Substrate Support Heater Monitoring for Plasma Anomaly Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current plasma processing technologies face challenges in accurately detecting anomalies, such as electrical discharges or heat transfer gas leaks, during plasma processing, which can affect processing efficiency and substrate quality.
Innovation Solution
A detection method implemented in a plasma processing apparatus that measures the temperatures of multiple heaters within the substrate support and detects significant points by comparing these temperatures to preset thresholds, associating these points with parameters like heat transfer gas leakage and RF signal characteristics, to identify anomalies during plasma processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If temperature measurement of heaters is performed during plasma processing, then anomaly detection capability is improved, but measurement precision is degraded due to plasma interference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs temperature measurements of heaters at specific timing points during plasma processing (before plasma generation, during plasma processing, and after plasma processing). By measuring temperatures at these predetermined stages, the system can detect anomalies such as electrical discharges and heat transfer gas leaks while accounting for plasma interference effects.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent compares temperature measurements taken at different stages of plasma processing to detect anomalies. By establishing temperature profiles before, during, and after plasma processing, the system uses feedback from temperature changes to identify significant points indicating abnormalities in the heating device or gas leakage.
2Reliability
If multiple temperature measurement points are used to improve detection accuracy, then anomaly detection capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the existing heaters that are already part of the substrate support structure for dual purposes: both for their original heating function and as temperature sensors. By measuring the temperature of these existing heaters, the system achieves anomaly detection without adding separate sensing elements, thereby maintaining device simplicity while improving detection capability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method enables early detection of anomalies, allowing for timely intervention and improving plasma processing efficiency and substrate quality by identifying and addressing issues such as electrical discharges and gas leaks.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of heaters disposed in the substrate support
Implementation Method 2
performing plasma processing by generating plasma in the plasma processing chamber
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a detection method implemented in a plasma processing apparatus. The plasma processing apparatus comprising a plasma processing chamber, a substrate support disposed in the plasma processing chamber and a plurality of heaters disposed in the substrate support, the detection method comprising: disposing a substrate on the substrate support; performing plasma processing by generating plasma in the plasma processing chamber; measuring temperatures of each of the plurality of heaters with a plasma being formed in the plasma processing chamber; and detecting a significant point in the substrate support based on the measured temperatures of the plurality of heaters.