IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,851,389
Granted Patent B2
US 9,851,389 · App. 14/855,191 · Granted Dec 26, 2017

Identifying components associated with a fault in a plasma system

Inventor: Seyed Jafar Jafarian-Tehrani (Fremont, CA)
Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
G01R31/02C23C16/45544C23C16/505H01J37/3299H01J37/32174H01J37/32926H01J37/32935H01R13/506
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,851,389
App. No.
14/855,191
Granted
Dec 26, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for identifying a faulty component in a plasma tool is described. The method includes accessing a measurement of a parameter received from a frequency generator and measurement device. The measurement is generated based on a plurality of radio frequency (RF) signals that are provided to a portion of a plasma tool. The RF signals have one or more ranges of frequencies. The method further includes determining whether the parameter indicates an error, which indicates a fault in the portion of the plasma tool. The method includes identifying limits of the frequencies in which the error occurs and identifying based on the limits of the frequencies in which the error occurs one or more components of the portion of the plasma tool creating the error.

Claims (53)

1. A method comprising:

accessing a measurement of a parameter received from a frequency generator and measurement device, the measurement generated based on a plurality of radio frequency (RF) signals that are provided to a portion of a plasma tool, the RF signals having one or more ranges of frequencies;

determining whether the parameter indicates an error, the error indicating a fault in the portion of the plasma tool, wherein determining whether the parameter indicates that the error comprises:

analyzing whether a resonant frequency associated with the parameter occurs between pre-determined resonant frequencies;

determining that the parameter indicates non-existence of the error upon determining that the resonant frequency associated with the parameter occurs between the pre-determined resonant frequencies; and

determining that the parameter indicates the error upon determining that the resonant frequency associated with the parameter occurs outside the pre-determined resonant frequencies;

identifying limits of the frequencies of the one or more ranges in which the error occurs; and

identifying based on the limits of the frequencies of the one or more ranges in which the error occurs one or more components of the portion of the plasma tool creating the error,

wherein the method is executed by a processor.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the parameter includes complex impedance, or complex voltage and current, or an S parameter, or complex power.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the frequency generator and measurement device includes a network analyzer.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the plasma tool includes a plasma chamber, or a combination of the plasma chamber and a portion of an RF transmission line, or a combination of the plasma chamber and the RF transmission line.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the plasma tool includes a combination of a plasma chamber, an RF transmission line, and an impedance matching circuit.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more ranges of the frequencies of the RF signals is exclusive of any other of the one or more ranges of the frequencies of the RF signals.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the limits of the frequencies of the one or more ranges in which the error occurs comprises determining multiple values of the frequencies of the one or more ranges corresponding to the parameter when the resonant frequency associated with the parameter occurs outside the pre-determined resonant frequencies.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying based on the limits of the frequencies in which the error occurs the one or more components of the portion of the plasma tool creating the error comprises:

excluding one or more components of the portion of the plasma tool that are associated with one or more of the frequencies of the one or more ranges outside the limits.

9. A method comprising:

accessing a measurement of a parameter received from a frequency generator and measurement device, the measurement generated based on a plurality of radio frequency (RF) signals that are provided to a portion of a plasma tool, the RF signals having one or more ranges of frequencies;

determining whether the parameter indicates an error, the error indicating a fault in the portion of the plasma tool,

wherein determining whether the parameter indicates that the error comprises:

analyzing whether a slope of a phase of the parameter lies between slopes of phases of pre-determined confines of the parameter;

determining that the parameter indicates non-existence of the error upon determining that the slope of the phase of the parameter lies between the slopes of the phases of the pre-determined confines of the parameter; and

determining that the parameter indicates the error upon determining that the slope of the phase of the parameter lies outside the slopes of the phases of the pre-determined confines of the parameter;

identifying limits of the frequencies of the one or more ranges in which the error occurs; and

identifying based on the limits of the frequencies of the one or more ranges in which the error occurs one or more components of the portion of the plasma tool creating the error,

wherein the method is executed by a processor.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the parameter includes complex impedance, or complex voltage and current, or an S parameter, or complex power.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the frequency generator and measurement device includes a network analyzer.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the portion of the plasma tool includes a plasma chamber, or a combination of the plasma chamber and a portion of an RF transmission line, or a combination of the plasma chamber and the RF transmission line.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the portion of the plasma tool includes a combination of a plasma chamber, an RF transmission line, and an impedance matching circuit.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein each of the one or more ranges of the frequencies of the RF signals is exclusive of any other of the one or more ranges of the frequencies of the RF signals.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein identifying the limits of the frequencies of the one or more ranges in which the error occurs comprises determining multiple values of the frequencies of the one or more ranges corresponding to the parameter when the parameter indicates the error.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein identifying based on the limits of the frequencies of the one or more ranges in which the error occurs the one or more components of the portion of the plasma tool creating the error comprises:

excluding one or more components of the portion of the plasma tool that are associated with one or more of the frequencies of the one or more ranges outside the limits.

17. A method comprising:

accessing a measurement of a parameter received from a frequency generator and measurement device, the measurement generated based on a plurality of radio frequency (RF) signals that are provided to a portion of a plasma tool, the RF signals having one or more ranges of frequencies;

determining whether the parameter indicates an error, the error indicating a fault in the portion of the plasma tool,

wherein determining whether the parameter indicates that the error comprises:

identifying whether there is a shift in a magnitude of the parameter;

determining that the parameter indicates the error upon determining that the shift occurred; and

determining that the parameter indicates nonexistence of the error upon determining that the shift did not occur;

identifying limits of the frequencies of the one or more ranges in which the error occurs; and

identifying based on the limits of the frequencies of the one or more ranges in which the error occurs one or more components of the portion of the plasma tool creating the error,

wherein the method is executed by a processor.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the parameter includes complex impedance, or complex voltage and current, or an S parameter, or complex power.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the frequency generator and measurement device includes a network analyzer.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the portion of the plasma tool includes a plasma chamber, or a combination of the plasma chamber and a portion of an RF transmission line, or a combination of the plasma chamber and the RF transmission line.

21. The method of claim 17 , wherein the portion of the plasma tool includes a combination of a plasma chamber, an RF transmission line, and an impedance matching circuit.

22. The method of claim 17 , wherein each of the one or more ranges of the frequencies of the RF signals is exclusive of any other of the one or more ranges of the frequencies of the RF signals.

23. The method of claim 17 , wherein identifying the limits of the frequencies of the one or more ranges in which the error occurs comprises determining multiple values of the frequencies of the one or more ranges corresponding to the parameter when the parameter indicates the error.

24. The method of claim 17 , wherein identifying based on the limits of the frequencies of the one or more ranges in which the error occurs the one or more components of the portion of the plasma tool creating the error comprises:

excluding one or more components of the portion of the plasma tool that are associated with one or more of the frequencies of the one or more ranges outside the limits.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 16, 2015
From: JAFARIAN-TEHRANI, SEYED JAFAR
To: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 036577/0035 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62066784 · Oct 21, 2014
Related Publication 20160109498A1 · Apr 21, 2016