Chamber component cleanliness measurement system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12072318-B2
Application number	US-202017612381-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 19, 2020
Priority date	May 23, 2019
Publication date	Aug 27, 2024
Grant date	Aug 27, 2024

Abstract

An apparatus for measuring contaminants on a surface of a component is provided. An extraction vessel for holding a measurement fluid has an opening adapted to form a meniscus using the measurement fluid. An actuator moves at least one of the extraction vessel and the component to a position where the meniscus is in contact with the surface of the component. A transducer is positioned to provide acoustic energy to the measurement fluid.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for measuring contaminants on a surface of a component, comprising:
an extraction vessel for holding a measurement fluid, wherein the extraction vessel has an opening adapted to form a concave meniscus using the measurement fluid, wherein the opening is smaller than a side of the surface of the component;
an actuator for moving at least one of the extraction vessel and the component to a position where the meniscus is in contact with the surface of the component, wherein the measurement fluid does not contact an entire side of the surface of the component;
a contaminant analyzer adapted to measure contaminants in the measurement fluid, wherein the measured contaminants are used to determine a level of cleanliness of the component; and
a transducer positioned to provide acoustic energy to the measurement fluid.

2. The apparatus, as recited in claim 1 , wherein the transducer is adapted to provide at least one of ultrasonic and megasonic energy.

3. The apparatus, as recited in claim 2 , wherein the transducer is immersed in a bath and the bath is in contact with the extraction vessel.

4. The apparatus, as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a measurement line extending from the extraction vessel.

5. The apparatus, as recited in claim 1 , further comprising an input line adapted to flow clean measurement fluid into the extraction vessel.

6. The apparatus, as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a gutter for catching overflow measurement fluid.

7. The apparatus, as recited in claim 1 , wherein the transducer is positioned to indirectly apply acoustic energy to the measurement fluid.

8. The apparatus, as recited in claim 1 , wherein an extraction vessel surface adjacent to the opening of the extraction vessel is hydrophobic or modified to confine a meniscus boundary.

9. The apparatus, as recited in claim 8 , wherein the opening further comprises a meniscus confinement collar configured to form part of the extraction vessel surface.

10. The apparatus, as recited in claim 1 , wherein the surface of the component is a critical surface of the component.

11. The apparatus, as recited in claim 1 , wherein the meniscus does not contact the entire critical surface on a side of the component.

12. The apparatus, as recited in claim 1 , wherein the extraction vessel does not contact the surface of the component.

13. The apparatus, as recited in claim 1 , wherein the transducer is directly coupled to the extraction vessel.

14. A method for measuring contaminants on a surface of a component, comprising:
a) filling an extraction vessel with measurement fluid;
b) forming a concave meniscus using the measurement fluid at an opening in the extraction vessel, wherein an opening of the extraction vessel is of a material that causes a formation of a concave meniscus for the measuring fluid, wherein the opening is smaller than a side of the surface of the component;
c) contacting at least one location on the surface of the component with the meniscus, wherein the measurement fluid does not contact an entire side of the surface of the component;
d) providing acoustic energy to the measurement fluid from a transducer; and
e) measuring an amount of contaminants in the measurement fluid by a contaminant analyzer.

15. The method, as recited in claim 14 , further comprising measuring an initial amount of contaminants in the measurement fluid before contacting at least a location on the surface of the component with the meniscus.

16. The method, as recited in claim 14 , further comprising repeating steps a) and b), contacting at least another location on the surface of the component with the meniscus, and repeating steps d) and e).

17. The method, as recited in claim 14 , wherein the providing acoustic energy comprises providing ultrasonic or megasonic energy at a single frequency.

18. The method, as recited in claim 14 , wherein the providing acoustic energy comprises providing ultrasonic or megasonic energy at two or more frequencies.

19. The method, as recited in claim 14 , wherein the surface of the component is a critical surface, and wherein the meniscus does not contact any non-critical surface of the component.

20. The method, as recited in claim 14 , wherein the surface of the component does not contact the extraction vessel.

21. The method, as recited in claim 14 , wherein the concave meniscus extends above a top edge of the opening of the extraction vessel.

22. The apparatus, as recited in claim 1 , wherein the concave meniscus extends above a top edge of the opening of the extraction vessel.

Assignees

• Lam Res Corp

Inventors

• Yasseri Amir A
• Outka Duane
• Avoyan Armen
• Baylon Kennet Cresencio
• Daugherty John
• Hundi Girish M
• La Croix Cliff

Classifications

• H01J37/32788

  for extracting the material from the process chamber · CPC title

• G01N2001/4094

  using ultrasound · CPC title

• G01N2001/002

  Devices for supplying or distributing samples to an analysing apparatus · CPC title

• G01N29/02

  Analysing fluids (using acoustic emission techniques G01N29/14 {; constructional or flow details for analysing fluids G01N29/222; optoacoustic fluid cells G01N29/2425}) · CPC title

• G01N1/02 Primary

  Devices for withdrawing samples {(sampling of foundation soil E02D1/04; collecting or conveying radioactive samples G01T7/00, e.g. G01T7/02, G01T7/08)} · CPC title