Thin film, in-situ measurement through transparent crystal and transparent substrate within processing chamber wall

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12009191-B2
Application number	US-202016946263-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 12, 2020
Priority date	Jun 12, 2020
Publication date	Jun 11, 2024
Grant date	Jun 11, 2024

Abstract

A system includes a transparent crystal, at least part of which is embedded within a wall and a liner of a processing chamber. The transparent crystal has a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end having a distal surface exposed to an interior of the processing chamber. A transparent thin film is deposited on the distal surface and has chemical properties substantially matching those of the liner. A light coupling device is to: transmit light, from a light source, through the proximal end of the transparent crystal, and focus, into a spectrometer, light received reflected back from a combination of the distal surface, a surface of the transparent thin film, and a surface of a process film layer deposited on the transparent thin film. The spectrometer is to detect a first spectrum within the focused light that is representative of the process film layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a transparent crystal, wherein at least part of the transparent crystal is embedded within a wall and a liner of a processing chamber;
a transparent thin film deposited on a surface of the transparent crystal that is exposed to an interior of the processing chamber;
a spectrometer configured to:
receive light reflected from a surface of the transparent thin film and a surface of a process film layer deposited on the transparent thin film; and
detect a first spectrum within the received light that is representative of the process film layer; and

a processing device coupled to the spectrometer and configured to:
receive, from the spectrometer, the first spectrum;
receive, from the spectrometer, a second spectrum when a source of the received light is off;
generate a reflectometry signal based on a reference spectrum and a difference between the second spectrum and the first spectrum; and
fit the reflectometry signal to a thin film optical model to determine information comprising one or more optical film property of the process film layer.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the transparent thin film comprises one of yttrium oxide, aluminum oxide, or zirconium oxide and is of a known thickness.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein, to generate the reflectometry signal, the processing device is further configured to:
calculate reflectometry data via subtraction of the second spectrum from the first spectrum; and
calculate the reflectometry signal via division of the reflectometry data by the reference spectrum.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more optical film property comprises thickness, and wherein, during processing substrates within the processing chamber, the processing device is further configured to:
compare the thickness with a baseline measurement for the process film layer;
determine, using the comparison, a variation in a rate of deposition of the process film layer that is beyond a threshold variation; and
trigger a process within the processing chamber that is to correct the rate of deposition of the process film layer.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more optical film property comprises thickness, and wherein, after processing a substrate within the processing chamber, the processing device further configured to:
detect a moment in time at which the process film layer on the transparent thin film has been removed within a predetermined threshold thickness; and
in response to the detection, trigger the processing device to end a cleaning process within the processing chamber.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more optical film property comprises thickness, and wherein, during processing substrates within the processing chamber, the processing device further configured to:
detect a moment in time when the process film layer has reached a threshold level of thickness on the transparent thin film; and
trigger an end of a deposition process that is depositing the process film layer.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the transparent crystal is one of a sapphire plug, a diamond plug, or a silicon carbide plug, and wherein the transparent crystal includes a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end having a distal surface that is exposed to the interior of the processing chamber.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the distal surface of the transparent crystal is formed at an angle with respect to the liner, the angle being between 0.8 and 1.8 degrees.

9. The system of claim 7 , further comprising:
a light coupling device coupled to the spectrometer, the light coupling device configured to:
transmit the light, from a light source, through the proximal end of the transparent crystal; and
focus, into the spectrometer, light received reflected back from a combination of the distal surface, the surface of the transparent thin film, and the surface of a process film layer.

10. The system of claim 9 , further comprising a fiber optic cable coupled to the light coupling device, the fiber optic cable to transmit the received light to the spectrometer.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the transparent thin film has chemical properties substantially matching those of the liner.

12. A processing chamber comprising:
a wall to define an interior of the processing chamber;
a liner attached to an inside surface of the wall;
a transparent crystal that is plug-shaped and comprises:
a shaft embedded within the wall and the liner, the shaft comprising a distal surface of the transparent crystal that is exposed to an interior of the processing chamber; and
a flange that abuts an outside surface of the wall and comprises a proximal end of the transparent crystal; and

a transparent thin film deposited on the distal surface, wherein light is to pass through the transparent crystal and reflect off the distal surface and off a surface of the transparent thin film back through the proximal end of the transparent crystal.

13. The processing chamber of claim 12 , wherein the transparent thin film comprises one of yttrium oxide, aluminum oxide, or zirconium oxide and is of a known thickness.

14. The processing chamber of claim 12 , wherein the distal surface of the transparent crystal is formed at an angle with respect to the liner, the angle being between 0.8 and 1.8 degrees.

15. The processing chamber of claim 12 , wherein the transparent crystal is one of a sapphire plug, a diamond plug, or a silicon carbide plug, and wherein the processing chamber further comprises a seal positioned between the flange and the outside surface of the wall.

16. The processing chamber of claim 15 , wherein the flange comprises an inner surface that is in physical contact with the seal, the inner surface comprising a surface roughness (Ra) of less than 20 nanometers.

17. The processing chamber of claim 12 , wherein a proximal surface at the proximal end of the transparent crystal is formed at an angle with respect to the outside surface of the wall, the angle being between 2 and 5 degrees.

18. The processing chamber of claim 12 , wherein the distal surface of the transparent crystal is approximately flush with the inside surface of the wall.

19. The processing chamber of claim 12 , wherein the transparent thin film has chemical properties substantially matching those of the liner.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Tae Patrick
• Erickson Blake W
• Zhu Zhaozhao
• Willwerth Michael David
• Craver Barry Paul

Classifications

• H10P74/238

  comprising acting in response to an ongoing measurement without interruption of processing, e.g. endpoint detection or in-situ thickness measurement · CPC title

• H10P74/203

  Structural properties, e.g. testing or measuring thicknesses, line widths, warpage, bond strengths or physical defects · CPC title

• H01J37/32963 Primary

  End-point detection · CPC title

• H01J2237/24585

  Other variables, e.g. energy, mass, velocity, time, temperature · CPC title

• G01B11/0625 Primary

  with measurement of absorption or reflection · CPC title