Apparatus and method for ignition of a plasma system and for monitoring health of the plasma system
An apparatus and method for determining the health of a plasma system by igniting a plasma within a plasma confining volume generate an ignition signal with an ignition circuit and apply the ignition signal between a biased region and a grounded region in the vicinity of the plasma confining volume. A parameter in the ignition circuit is sensed, and the sensed parameter is compared to a first parameter threshold. A condition associated with the plasma confining volume is determined if the sensed parameter differs from the first voltage threshold, and a corrective action can be taken.
1. An apparatus for determining the health of a plasma system by monitoring an ignition process for igniting a plasma within a plasma confining volume, comprising:
an ignition circuit for generating an ignition signal used to initiate the plasma ignition process;
an input for applying the ignition signal between a biased region and a grounded region in the vicinity of the plasma confining volume;
a sensor for sensing a parameter related to the ignition circuit; and
at least one processing unit and a memory, the at least one the processing unit and memory configured to: (i) store the parameter sensed by the sensor, compare a present value of the parameter to historical values of the parameter, and determine a corrective action for the plasma system based on the comparison of the sensed parameter and historical sensed parameters, the corrective action to be implemented at a time when the ignition process is not being carried out.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processing unit and memory comprises an internal controller.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processing unit and memory comprises semiconductor memory.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processing unit and memory comprises an external memory device.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processing unit and memory comprises a data comparator.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processing unit and memory comprises a system controller.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the parameter is at least one of a voltage in the plasma confining volume and a current in the plasma confining volume.
8. A method of determining the health of a plasma system by monitoring an ignition process for igniting a plasma within a plasma confining volume, comprising:
generating an ignition signal with an ignition circuit;
applying the ignition signal between a biased region and a grounded region in the vicinity of the plasma confining volume;
sensing a parameter related to the ignition circuit;
comparing the sensed parameter to historical sensed parameters stored in at least one of a processing unit and memory; and
determining at least one corrective action for the plasma system based on the comparison of the sensed parameter and historical sensed parameters, the corrective action to be implemented at a time when the ignition process is not being carried out.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the at least one corrective action comprises cleaning plasma blocks within the plasma system.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the at least one corrective action comprises replacing plasma blocks within the plasma system.
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the at least one corrective action comprises increasing purge times.
12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the at least one corrective action comprises adjusting at least one remote plasma source performance setting.
13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the at least one corrective action comprises replacing at least one remote plasma source used in the plasma system.
14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the at least one corrective action comprises performing preventative maintenance to at least one remote plasma source used in the plasma system.
15. The method of claim 8 , wherein the at least one corrective action comprises checking at least one of a mass flow controller and a gas feed line used in the plasma system.
16. The method of claim 8 , wherein the at least one corrective action comprises replacing at least one of a mass flow controller and a gas feed line used in the plasma system.