IP Library Granted Patent US 12,469,686
Granted Patent B2
US 12,469,686 · App. 17/696,791 · Granted Nov 11, 2025

Process characterization and correction using optical wall process sensor (OWPS)

Inventors: Jeffrey Yat Shan Au (Sunnyvale, CA); Joshua Thomas Maher (Sunnyvale, CA); Varoujan Chakarian (San Jose, CA); Sidharth Bhatia (Santa Cruz, CA); Patrick Tae (Sunnyvale, CA); Zhaozhao Zhu (Milpitas, CA); Blake W. Erickson (Gilroy, CA)
Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
H01J37/32972H01J37/32926H01J2237/334
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,469,686
App. No.
17/696,791
Granted
Nov 11, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method includes receiving, by a processing device, first sensor data indicating a state of a wall corresponding to a first processing chamber. The first sensor data includes optical spectral data. The method further includes determining, by the processing device, a first value based on the first sensor data. The first value corresponds to a first amount of a product disposed along a surface of the wall at a first time. The method further includes determining, by the processing device, a first update to a first process operation associated with the first processing chamber based on the first value. The method further includes performing, by the processing device, one or more of (i) preparing a notification indicating the first update for presentation on a graphical user interface (GUI), or (ii) causing performance of the first process operation in accordance with the first update.

Claims (65)

1 . A method comprising:

receiving, by a processing device, first sensor data indicating a state of a wall corresponding to a first processing chamber, the first sensor data comprising optical spectral data associated at least with light reflected off of a surface of a product disposed along a surface of the wall, a distal surface of a window in the wall, and a film on the distal surface of the window;

determining, by the processing device, a first value based on the first sensor data, the first value corresponding to a first amount of the product disposed along the surface of the wall at a first time;

determining, by the processing device, a first update to a first process operation associated with the first processing chamber based on the first value; and

performing, by the processing device, one or more of (i) preparing a notification indicating the first update for presentation on a graphical user interface (GUI) or (ii) causing performance of the first process operation in accordance with the first update.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor data is received from an optical wall process sensor (OWPS), the method further comprising:

determining, by the processing device, an update to at least one of a sensor gain value or a sensor offset value corresponding to the OWPS based on the first value.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first value corresponds to the first amount of the product disposed along the surface at the first time, the method further comprising:

determining, by the processing device, a second value based on the first sensor data, wherein the second value corresponds to a second amount of the product disposed along the surface of the wall at a second time; and

determining, by the processing device, a process rate associated with the first process operation using the first value and the second value, wherein the first update is determined further using the process rate.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the first update corresponds to at least one of a duration of the first process operation or an endpoint condition of the first process operation.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein at least one of the process rate or the endpoint condition is associated with at least one of a cleaning rate, an etch rate, or a deposition rate corresponding to the first processing chamber.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first value indicates a thickness of the product disposed along the surface of the wall.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, by the processing device, second sensor data indicating a second state of a second wall corresponding to a second processing chamber, wherein the second sensor data comprises second optical spectral data; and

determining, by the processing device, a second value based on the second sensor data, wherein the second value corresponds to a second amount of the product disposed along a second surface of the second wall at a second time,

wherein the first update is determined further using the second value.

8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

causing, by the processing device, a performance of a calibration of one or more sensors associated with the first processing chamber based on a comparison between the first value and the second value.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

performing, by the processing device, a data normalization using the first sensor data to determine the first value, wherein the first value comprises a normalized dimensionless value.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

using, by the processing device, the first sensor data as input to a machine learning (ML) model; and

receiving, by the processing device, one or more outputs of the ML model, the one or more outputs indicating the first update.

11 . A system comprising:

a first processing chamber comprising a first wall with an inner surface positioned within the first processing chamber;

an optical sensor coupled to the processing chamber, the optical sensor configured to acquire spectral data associated with the inner surface;

a memory; and

a processing device coupled to the memory, the processing device to:

receive first sensor data indicating a state of the first wall of the first processing chamber, the first sensor data comprising optical spectral data associated at least with light reflected off of a surface of a product disposed along the inner surface of the wall, a distal surface of a window in the wall, and a film on the distal surface of the window;

determine a first value based on the first sensor data, the first value corresponding to a first amount of the product disposed along the inner surface of the first wall at a first time;

determine a first update to a first process operation associated with the first processing chamber based on the first value; and

perform one or more of (i) prepare a notification indicating the first update for presentation on a graphical user interface (GUI) or (ii) cause performance of the first process operation in accordance with the first update.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the first sensor data is received from an optical wall process sensor (OWPS), and wherein the processing device is further to:

determine an update to at least one of a sensor gain value or a sensor offset value corresponding to the OWPS based on the first value.

13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the first value corresponds to the first amount of the product disposed along the surface at the first time, and wherein the processing device is further to:

determine a second value based on the first sensor data, wherein the second value corresponds to a second amount of the product disposed along the surface of the wall at a second time; and

determine a process rate associated with the first process operation using the first value and the second value, wherein the first update is determined further using the process rate.

14 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the first value indicates a thickness of the product disposed along the surface of the wall.

15 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the processing device is further to:

receive second sensor data indicating a second state of a second wall corresponding to a second processing chamber, wherein the second sensor data comprises second optical spectral data; and

determine a second value based on the second sensor data, wherein the second value corresponds to a second amount of the product disposed along a second surface of the second wall,

wherein the first update is determined further using the second value.

16 . A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed, cause a processing device to:

receive first sensor data indicating a state of a wall corresponding to a first processing chamber, the first sensor data comprising optical spectral data associated at least with light reflected off of a surface of a product disposed along a surface of the wall, a distal surface of a window in the wall, and a film on the distal surface of the window;

determine a first value based on the first sensor data, the first value corresponding to a first amount of the product disposed along the surface of the wall at a first time;

determine a first update to a first process operation associated with the first processing chamber based on the first value; and

perform one or more of (i) prepare a notification indicating the first update for presentation on a graphical user interface (GUI) or (ii) cause performance of the first process operation in accordance with the first update.

17 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 16 ,

wherein the first sensor data is received from an optical wall process sensor (OWPS), and

wherein the processing device is further to:

determine an update to at least one of a sensor gain value or a sensor offset value corresponding to the OWPS based on the first value.

18 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17 ,

wherein the first value corresponds to the first amount of the product disposed along the surface at the first time, and wherein the processing device is further to:

determine a second value based on the first sensor data, wherein the second value corresponds to a second amount of the product disposed along the surface of the wall at a second time; and

determine a process rate associated with the first process operation using the first value and the second value, wherein the first update is determined further using the process rate.

19 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 16 ,

wherein the processing device is further to:

receive second sensor data indicating a second state of a second wall corresponding to a second processing chamber, wherein the second sensor data comprises second optical spectral data; and

determine a second value based on the second sensor data, wherein the second value corresponds to a second amount of the product disposed along a second surface of the second wall,

wherein the first update is determined further using the second value.

20 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 16 ,

wherein the processing device is further to:

use the first sensor data as input to a ML model; and

receive one or more outputs of the ML model, the one or more outputs indicating the first update.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 26, 2022
From: AU, JEFFREY YAT SHAN; MAHER, JOSHUA THOMAS; CHAKARIAN, VAROUJAN; BHATIA, SIDHARTH; TAE, PATRICK; ZHU, ZHAOZHAO; ERICKSON, BLAKE W.
To: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059735/0366 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230298872A1 · Sep 21, 2023
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