 are coupled to the transfer chamber 106 via respective ports 108 (e.g., slit valves, etc.).

[0013] The processing chamber 107 can include one or more etching chambers, deposition chambers (including atomic layer deposition, chemical vapor deposition, physical vapor deposition, or plasma-enhanced versions thereof), annealing chambers, and the like. Some processing chambers 107 (e.g., etching chambers, etc.) can include an edge ring (also referred to as a wafer edge ring or a process kit ring) therein, which is sometimes replaced. The replacement of the edge ring in a conventional system involves the disassembly of the processing chamber by an operator for the replacement of the edge ring, but the processing system 100 is configured to facilitate the replacement of the edge ring without the disassembly of the processing chamber 107 by an operator.

[0014] In various embodiments, the factory interface 91 includes a factory interface robot 111. The factory interface robot 111 can include a robotic arm and can be a selective compliance assembly robotic arm (SCARA) robot (e.g., a 2-link SCARA robot, a 3-link SCARA robot, a 4-link SCARA robot, etc.) or can include the same. The factory interface robot 111 can include an end effector at the end of the robotic arm. The end effector can be configured to lift and process a specific object such as a wafer. Alternatively, the end effector can be configured to process an object (e.g., a diagnostic disk, an edge ring, etc.). The factory interface robot 111 can be configured to transport objects between the substrate cassette 102 (e.g., FOUP and / or SSP) and the stations 104a, 104b.

[0015] The transfer chamber 106 includes a transfer chamber robot 112. The transfer chamber robot 112 can include a robotic arm having an end effector at the end of the robotic arm. The end effector can be configured to process a specific object (e.g., a wafer, an edge ring, a ring kit, a diagnostic disk, etc.). The transfer chamber robot 112 may be a SCARA robot, but in some embodiments, it may have fewer links and / or fewer degrees of freedom than the factory interface robot 111.

[0016] The controller 109 can control various aspects of the processing system 100 and can include or be coupled to a wireless access point (WAP) device 129. The WAP device 129 can include wireless technology and one or more antennas for communicating with the diagnostic disk 110. The controller 109 may be or can include a computing device (e.g., a personal computer, a server computer, a programmable logic controller (PLC), a microcomputer, etc.). The controller 109 can include one or more processing devices (e.g., a microprocessor, a central processing unit, etc.). More specifically, the processing device may be a complex instruction set computing (CISC) microprocessor, a reduced instruction set computing (RISC) microprocessor, a very long instruction word (VLIW) microprocessor, a processor that executes other instruction sets, or a processor that executes a combination of instruction sets, etc. Also, the processing device may be one or more dedicated processing devices (e.g., an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a digital signal processor (DSP), a network processor, etc.).

[0017] Although not shown, the controller 109 can include a data storage device (e.g., one or more disk drives and / or solid state drives), main memory, static memory, a network interface, and / or other components. The controller 109 can execute instructions for performing any one or more of the methods and / or embodiments described herein, which include image or sensor data processing and analysis, image processing algorithms, machine learning (ML) algorithms for generating one or more trained machine learning models, deep ML algorithms, and other image algorithms 107 for analyzing surface sensor data in detecting the degree of wear of the edge ring during operation within the processing chamber 107. The instructions can be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium, which can include main memory, static memory, secondary recording, and / or a processing device (during execution of the instructions). In some embodiments, the training data for training the ML model can be obtained by imaging edge rings that have already been removed and determined to have an EoL threshold for erosive wear using a scanning device or other type of sensor or camera.

[0018] FIG. 1B shows a schematic cross-sectional side view of the processing chamber 107 of FIG. 1A, according to one aspect of the present disclosure. The processing chamber 107 includes a chamber body 101 and a lid 133 disposed thereon, which together form an internal volume. The chamber body 101 is typically coupled to an electrical ground 137. A substrate support assembly 180 is disposed within the internal volume and supports the substrate during processing. The processing chamber 107 also includes an inductively coupled plasma device 142 for generating a plasma 132 within the processing chamber 107 and a controller 155 adapted to control an example of the processing chamber 107.

[0019] The substrate support assembly 180 includes one or more electrodes 153 coupled to a bias power supply 119 via a matching network 127 to facilitate biasing of the substrate being processed. The bias power supply 119 may be, by way of example, a source of RF energy at a frequency of, for example, about 13.56 MHz with a maximum of about 1000 W (but not limited to about 1000 W), although other frequencies and powers may be provided as required for a particular application. The bias power supply 119 can generate either or both continuous power or pulsed power. In some examples, the bias power supply 119 may be a DC or pulsed DC source. In some examples, the bias power supply 119 may be capable of providing multiple frequencies. The one or more electrodes 153 can be coupled to a chucking power supply 160 to facilitate chucking of the substrate during processing. The substrate support assembly 180 can include a process kit (not shown) that surrounds the substrate. Various embodiments of the process kit are described below.

[0020] The inductively coupled plasma device 142 is disposed on the lid 133 and configured to inductively couple RF power to the processing chamber 107 to generate a plasma within the processing chamber 107. The inductively coupled plasma device 142 includes first and second coils 116, 118 disposed on the lid 133. The relative positions and diameter ratios of each of the coils 116, 118, and / or the number of turns of each of the coils 116, 118 can be adjusted as required to control the profile or density of the plasma formed. Each of the first and second coils 116, 118 is coupled to an RF power supply 138 through a matching network 114 via an RF supply structure 136. The RF power supply 138 can generate, by way of example, an adjustable frequency in the range of 50 kHz to 13.56 MHz with a maximum of about 4000 W (but not limited), although other frequencies and powers can be used as required for a particular application.

[0021] In some examples, a power splitter 135 (e.g., a split capacitor, etc.) can be provided between the RF supply structure 136 and the RF power source 138 to control the relative amount of RF power provided to each of the first and second coils. In some examples, the power splitter 135 can be incorporated into the matching network 114.

[0022] The heater element 113 can be disposed on top of the lid 133 to facilitate heating inside the processing chamber 107. The heater element 113 can be disposed between the lid 133 and the first and second coils 116, 118. In some examples, the heater element 113 can include a resistive heating element and can be coupled to a power source 115 (e.g., an AC power source, etc.) configured to provide sufficient energy to control the temperature of the heater element 113 within a desired range.

[0023] During operation, a substrate (such as a semiconductor wafer or other substrate suitable for plasma processing, etc.) is disposed on the substrate support assembly 180, and a processing gas is supplied from the gas panel 120 into the internal volume of the chamber body 101 through the inlet port 212. The processing gas is ignited into a plasma 132 within the processing chamber 107 by applying power from the RF power source 138 to the first and second coils 116, 118. Also, in some examples, power from a bias power source (e.g., an RF or DC source) can be applied to the electrode 153 within the substrate support assembly 180 through the matching network 127. The pressure inside the processing chamber 107 can be controlled using the valve 128 and the vacuum pump 122. The temperature of the chamber body 101 can be controlled using a liquid-containing conduit (not shown) passing through the chamber body 101.

[0024] The processing chamber 107 includes a controller 155 for controlling the operation of the processing chamber 107 during processing. The controller 155 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 123, a memory 124, and support circuitry 125 for the CPU 123, and facilitates the control of the components of the processing chamber 107. The controller 155 may be any one of various forms of general-purpose computer processors that can be used in an industrial environment for controlling various chambers and sub-processors. The memory 124 stores software (source code or object code) that can be executed or called to control the operation of the processing chamber 107 in the manner described herein.

[0025] FIG. 2 shows a top view of the diagnostic disk 110 according to one aspect of the present disclosure. FIG. 2A shows a side cross-sectional view of the diagnostic disk 110 along line 2A of FIG. 2 according to some aspects of the present disclosure. The diagnostic disk 110 can include a disk body 201 having a sidewall 202 around the circumference of the disk body 201, and at least one protrusion 204 extending outwardly from the upper portion of the sidewall 202. In the illustrated embodiment, there are a first protrusion 204A, a second protrusion 204B, a third protrusion 204C, and a fourth protrusion 204D, each being disposed at an interval of approximately 90 degrees from an adjacent protrusion, and each being disposed substantially perpendicular to the sidewall 202. In an alternative embodiment, the diagnostic disk 110 has no protrusions and is formed as a solid disk similar to a wafer.

[0026] In an embodiment, the diagnostic disk 110 further includes a printed circuit board (PCB) 203 disposed on the upper side of the disk body 201, for example, inside the interior formed by the disk body 201 and the sidewall 202. Circuits can be disposed on the PCB, and can include some components (for example, on-board control 209, memory 211 or other on-board computer storage, wireless communication circuit 215, and battery 220, etc.). A cover 210 can be disposed on the circuit 205 within the sidewall and can be used for vacuum sealing the circuit 205.

[0027] In various embodiments, the non-contact sensor 230 is attached to the underside of each of the at least one protrusion 204. For example, the diagnostic disk 110 can further include a number of non-contact sensors, such as a first non-contact sensor 230A, a second non-contact sensor 230B, a third non-contact sensor 230C, and a fourth non-contact sensor 230D, each attached to the underside of four protrusions 204A, 204B, 204C, and 204D, respectively. In embodiments without protrusions, each non-contact sensor 230 is attached to the underside around the diagnostic disk 110, whereby each non-contact sensor 230 can be oriented on an edge ring or a process kit ring. Each non-contact sensor 230 can be coupled to the circuit 205 (e.g., via the sidewall 202) through connections on the PCB 203. Each non-contact sensor 230 can be configured to acquire sensor data (e.g., texture and / or roughness information indicating erosion) of a portion of the surface of the edge ring used in any given processing chamber 107. The wireless communication circuit 215 can include an antenna or be coupled to an antenna and transmit the sensor data wirelessly to the controller 109. In an alternative embodiment, the sensor data is stored in the memory 211 and retrieved after being extracted from a factory interface (e.g., one of the substrate cassettes 102).

[0028] In various embodiments, the non-contact sensor 230 is an image sensor such as a camera having a zoom of at least 4x magnification (e.g., 4X, 6X, 8X, or more). For example, the non-contact sensor 230 can be a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera and / or a complementary metal oxide (CMOS) camera or a high-resolution camera, or can include these. Alternatively, the camera may have other zoom functions. Alternatively, the non-contact sensor 230 may be a small radar sensor capable of scanning the surface of the edge ring. Further, the non-contact sensor 230 may include an X-ray emitter (e.g., an X-ray laser) and an X-ray detector. The non-contact sensor 230 may alternatively be one or more pairs of a laser emitter that generates a laser beam and a laser receiver that receives the laser beam, or may include these. The sensor measurements can be generated by a pair of the laser emitter and the laser receiver when the laser beam is reflected from the surface of the edge ring. These sensor measurements can be converted into sensor data by the circuit 205 and / or the controller 109 in various embodiments.

[0029] Referring further to FIG. 2A, the diameter (DIA) of the diagnostic disk 110 can be defined by the outer peripheries of two opposing protrusions (e.g., from the end of the first protrusion 204A to the end of the third protrusion 204C, etc.). The diameter can be between about 13 inches and about 14 inches, or within 10 to 15 percent of 300 millimeters in some embodiments. Further, the diameter of the disk body 201 can be about 11.5 inches to 12.25 inches. Here, each of at least one protrusion 204 protrudes about 10 percent of the diameter, and the region between about 6.5 inches and 6.75 inches from the center of the disk body 201 is within the field of view of each non-contact sensor 230.

[0030] Furthermore, each non-contact sensor 230 can be arranged such that a gap is formed between the non-contact sensor and the bottom of the disk body 201. For example, each non-contact sensor 230 can be arranged on each protrusion 204, and the non-contact sensor 230 can be displaced from the surface on which the diagnostic disk is arranged by the vertical distance between the non-contact sensor 230 and the bottom of the disk body 201. The height of the diagnostic disk 110 can be defined by the height (H) of the side wall 202, which may be 0.35 inches to 0.45 inches. In one embodiment, the height of the diagnostic disk 110 is about 0.390 inches. In various embodiments, the disk body 201 and the cover 210 including the side wall 202 can be formed of carbon fiber or aluminum with a coating formed of one of anodized aluminum (Al 2 O 3 ), ceramic, or yttria.

[0031] In some embodiments, the diagnostic disk 110 further includes a plurality of kinematic couplings 235 disposed on the bottom surface of the disk body 201. The kinematic coupling 235 can be configured as an inclined hole or slot that receives (or engages) the wafer lift pins (253 in FIGS. 2C - 3) of an electrostatic chuck (ESC) disposed in the processing chamber. FIG. 2B shows a side cross-sectional view of the kinematic coupling 235 within the diagnostic disk 110 of FIG. 2A. The kinematic coupling is a fixture designed to accurately constrain parts (such as wafer lift pins) by providing positional accuracy and certainty. Here, it is the hole or slot of the kinematic coupling 235 sized by the pitch circle diameter (PCD) of the wafer lift pins (FIG. 3). Thus, the kinematic coupling 235 can be arranged at the center on the edge ring by the diagnostic disk 110. As a result, the non-contact sensors are generally oriented on the edge ring to be imaged or scanned. In one embodiment, three kinematic couplings are arranged 120° apart and are located at about two-thirds of the distance along the radius of the disk body 201.

[0032] FIG. 2C shows a wafer lift pin 253 that sets the diagnostic disk 110 on the ESC 150 and sets a low contact area (LCA) 250 between the kinematic coupling 235 and the ESC 150, according to one aspect of the present disclosure. As shown, the kinematic coupling 235 can provide a draft angle for easy lift engagement by the lift pin 253. In various embodiments, the kinematic coupling is formed of one of brass, carbon fiber, lexolite, or polyetheretherketone (PEEK). The kinematic coupling 235 is not metal and contacts the surface of the ESC 150, so the diagnostic disk 110 does not scratch or damage the ESC 150. Also, the materials of the LCA 250 and the kinematic coupling 235 can help reduce particle generation and contamination.

[0033] In various embodiments, the controller 109 (e.g., a computing system) can receive signals from the factory interface robot 111, the wafer transfer chamber robot 112, and / or each non-contact sensor 230 and send control thereto. The controller 109 can start the diagnosis, for example, when one edge ring of the processing chamber 107 is operated for about 300 to 400 RF times. The controller 109 can send a signal to the factory interface robot 111 to lift one of the diagnostic disks 110 from one of the substrate cassettes 102 and transport the diagnostic disk 110 to a station 104b, which is, for example, a load lock or a degassing chamber. Thereafter, the transfer chamber robot 112 can lift the diagnostic disk 110, for example, with the end effector of the robot arm, place the diagnostic disk 110 in the processing chamber 107, where sensor data can be obtained for the purpose of determining the degree of erosion of the surface of the edge ring. The sensor data can be wirelessly transmitted to the controller 109 via the WAP device 129 using, for example, the wireless communication circuit 215.

[0034] FIG. 3 shows a side cross-sectional view of the diagnostic disk 110 disposed on the wafer lift pin 253 of the ESC 150 of the processing chamber, according to one aspect of the present disclosure. The diagnostic disk 110 is shown installed on top of the end effector (e.g., a robot blade) of the robot arm of the transfer chamber robot 112 disposed within the transfer chamber 106. The area 311 around the left part of the ESC 150 where the edge ring exists is surrounded by a circle, and that area 311 is enlarged in FIGS. 3A-3B.

[0035] FIG. 3A is an exploded view of a portion of the diagnostic disk 110 of FIG. 3, according to one aspect of the present disclosure. Here, the non-contact sensor 230 is a high-resolution camera that captures sensor data of the edge and the support ring. The wafer lift pin 253 shown in FIG. 3 is raised, and the end effector of the robot arm of the transfer chamber robot 112 can place the diagnostic disk 110 on the wafer lift pin 253. The kinematic coupling 235 on the diagnostic disk can ensure that the lift pin accurately positions the diagnostic disk at the center of the ESC 150 and that each non-contact sensor 230 is vertically disposed above the edge ring 90. In one embodiment, the wafer lift pin 253 is slightly raised, and the non-contact sensor forms a small gap with the edge ring 90. While the diagnostic disk 110 is on the wafer lift pin 253, the non-contact sensor 230 can acquire sensor data in any of the methods described above and wirelessly communicate the sensor data to the controller 109.

[0036] Figure 3B is an exploded view of a portion of the diagnostic disk 110 of FIG. 3 according to one aspect of the present disclosure. Here, each non-contact sensor 230 captures sensor data of the edge ring 90 and the support ring 390. In this embodiment, the wafer lift pin 253 can be lowered to place the diagnostic disk 110 on top of the ESC 150. In other embodiments, another mechanism is used to guide the diagnostic disk 110 to the ESC 150 (such as utilization of sensor data from non-contact sensors). Each non-contact sensor 230 is close to the edge ring 90, but a gap is still maintained between the non-contact sensor 230 and the edge ring 90. While the diagnostic disk 110 is on the ESC 150, the non-contact sensor 230 can acquire sensor data in any of the above-described ways and wirelessly communicate the sensor data to the controller 109.

[0037] As shown in FIGS. 3A - 3B, the support ring 390 located under the edge ring 90 and between the edge ring 90 and the ESC 150 may be subject to erosion (or wear) if the erosion of the edge ring 90 is deep enough. Thus, when replacing the edge ring 90, the support ring 390 can also be replaced simultaneously, for example, as a process kit ring. Thus, when referring to the replacement of the edge ring 90, this should be understood as referring to the replacement of the process kit ring, and vice versa.

[0038] FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a method 400 for diagnosing end-of-life (EoL) wear of an edge (or process kit) ring and initiating replacement of a process kit ring using a diagnostic disk, according to various aspects of the present disclosure. Some operations of method 400 can be performed by processing logic that can include hardware (circuits, dedicated logic, etc.), software (such as that executed on a general-purpose computer system or a dedicated machine), firmware, or some combination thereof. Some operations of method 400 can be performed by a computing device (e.g., controller 109 of FIG. 1, etc.), which is under the control of a robotic arm and / or a non-contact sensor. For example, the processing logic that performs one or more operations of method 400 can be executed on controller 109.

[0039] For simplicity of explanation, the method is described and illustrated as a series of acts. However, acts in accordance with the present disclosure can be performed in various orders and / or simultaneously, and with other acts not presented and described herein. Further, not all acts illustrated need to be performed to implement a method in accordance with the disclosed subject matter. Further, one of ordinary skill in the art can understand that the method can alternatively be represented as a series of interrelated states via a state diagram or acts.

[0040] Referring to FIG. 4, method 400 can use processing logic to load one or a set of diagnostic disks 110 within one of the substrate cassettes 102 (such as a FOUP or SSP) (405). In one embodiment, one or more diagnostic disks are stored in a FOUP that also includes an edge ring, or more generally a process kit ring. In one embodiment, multiple diagnostic disks are stored in a FOUP designed to accommodate diagnostic disks. Method 400 can continue with processing logic that determines that the process kit ring within the processing chamber 107 is to be the subject of a diagnostic scan (410). This is based on the RF time of operation of the processing chamber of the substrate processing system (e.g., 300 to 400 hours or more), and / or other criteria (e.g., the time elapsed since the last analysis of the process kit ring within the processing chamber). At least a portion of the process kit ring is within the field of view of at least one non-contact sensor 230.

[0041] Method 400 can continue with processing logic to transfer one of the diagnostic disks 110 from the FOUP (or SSP) to the processing chamber in a transfer similar to that used to transfer the wafer (415). In an embodiment, these transfers include loading the diagnostic disk 110 from the wafer storage area to the load lock of the substrate processing system (e.g., by the factory interface robot 111), and using the end effector of the robot arm within the transfer chamber to move the diagnostic disk from the load lock to the processing chamber (e.g., by the transfer chamber robot 112). This can include using the end effector of the robot arm within the transfer chamber 106 to lift the diagnostic disk 110 and place it in the processing chamber.

[0042] Referring further to FIG. 4, the method 400 can continue with processing logic to transport (or move) the diagnostic disk 110 from the end effector of the robotic arm to the wafer lift pin 253 of the ESC 150 (FIG. 3A) (420). In one embodiment, the method 400 can further include lowering the wafer lift pin and, for example, setting the diagnostic disk 110 onto the ESC (FIG. 3B) (420). The method 400 can further include processing logic to obtain sensor data of the upper surface of the process kit ring using at least one non-contact sensor 230 of the diagnostic disk disposed on the process kit ring (425). The sensor data can be obtained while the diagnostic disk 110 is on the wafer lift pin 253 or after the diagnostic disk 110 has been lowered onto the ESC 150.

[0043] Referring further to FIG. 4, in various embodiments, the method 400 can further include processing logic to analyze the sensor data to determine the degree of erosion of the upper surface of the process kit ring (430), which is described in detail above. The method 400 can further include processing logic to determine whether the degree or erosion meets a wear or wear EoL threshold (435). If the EoL threshold has not been reached, the method 400 can continue with processing logic to return the diagnostic disk 110 to a storage area (e.g., FOUP or SSP) (440), and continue with additional number RF times to obtain new sensor data of the upper surface of the process kit ring and continue substrate processing (445).

[0044] However, when the EoL threshold is exceeded, method 400 can continue with processing logic that initiates automatic removal of a worn process kit ring, for example, by returning the worn process kit ring from the processing chamber to a storage area (e.g., FOUP or SSP) (450). Additionally, method 400 can continue with processing logic that purges residues and particles around an electrostatic chuck adjacent to the (removed) worn process kit ring using a pressurized gas source (e.g., nitrogen) in the processing chamber (455). Method 400 can continue with processing logic that initiates automatic replacement of a process kit ring, for example, by transporting a new process kit ring from the storage area to the processing chamber in place of the worn process kit ring (460). This can include using an end effector of a robotic arm to place the new process kit ring in the processing chamber. The operations of method 400 can be repeated for additional process kit rings within an additional processing chamber (465).

[0045] Figures 5A - 5B show a set of side cross-sectional views of a processing chamber 507 in which a non-contact sensor 530 is disposed within an endpoint window for imaging an edge ring (or process kit ring), according to various aspects of the present disclosure. Processing chamber 507 may be the same as or similar to processing chamber 107 of FIG. 1. Processing chamber 507 can include a chamber body 501, a plasma-resistant liner 502 laminated inside the body 501, and a chuck 150 (e.g., ESC 150). Further, processing chamber 507 includes a substrate support assembly 510 within the internal volume of the processing chamber 507 where the chuck 150 is disposed. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, chuck 150 is for clamping (or holding in a fixed position) a wafer at a predetermined position during semiconductor processing. An edge ring 90 (or process kit ring) can optionally be disposed coplanar with chuck 150 around the circumference of chuck 150.

[0046] In one embodiment, the sidewall of the chamber body 501 forms an opening at a position on the side surface of the edge ring 90 (or process kit ring). The plasma-resistant liner 502 includes an additional opening that is substantially aligned with the opening in the sidewall of the chamber body, whereby, for example, the opening and the additional opening can be continuous from the outside of the chamber body 501 to the inside of the plasma-resistant liner 502. In this embodiment, the opening and the additional opening form the endpoint window of the processing chamber 507, although other windows / openings are also conceivable.

[0047] At least a part of the non-contact sensor 530 (which may be the same as or similar to the non-contact sensor 230 such as a high-resolution camera) can be disposed within the additional opening on the line of sight of the edge ring 90. That is, at least a part of the edge ring 90 may be within the field of view of the non-contact sensor 530. The front surface of the non-contact sensor 530 is disposed on the same plane as the inner surface of the plasma-resistant liner 502, whereby a clear line of sight of the edge ring 90 can be provided. By using a fish-eye lens (having a wide field of view) within the non-contact sensor 530, it can help to provide a good line of sight of the edge ring 90. The non-contact sensor 530 can be coupled to the controller 109 (e.g., a computing system).

[0048] A plasma-resistant lens or window 532 (e.g., a hard gemstone lens or window) can be disposed on the non-contact sensor 530 to protect the non-contact sensor 530 from corrosive gases. In various embodiments, the plasma-resistant lens or window 532 is one of a diamond lens, a corundum lens (e.g., a sapphire lens), or a topaz lens. The non-contact sensor 530 can be vacuum-sealed by the plasma-resistant lens or window 532 to prevent contact of the corrosive gas with the non-contact sensor 530.

[0049] In an embodiment, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, by acquiring sensor data of the upper surface (including the edge) of the edge ring 90, the non-contact sensor 530 can be used instead of the non-contact sensor 230 on the diagnostic disk 110. Next, the sensor data is transmitted to the controller 109 via a wireless or wired connection for the above-described image processing, and it can be determined whether the erosion of the edge ring is within the erosion threshold range classified as "lifetime".

[0050] FIG. 6 is a side cross-sectional view of a processing chamber 607 according to an aspect of the present disclosure, where the non-contact sensor 630 is disposed in the upper center gas nozzle 613 to image the edge ring 90 (or a process kit ring, which can include a support ring). The processing chamber 607 may be the same as or similar to the processing chamber 107 of FIG. 1. The processing chamber 607 can include a chamber body 601, a chamber liner 602 laminated inside the body 601, a plasma-resistant liner 602, a chuck 150 (e.g., ESC 150), and a dielectric window 606. The processing chamber 607 can further include a source lid 603 (or a gas supply plate) coupled to the upper portion of the chamber body 601. The chamber body 601 and the source lid 603 (or the gas supply plate) together surround the internal volume of the processing chamber 607. In one embodiment, the source lid 603 includes at least the dielectric window 606 and the dielectric ring 615. The source lid assembly can include the source lid 603 in addition to the gas supply lines 618A and 618B for supplying process gas to the processing chamber and other support structures.

[0051] The processing chamber 607 further includes a substrate support assembly 610 disposed within the internal volume, and the substrate support assembly can include a chuck 150 configured to support the substrate in a fixed position during processing of the substrate. The edge ring 90 (or the process kit ring) is disposed around the circumference of the chuck 150 and is optionally disposed on the same plane as the chuck 150.

[0052] At least one of the chamber body 601 or the lid 603 has an opening formed at at least one position on or the side of the edge ring 90 (or process kit ring). As shown in FIG. 6, the gas nozzle 613 is disposed within the opening of the lid 603, through which gas can be injected into the interior of the processing chamber 607. The gas nozzle 613 can be disposed substantially at the center of the lid 603. In one embodiment, the gas nozzle includes an additional opening having a diameter smaller than that of the opening.

[0053] In an embodiment, the non-contact sensor 630 (which may be the same as or similar to the non-contact sensor 230 such as a high-resolution camera) is disposed within an additional opening of the lid 603 on the line of sight of the edge ring 90. At least a portion of the edge ring 90 is within the field of view of the non-contact sensor 630. The non-contact sensor 630 is disposed inside the gas nozzle 613 and in the same plane as the inner surface of the lid 603, thereby enabling a clear line of sight of the edge ring 90. By using a fish-eye lens (having a wide field of view) within the non-contact sensor 630, it can help provide a good line of sight of the edge ring 90. The non-contact sensor 630 can be coupled to a controller 109 (e.g., a computing system).

[0054] A plasma-resistant lens or window 632 (e.g., a hard gemstone lens) can be disposed in the opening to separate the non-contact sensor 630 from the internal volume. The plasma-resistant lens or window 632 can protect the non-contact sensor from corrosive gases within the internal volume. In various embodiments, the plasma-resistant lens or window 632 is one of a diamond lens, a corundum lens (e.g., a sapphire lens), or a topaz lens. The non-contact sensor 630 can be vacuum-sealed by the plasma-resistant lens or window 632 to prevent corrosive gases from contacting the non-contact sensor 630.

[0055] In an embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, for example, by acquiring sensor data on the upper surface (including the edge) of the edge ring 90, the non-contact sensor 630 can be used instead of the non-contact sensor 230 on the diagnostic disk 110. Next, the sensor data is transmitted to the controller 109 via a wireless or wired connection for image processing as described above, and it can be determined whether the erosion of the edge ring is within the erosion threshold range classified as "lifetime".

[0056] FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a method 700 for the use of in-situ non-contact sensors (e.g., non-contact sensors 530 or 630) in a processing chamber for diagnosing end-of-life (EoL) wear of an edge (or process kit) ring and for initiating replacement of a process kit ring, according to various aspects of the present disclosure. Some operations of method 700 can be performed by processing logic that can include hardware (circuits, dedicated logic, etc.), software (such as that executed on a general-purpose computer system or a dedicated machine), firmware, or any combination thereof. Some operations of method 700 can be performed by a computing device (e.g., controller 109 of FIG. 1, etc.), which is under the control of a robotic arm and / or a non-contact sensor. For example, the processing logic for performing one or more operations of method 700 can be executed on controller 109.

[0057] For simplicity of explanation, the method is described and illustrated as a series of acts. However, acts according to the present disclosure may occur in various orders and / or simultaneously and with other acts not presented and described herein. Further, not all acts illustrated are required to implement the method according to the disclosed subject matter. Further, one of ordinary skill in the art can understand that the method can alternatively be represented as a series of interrelated states via a state or fact.

[0058] Referring to FIG. 7, method 700 can include processing logic that determines that the process kit ring in process chamber 107 is subject to a diagnostic scan. This determination is based on the RF hours of operation of the process chamber in the substrate processing system (e.g., 300 to 400 hours or more) (710), and / or based on other criteria (e.g., the number of hours elapsed since the last analysis of the process kit ring in the process chamber). At least a portion of the process kit ring is within the field of view of at least one non-contact sensor 530 or 630.

[0059] Method 700 can continue with processing logic that uses at least one non-contact sensor 503 or 630 to acquire sensor data of the upper surface of the process kit ring (720). Here, the non-contact sensor may be an in-situ non-contact sensor disposed within the process chamber described with reference to FIGS. 5A-5B and FIG. 6. Sensor data can be acquired during an intermediate period during wafer processing when the process kit ring is within the field of view of the in-situ non-contact sensor and optionally when the process chamber is at least partially evacuated. However, the advantage of method 700 is that the condition of the upper surface of the process kit ring can be continuously monitored during and between wafer processing without the need to completely evacuate or disassemble the process chamber.

[0060] Referring still to FIG. 7, in various embodiments, method 700 further includes processing logic that analyzes the sensor data to determine the degree of erosion of the upper surface of the process kit ring, which has been described in detail above (730). Method 700 can further include processing logic that determines whether the degree or erosion meets an EoL threshold for erosion or wear (735). If the EoL threshold has not been reached, method 700 can continue with processing logic that can continue substrate processing for an additional number of RF hours before acquiring new sensor data of the upper surface of the process kit ring again (745).

[0061] However, when the EoL threshold is met, method 700 can continue with the processing logic to initiate automatic removal of the worn process kit ring, for example, by returning the worn process kit ring from the processing chamber to a storage area (e.g., FOUP or SSP) (750). Optionally, method 700 can continue with the processing logic to purge residues and particles around the electrostatic chuck adjacent to the (removed) worn process kit ring (755) using a pressurized gas source (e.g., nitrogen) in the processing chamber. Method 700 can continue with the processing logic to initiate automatic exchange of the process kit ring, for example, by moving a new process kit ring from the storage area to the processing chamber in place of the worn process kit ring (760). The actions of method 700 can be repeated for additional process kit rings in additional processing chambers (765).

[0062] FIG. 8 shows a top plan view from one of the non-contact sensors disclosed herein of an edge ring 90 and a support ring 390 that surround an electrostatic chuck (ESC) 150, according to one aspect of the present disclosure. The ESC 150 can include a flat region 800 (or other notch or alignment feature) along the circumference of the edge of the ESC 150 that is used to align a wafer disposed thereon. In a similar manner, the support ring 390 can include a corresponding flat region (or notch or alignment feature) such that when the support ring 390 and the edge ring 90 are exchanged as a ring kit, the entire process ring kit is oriented along the flat region 800 and thus can be properly secured in a predetermined position centered on the ESC 150 of the processing chamber 107.

[0063] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the controller 109 can receive sensor data from any of the non-contact sensors described herein, and the controller 109 can determine from the sensor data whether the flat regions are aligned with each other during ring kit exchange. If the flat regions are not properly aligned, the controller 109 can send a signal to the transfer chamber robot 112 to withdraw the ring kit from the processing chamber 107 and then realign it with the end effector of the transfer chamber robot arm before reinserting it into the processing chamber 107.

[0064] For example, the controller 109 can determine a rotational error (e.g., a θ error), which may be the rotation angle between the target orientation and the current orientation of the ring kit. The controller 109 can send a command to the transfer chamber robot 112 to rotate the end effector (and the ring kit supported by the end effector) by a predetermined amount to correct and remove the rotational error. Next, the transfer chamber robot 112 can place the edge ring 90 in the processing chamber 107 in the correct orientation via the corresponding port 108. Thus, the rotational error of the edge ring 90 can be removed using the degrees of freedom of the transfer chamber robot 112 without using an aligner station. In an alternative embodiment, as described in more detail below, the function of the wafer lift pin 253 can be used to correct the rotational error.

[0065] In some embodiments, the transfer chamber robot 112 can correct rotational errors up to a threshold amount of the edge ring 90. For example, one transfer chamber robot 112 can correct rotational errors up to 5°, while other factory transfer chamber robots 112 may be able to correct rotational errors up to 3°, 7°, or other amounts of rotational errors. If the detected rotational error is greater than the threshold amount of rotational error that can be corrected by the transfer chamber robot 112, the transfer chamber robot 112 places the ring kit in an intermediate station (not shown), relocates the end effector, and then can eliminate the rotational error or reduce the rotational error and lift the ring kit so that it is below the threshold of rotational error that can be corrected based on the rotation of the end effector.

[0066] FIG. 9A shows a perspective top view of a diagnostic disk 110A according to an alternative embodiment of the present disclosure. In these alternative embodiments, the diagnostic disk 110A includes non-contact sensors disposed on the disk body 901 in a manner different from that shown in FIG. 2, and thus need not be disposed on opposite sides of different non-contact sensors, respectively. For example, the diagnostic disk 110 can include several non-contact sensors such as a first non-contact sensor 930A, a second non-contact sensor 930B, a third non-contact sensor 930C, and a fourth non-contact sensor 930D, etc., which are each attached at different angles to four protrusions 904A, 904B, 904C, and 904D. This will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 9B. In a particular embodiment, each non-contact sensor can be attached under each protrusion.

[0067] Each non-contact sensor can be oriented in a direction that enables the non-contact sensor to generate sensor data of the component. For example, each non-contact sensor can be oriented on an edge ring, a process ring, an electrostatic chuck, etc., and generate sensor data for alignment or concentricity of the edge ring or the process ring, (e.g., gap measurement between them or the gap between the electrostatic chuck and the process ring), or generate sensor data for erosion or cleanliness of the edge ring or the process kit ring.

[0068] FIG. 9B shows a schematic diagram showing the positions of four non-contact sensors on the diagnostic disk 110B according to an aspect of the present disclosure. In the illustrated embodiment, the disk body 901 includes a notch at a first position 921 around the disk-shaped body. The first position 921 can be referred to as a starting angle of 0°. The notch can be used with a pre-aligner to place the diagnostic disk 110 at a selected position within the processing chamber 107 and / or lift it by an end effector.

[0069] In the illustrated embodiment, the first non-contact sensor 930A can be attached to a first protrusion 904A disposed at an angle of about 170° - 180° from the first position of the notch. In the illustrated embodiment, the second non-contact sensor 930B can be attached to a second protrusion 904B disposed at an angle of about 225° - 235° from the first position of the notch. Here, an angle of 175° is an example of the angles within this range. In the illustrated embodiment, the third non-contact sensor 930C can be attached to a third protrusion 904C disposed at an angle of about 295° - 305° from the first position of the notch. In the illustrated embodiment, the fourth non-contact sensor 930D can be attached to a fourth protrusion 904D disposed at an angle of about 55° - 65° from the first position of the notch.

[0070] The first non-contact sensor 930A can be attached to the first protrusion 904A at approximately 295 mm to approximately 305 mm from the outer periphery of the disk body 901. The second non-contact sensor 930B, the third non-contact sensor 930C, and the fourth non-contact sensor 930D, which are respectively attached to the second protrusion 904B, the third protrusion 904C, and the fourth protrusion 904D, can be arranged at positions from approximately 310 mm to approximately 320 mm from the outer periphery of the disk-shaped body.

[0071] The positions of the second protrusion 904B, the third protrusion 904C, and the fourth protrusion 904D, and the corresponding second non-contact sensor 930B, third non-contact sensor 930C, and fourth non-contact sensor 930D shown in FIGS. 9A - 9B should not be construed as limiting. This is because these positions can vary depending on the processing chamber used, the mainframe robot used, the transfer chamber robot used, the end effector of the robot, etc. At least one protrusion and the non-contact sensor attached thereto can be arranged at other angles or other locations as long as the non-contact sensor has a clearance to view the components or regions within the processing chamber where the non-contact sensor is being diagnosed (e.g., beyond the end effector).

[0072] In the illustrated embodiment, the first non-contact sensor 930A (e.g., the first camera) is centered at the end of the flat region (800 in FIG. 8) and at the beginning of the circular end of the ESC 150. In the illustrated embodiment, the second non-contact sensor 930B (e.g., the second camera), the third non-contact sensor 930C (e.g., the third camera), and the fourth non-contact sensor 930D (e.g., the fourth camera) are arranged to view the ring sections of the process kit rings (e.g., the edge ring 90 and the support ring 390). According to an embodiment described in more detail below with respect to FIGS. 11 and 12A - 12B, the arrangement of the illustrated embodiment of the non-contact sensors 930A, 930B, 930C, and 930D enables the measurement of the gap between the ESC 150 and the process kit rings and can determine the alignment and concentricity of the process kit rings.

[0073] Figure 10 shows the display position of a diagnostic disk (e.g., 110) configured to display the positioning of a process kit ring (alignment, concentricity, etc.) according to one aspect of the present disclosure. The diagnostic disk is shown at a vertical distance (e.g., 150) above the ESC (e.g., 150). The diagnostic disk can reach the illustrated display position when, for example, it is on the arm of a transfer robot such as the end effector of transfer robot 112, or when it is on the wafer lift pin 253.

[0074] In the illustrated embodiment, the diagnostic disk (e.g., 110) has four high-resolution cameras (i.e., non-contact sensors) that capture sensor data of the edges and curvature of the process kit ring according to embodiments of the present disclosure. At the illustrated observation position, the first camera 1030 is disposed above the flat region 800 of the ESC 150 and on the line of sight of the flat region 800, where the start of the curvature of the kit ring can be captured. At the illustrated display position, the second camera 1030B, the third camera 1030C, and the fourth camera 1030D are all disposed above the ends of the kit ring diameter. Such sensor data can assist the controller 109 in determining the alignment and concentricity of the ring kit, for example, as described with respect to FIG. 8.

[0075] FIG. 11 is a flow chart of a method 1100 for replacing an old process kit ring with a new process kit ring in a processing chamber according to one aspect of the disclosure. 1100 can cover at least one embodiment for automatic replacement of a process kit ring. Some operations of the method 1100 can be performed by processing logic, which can include hardware (circuitry, dedicated logic, etc.), software (e.g., running on a general-purpose computer system or a dedicated machine, etc.), firmware, or any combination thereof. Some operations of the method 1100 can be performed by a computing device, such as the controller 109 of FIG. 1, which is under the control of a robotic arm and / or a non-contact sensor. For example, processing logic for performing one or more operations of the method 1100 can be executed on the controller 109.

[0076] In operation 1105, processing logic directs removal of a used (e.g., eroded) process kit ring from the processing chamber 107. To this end, processing logic directs the transfer chamber robot 112 to reach into the processing chamber and use an end effector to remove the used process kit ring (e.g., wafer edge ring, or more simply "edge ring" 90 and support ring 390). In some embodiments, if the support ring is undamaged, only the edge ring is removed. Thus, removal and replacement of the support ring is optional, and references to a process kit ring will include references to only the edge ring 90, or both the edge ring 90 and the support ring 390. The used process kit ring passes through one of the stations 104 or 104b, is collected by the factory interface robot 111, and is transported to one of the FOUPs or SSPs for removal from the processing system 100.

[0077] In operation 1110, the processing logic reverses the process of operation 1105 to load a new process kit ring, for example, from a FOUP or SSP, via station 104 or 104b, to the end effector of transfer chamber robot 112 with a fixed X-Y offset, such as 50 μm to 250 μm. The fixed X-Y offset means a two-dimensional offset of the new process kit ring from the nominal center position of the end effector, for example, with respect to the mechanical tolerance allowances on the side of the process kit ring and the ESC assembly.

[0078] In operation 1112, the processing logic can optionally verify the amount of the fixed X-Y offset, for example, by using a lead center find (LCF) sensor on the mainframe of the processing system 100. For example, one or more LCF sensors can be placed in port 108 leading to the processing chamber. The processing logic can verify or confirm the amount of the fixed X-Y offset of the new process kit ring by connecting to and using the LCF sensor connected to the processing chamber 107.

[0079] In operation 1115, the processing logic instructs transfer chamber robot 112 to move (or insert) a new process kit ring into processing chamber 107 as a replacement for the removed process kit ring. Thus, the movement of the new process kit ring may be the same as moving a wafer into processing chamber 107 via transfer chamber 106 from a FOUP or SSP in factory interface 91 through one of stations 104 or 104b, except that it provides a fixed X-Y offset.

[0080] In operation 1120, the processing logic instructs the transfer chamber robot 112 to lower a new process kit ring to the ESC 150 in the processing chamber 107 while modifying the fixed X-Y offset of the new process kit ring. The correction of the fixed X-Y offset can be performed using a stepping motor coupled to the three wafer lift pins 253 shown in FIG. 3. More specifically, the new process kit ring is placed on top of the three wafer lift pins 253. The processing logic can instruct the stepping motor coupled to the three wafer lift pins to lower and raise, which removes the fixed X-Y offset according to a preset order of raising and lowering of specific wafer lift pins so that the new process kit ring finally lowers to the nominal center position above the ESC 150.

[0081] After the new process kit ring has been lowered to a predetermined position, there may be residual X-Y offsets and / or rotational errors. Therefore, the diagnostic disk 110 or 11A is used to confirm that the new process kit ring is at the nominal center position above the ESC 150 and thus properly positioned and ready to support wafer processing (FIG. 12B). The diagnostic disk can notify the processing logic of any such residual X-Y offsets and / or rotational offsets that may be present and their extent. The processing logic can correct these residual errors and shift and / or rotate the process kit ring by the measured amount until the process kit ring is in its normal center position by similarly instructing the stepping motor to control the wafer lift pins 253.

[0082] FIG. 12 is a flowchart of a method 1200 for pairing and initializing a diagnostic disk for use in verifying the placement of a new process kit according to an aspect of the present disclosure. Some operations of method 1200 can be performed by processing logic that can include hardware (circuits, dedicated logic, etc.), software (such as that executed on a general-purpose computer system or a dedicated machine, etc.), firmware, or any combination thereof. Some operations of method 1200 can be performed by a computing device such as controller 109 of FIG. 1, which is under the control of a robotic arm and / or a non-contact sensor. For example, the processing logic for performing one or more operations of method 1200A can be executed on controller 109.

[0083] At operation 1205, the processing logic pairs a selected diagnostic disk having a particular service set identifier (SSID) to a wireless personal area network (PAN) or other proximity wireless network configured to communicate with the diagnostic disk. Such pairing can be performed using Bluetooth (trademark), ZigBee (trademark), infrared, or ultra-wideband (UWB), etc.

[0084] At operation 1210, the processing logic executes a post-start heartbeat procedure to ensure a continuous wireless connection with the diagnostic disk for transmitting images and / or video from the diagnostic disk to controller 109.

[0085] At operation 1215, the processing logic transmits a script to the diagnostic disk for the control of a temperature monitor and a light-emitting diode (LED). Such control ensures the safe operation of the diagnostic disk and the proper functioning of the non-contact sensor with light suitable for imaging, for example.

[0086] In operation 1220, the processing logic receives a signal indicating that the start is complete, and then the diagnostic disk can move to chamber 107 via processing system 100 and perform a diagnosis of the new process kit ring (FIG. 12B).

[0087] FIG. 12B is a flowchart of a method 1200B for verifying the correct placement of a new process kit within a processing chamber using a diagnostic disk, according to various aspects of the present disclosure. Some operations of method 1200B can be performed by processing logic that can include hardware (circuits, dedicated logic, etc.), software (such as that executed on a general-purpose computer system or a dedicated machine, etc.), firmware, or any combination thereof. Some operations of method 1200B can be performed by a computing device (such as controller 109 of FIG. 1, etc.), which is under the control of a robotic arm and / or a non-contact sensor. For example, the processing logic that performs one or more operations of method 1200B can be executed on controller 109.

[0088] In operation 1225, similar to that described with reference to the new process kit ring of FIG. 11 and operation 415 of FIG. 4, the processing logic instructs the movement of the diagnostic disk 110 from the factory interface (such as a FOUP or SSP) to the processing chamber 1225 via the transfer chamber 106. In a series of operations 1230, 1230B, 1230C, and 1230D, the processing logic can perform the imaging of any gap between the edge ring 90 (of the new process kit ring) and the ESC 150 continuously or simultaneously. Each non-contact sensor (such as a high-definition camera) of the diagnostic disk can image different portions of the ends of the edge ring 90 and the support ring 390, for example, by performing autofocus, illumination (such as using one or more LED lights), and image capture.

[0089] In operation 1240, the processing logic wirelessly receives these four images from the diagnostic disk. These may be still images taken at various locations around the process kit ring. FIGS. 13, 13B, 13C, and 13D are examples of high-resolution images captured by the first non-contact sensor, the second non-contact sensor, the third non-contact sensor, and the fourth non-contact sensor of the diagnostic disk, respectively. Thus, these non-contact sensors may be high-resolution cameras that capture high-resolution images.

[0090] In various embodiments, the process kit ring can include an edge ring 90 and a support ring 1390 having a flat region 800 that can be imaged by the first non-contact sensor. The flat region 800 can be meant to be compatible and physically coincide with the flat region 800 of the ESC 150 (FIG. 8). If the flat regions of the support ring 1390 and the ESC 150 do not coincide, as described with reference to FIG. 8, when the threshold angle of rotation is exceeded, there is a rotational error that needs to be corrected. If the X-Y offset has not been sufficiently removed, a correctable X-Y offset remains.

[0091] Accordingly, in operation 1245, the processing logic performs image processing on the still images received from the diagnostic disk to detect a residual X-Y offset or a rotational error (also called a theta or θ rotation). In operation 1250, the processing logic determines whether the image processing has detected a residual X-Y offset or a theta rotation. In operation 1250, if no position error is detected in the position of the new process kit ring on the ESC 150, in operation 1265, the processing logic returns the diagnostic disk to the FOUP or SSP as described with reference to operation 440 (FIG. 4).

[0092] In operation 1250, if the processing logic detects a positioning error, in operation 1260, the processing logic can perform X-Y offset and / or theta rotation correction on a new process kit ring on the ESC 150 within the processing chamber 107. For example, the processing logic can use image processing to calculate the amount of residual X-Y offset and / or theta rotation. Next, the processing logic can instruct a stepping motor coupled to the wafer lift pin 253 to raise and lower the process kit ring by the calculated order and amount, and shift and / or rotate the process kit ring to remove the remaining X-Y offset and / or theta rotation (e.g., rotation error).

[0093] If the error is too large, the transfer chamber robot 112 can lift and remove the process kit ring from the processing chamber, place it in an intermediate station or another processing chamber, and return it back in a way that reduces the amount of remaining X-Y offset and / or theta rotation. However, the need for this measurement is expected to be rare. The reason is that with the pre-calculated order and the setting of a fixed X-Y offset determined in advance including the amount of raising and lowering the wafer lift pin 253, in normal operation, it can be expected to place the process kit ring at the center of the ESC 150.

[0094] After operation 1260, the processing logic can loop back to operations 1230A, 1230B, 1230C, and 1230D within method 1200B to repeat the generation and diagnostic processing on the newly acquired high-definition image. Thus, diagnostic method 1200B of FIG. 12B can repeat at operation 1250 until it detects that there is no perceivable residual X-Y offset or theta rotation. Since there may be a small tolerance for the X-Y offset and theta rotation, the threshold percentage (e.g., 90 percent or more, etc.) of the nominal center position of ESC 150 is close enough to the center. If within these allowable ranges, the processing logic can proceed to operation 1265 and return the diagnostic disk 110 to the factory interface or proceed to use the diagnostic disk 110 in another processing chamber (when exchanging two or more process kit rings simultaneously).

[0095] The above description shows many specific details, such as examples of specific systems, components, methods, etc., to provide a thorough understanding of some embodiments of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that at least some embodiments of the present invention can be implemented without these specific details. In other instances, well-known components or methods are not described in detail or are shown in simple block diagram form to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present invention. Thus, the specific details described are merely illustrative. Specific implementations may differ from these illustrative details and still be considered within the scope of the present invention.

[0096] Throughout this specification, references to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, appearances of the phrases "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Further, the term "or" is intended to mean an inclusive "or" rather than an exclusive "or". When the terms "about" or "substantially" are used herein, this is intended to mean that the recited nominal value is accurate within ±10%.

[0097] The operations of the methods of this specification are presented and described in a particular order, but the order of each method operation can be changed so that a particular operation can be performed in the reverse order, or so that a particular operation can be performed at least partially concurrently with other operations. In other embodiments, instructions or sub-operations of separate operations may be intermittent and / or alternating. In one embodiment, multiple metal joining operations are performed as a single step.

[0098] The above description should be understood as illustrative and not restrictive. Other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the above description. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

Claims

[Claim 1] A processing chamber comprising: A chamber body; a source lid coupled to an upper portion of the chamber body, the chamber body and the source lid together enclosing an interior volume; a substrate support assembly disposed within the interior volume, the substrate support assembly including a chuck configured to support the substrate in a fixed position during processing of the substrate; an edge ring disposed about a circumference of the chuck, the edge ring defining an opening at a location where at least one of the chamber body or the source lid is on or at least one of a top and side of the edge ring; a non-contact sensor disposed within the aperture and in a line of sight to the edge ring, such that at least a portion of the edge ring is within the field of view of the non-contact sensor; a plasma-resistant lens or window disposed in the opening and separating the non-contact sensor from the internal volume, the plasma-resistant lens or window protecting the non-contact sensor from corrosive gases in the internal volume; A computing device operably coupled to a non-contact sensor, comprising: receiving sensor data of the top surface of the edge ring from the non-contact sensor; Analyzing the sensor data to determine an extent of erosion of a top surface of the edge ring; A processing chamber comprising a computing device that initiates automatic replacement of the edge ring in response to determining that the degree of erosion meets a lifetime threshold.

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