Method for toolmatching and troubleshooting a plasma processing system

1. A method for testing a plasma processing system having a chamber, an RF power source, and a matching network, the method comprising:

generating an RF power signal at a predetermined constant plasma operating frequency from the RF power source to the chamber without igniting any plasma within the chamber;

measuring a voltage of said RF power signal, a current of said RF power signal, and a phase of said RF power signal, received by the chamber;

computing a value representative of an impedance of the chamber based on said voltage, said current, and said phase; and

comparing said value with a reference value to determine any defects in the plasma processing system, said reference value representative of the impedance of a defect-free chamber.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said RF power signal includes a high frequency power.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said RF power signal includes a low frequency power.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said generating further comprises:

matching the impedance of said RF power signal with the impedance of the chamber.

5. A method for testing a plasma processing system having a chamber, an RF power source, and a matching network, the method comprising:

generating an RF power signal from the RF power source to the chamber without igniting any plasma within the chamber;

measuring a voltage of said RF power signal, a current of said RF power signal, and a phase of said RF power signal, received by the chamber;

computing a value representative of an impedance of the chamber based on said voltage, said current, and said phase;

comparing said value with a reference value to determine any defects in the plasma processing system, said reference value representative of the impedance of a defect-free chamber; and

inspecting the plasma processing system when said value is not within at least about 10% of said reference value.

6. A method for toolmatching a plurality of plasma processing chambers, the method comprising:

generating a RF power signal at a predetermined constant plasma operating frequency for each chamber without igniting any plasma within each chamber;

measuring a voltage of said RF power signal, a current of said RF power signal, and a phase of said RF power signal, received by each chamber;

computing a value representative of an impedance for each chamber based on said voltage, said current, and said phase; and

comparing said value for each chamber with other chambers.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said power includes a high frequency power.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein said power includes a low frequency power.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein said generating further comprises:

matching the impedance of said RF power signal with said impedance of each chamber.

10. A method for toolmatching a plurality of plasma processing chambers, the method comprising:

generating a RF cower signal for each chamber without igniting any plasma within each chamber;

measuring a voltage of said RF cower signal, a current of said RF power signal, and a phase of said RF power signal, received by each chamber while holding other parameters affecting the chamber constant;

computing a value representative of an impedance for each chamber based on said voltage, said current, and said phase;

comparing said value for each chamber with other chambers; and

isolating a plasma processing chamber when a value of a chamber is off by at least about 10% from the mean value of the other chambers.

11. An apparatus for testing a plasma processing system having a plasmaless chamber, an RF power source generating an RF power signal at a predetermined constant plasma operating frequency, and a matching network, the apparatus comprising:

a sensor coupled to the plasmaless chamber, said sensor measuring a voltage, a current, and a phase angle of the RF power signal received at the plasmaless chamber; and

a computer system coupled to said sensor, said computer system computing a value representative of an impedance of the chamber based on said voltage, said current, and said phase, and comparing said value with a reference value to determine any defects in the plasma processing system, said reference value representative of the impedance of a defect-free chamber.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said RF power signal includes a high frequency power.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said RF power signal includes a low frequency power.

14. An apparatus for testing a plasma processing system having a plasmaless chamber, an RF power source generating an RF power signal, and a matching network, the apparatus comprising:

a sensor coupled to the plasmaless chamber, said sensor measuring a voltage, a current, and a phase angle of the RF power signal received at the plasmaless chamber;

a computer system coupled to said sensor, said computer system computing a value representative of an impedance of the chamber based on said voltage, said current, and said phase, and comparing said value with a reference value to determine any defects in the plasma processing system, said reference value representative of the impedance of a defect-free chamber; and

wherein said computer system issues a warning when said value is not within at least about 10% of said reference value.

15. An apparatus for testing a plasma processing system having a chamber, an RF power source, and a matching network, the apparatus comprising:

means for generating an RF power signal at a predetermined constant plasma operating frequency from the RF power source to the chamber without igniting any plasma within the chamber;

means for measuring a voltage of said RF power signal, a current of said RF power signal, and a phase of said RF power signal, received by the chamber;

means for computing a value representative of an impedance of the chamber based on said voltage, said current, and said phase; and

means for comparing said value with a reference value to determine any defects in the plasma processing system, said reference value representative of the impedance of a defect-free chamber.

16. An apparatus for toolmatching a plurality of plasma processing chambers, the apparatus comprising:

means for generating a RF power signal at a predetermined constant plasma operating frequency for each chamber without igniting any plasma within each chamber;

means for measuring a voltage of said RF power signal, a current of said RF power signal, and a phase of said RF power signal, received by each chamber;

means for computing a value representative of an impedance for each chamber based on said voltage, said current, and said phase; and

means for comparing said value for each chamber with other chambers.

17. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for testing a plasma processing system having a chamber, an RF power source, and a matching network, the method comprising:

generating an RF power signal at a predetermined constant plasma operating frequency from the RF power source to the chamber without igniting any plasma within the chamber;

measuring a voltage of said RF power signal, a current of said RF power signal, and a phase of said RF power signal, received by the chamber;

computing a value representative of an impedance of the chamber based on said voltage, said current, and said phase; and

comparing said value with a reference value to determine any defects in the plasma processing system, said reference value representative of the impedance of a defect-free chamber.

18. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for toolmatching a plurality of plasma processing chambers, the method comprising:

generating a RF power signal at a predetermined constant plasma operating frequency for each chamber without igniting any plasma within each chamber;

measuring a voltage of said RF power signal, a current of said RF power signal, and a phase of said RF power signal, received by each chamber;

computing a value representative of an impedance for each chamber based on said voltage, said current, and said phase; and

comparing said value for each chamber with other chambers.