Plasma sensor module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12444590-B2
Application number	US-202318188540-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 23, 2023
Priority date	Aug 30, 2022
Publication date	Oct 14, 2025
Grant date	Oct 14, 2025

Abstract

A plasma sensor module may include an upper substrate, a lower substrate, at least one probe and a printed circuit board (PCB). The upper substrate may be configured to be exposed to plasma. The lower substrate may contact a lower surface of the upper substrate. The lower substrate may have a thickness that is thicker than a thickness of the upper substrate. The probe may be in the lower substrate. The PCB may be in the lower substrate. The PCB may be configured to apply an alternating current to the probe to detect a density of the plasma. Thus, the structural strength of the plasma sensor module may have improved structural strength.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A plasma sensor module comprising:
an upper substrate that is configured to be exposed to plasma;
a lower substrate configured to contact a lower surface of the upper substrate, the lower substrate having a thickness that is thicker than a thickness of the upper substrate;
at least one probe in the lower substrate; and
a printed circuit board (PCB) in the lower substrate, wherein the PCB is configured to apply an alternating current to the at least one probe to detect a density of the plasma, the at least one probe is below an uppermost surface of the lower substrate, and a lower surface of the upper substrate is entirely planar.

2. The plasma sensor module of claim 1 , further comprising a protection layer on a surface of the upper substrate.

3. The plasma sensor module of claim 2 , wherein the protection layer comprises Y 2 O 3 .

4. The plasma sensor module of claim 1 , wherein the lower substrate comprises:
a first cavity at an upper surface of the lower substrate that is configured to receive the at least one probe; and
a second cavity at the upper surface of the lower substrate that is configured to receive the PCB.

5. The plasma sensor module of claim 1 , wherein the upper substrate has a resistance that is higher than a resistance of the lower substrate.

6. The plasma sensor module of claim 1 , wherein the upper substrate and the lower substrate are bonded to each other by a direct bonding process.

7. The plasma sensor module of claim 1 , wherein the at least one probe comprises a plurality of probes.

8. The plasma sensor module of claim 7 , further comprising at least one conductive via in the lower substrate that is configured to bypass the alternating current between the plurality of probes.

9. The plasma sensor module of claim 1 , wherein the PCB comprises a plasma sensor configured to measure the density of the plasma.

10. The plasma sensor module of claim 1 , further comprising at least one battery in the lower substrate configured to supply power to the PCB.

11. The plasma sensor module of claim 10 , wherein the lower substrate comprises a third cavity at an upper surface of the lower substrate that is configured to receive the battery.

12. A plasma sensor module comprising:
an upper substrate that is configured to be exposed to plasma;
a protection layer on a surface of the upper substrate;
a lower substrate configured to contact a lower surface of the upper substrate, the lower substrate having a thickness that is thicker than a thickness of the upper substrate;
a plurality of probes in the lower substrate;
a printed circuit board (PCB) in the lower substrate, wherein the PCB is configured to apply an alternating current to at least one of the plurality of probes to detect a density of the plasma; and
at least one battery in the lower substrate configured to supply power to the PCB, the plurality of probes is below an uppermost surface of the lower substrate, and a lower surface of the upper substrate is entirely planar.

13. The plasma sensor module of claim 12 , wherein the lower substrate comprises:
a first cavity at an upper surface of the lower substrate and configured to receive at least one of the plurality of probes;
a second cavity at the upper surface of the lower substrate and configured to receive the PCB; and
a third cavity at the upper surface of the lower substrate and configured to receive the battery.

14. The plasma sensor module of claim 12 , wherein the upper substrate has a resistance that is higher than a resistance of the lower substrate.

15. The plasma sensor module of claim 12 , further comprising a plurality of conductive vias in the lower substrate that are configured to bypass the alternating current between the plurality of probes.

16. The plasma sensor module of claim 12 , wherein the PCB comprises a plasma sensor configured to measure the density of the plasma.

17. A plasma sensor module comprising:
an upper substrate that is configured to be exposed to plasma;
a protection layer on a surface of the upper substrate;
a lower substrate configured to contact a lower surface of the upper substrate, the lower substrate having a thickness that is thicker than a thickness of the upper substrate;
a plurality of probes in the lower substrate;
a printed circuit board (PCB) in the lower substrate, wherein the PCB is configured to apply an alternating current to at least one of the plurality of probes to detect a density of the plasma; and
at least one battery in the lower substrate configured to supply power to the PCB,
wherein the lower substrate comprises:
a first cavity at an upper surface of the lower substrate and configured to receive at least one of the plurality of probes;
a second cavity at the upper surface of the lower substrate and configured to receive the PCB; and
a third cavity at the upper surface of the lower substrate and configured to receive the battery, and
wherein the upper substrate has a resistance that is higher than a resistance of the lower substrate, the plurality of probes is below an uppermost surface of the lower substrate, and a lower surface of the upper substrate is entirely planar.

18. The plasma sensor module of claim 17 , wherein the lower substrate further comprises a fourth cavity at the upper surface of the lower substrate to receive a conductive via, which is configured to bypass an alternating current between the plurality of probes, in the fourth cavity.

19. The plasma sensor module of claim 17 , further comprising a protection layer on the upper substrate.

20. The plasma sensor module of claim 17 , wherein the lower substrate has a doping dose of impurities higher than a doping dose of impurities in the upper substrate to provide the upper substrate with a resistance that is higher than a resistance of the lower substrate.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Cho Sungwon
• Kwon Dohoon
• Kim Kyunghyun
• Sung Dougyong
• Yang Jungmo
• Wang Younseon
• Choi Younsok

Classifications

• G01N9/00

  Investigating density or specific gravity of materials; Analysing materials by determining density or specific gravity · CPC title

• H01J2237/24585

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

• H05H1/0018

  Details · CPC title

• H01J37/32935 Primary

  Monitoring and controlling tubes by information coming from the object and/or discharge · CPC title

• H01J37/32917 Primary

  Plasma diagnostics · CPC title