Coating tester using gas sensors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018224412-A1
Application number	US-201715429038-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 9, 2017
Priority date	Feb 9, 2017
Publication date	Aug 9, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

Embodiments of the disclosure generally relate to a system, apparatus and method for testing a coating over a semiconductor chamber component. In one embodiment, a test station comprises a hollow tube, a sensor coupled to a top end of the tube and a processing system communicatively coupled to the sensor. The hollow tube has an open bottom end configured for sealingly engaging a coating layer of the semiconductor chamber component. The sensor is configured to detect the presence of a gaseous byproduct of a reaction between a reagent disposed in the hollow tube and a base layer disposed under the coating layer. The processing system is configured to determine exposure of the base layer through the coating layer in response to information about the presence of the gaseous byproduct. In another embodiment, the processing system is communicatively coupled to each sensor of a plurality of test stations.

First claim

1 . A test station for testing a coating comprising:
a hollow tube having an open bottom end configured for sealingly engaging a coating layer of a semiconductor chamber component; a sensor configured to generate an analog output signal, the sensor coupled to a top end of the hollow tube, the sensor configured to detect the presence of a gaseous byproduct of a reaction between a reagent disposed in the hollow tube and a base layer of the semiconductor chamber component disposed under the coating layer through a change in the analog output signal of the sensor; a sensor holder isolating and protecting the sensor coupled to the top end of the hollow tube from the reagent disposed in the hollow tube; and a processing system communicatively coupled to the sensor, the processing system configured to determine exposure of the base layer through the coating in response to information about the presence of the gaseous byproduct obtained by the sensor.

2 . The test station of claim 1 further comprising:
a clamping mechanism configured to urge the bottom end of the hollow tube against the coating layer.

3 . The test station of claim 1 , wherein the sensor holder is configured to couple the sensor to the top end of the hollow tube.

4 . The test station of claim 1 further comprising:
a seal disposed at the bottom end of the hollow tube and configured to seal the hollow tube with the coating layer.

5 . The test station of claim 1 further comprising:
a power source configured to electrically power the sensor.

6 . The test station of claim 1 , wherein the processing system further comprises:
an analog to digital converter (ADC) coupled to the sensor and configured to convert the analog output signal from analog to digital form.

7 . A system for testing a coating comprising:
a plurality of test stations, each test station comprising:
a hollow tube having an open bottom end configured for sealingly engaging a coating layer of a semiconductor chamber component;
a sensor configured to generate an analog output signal, the sensor coupled to a top end of the hollow tube, the sensor configured to detect the presence of a gaseous byproduct of a reaction between a reagent disposed in the hollow tube and a base layer of the semiconductor chamber component disposed under the coating layer through a change in the analog output signal of the sensor; and
a sensor holder isolating and protecting the sensor coupled to the top end of the hollow tube from the reagent disposed in the hollow tube; and
a processing system communicatively coupled to each sensor of the plurality of test stations, the processing system configured to determine exposure of the base layer through the coating in response to information about the presence of the gaseous byproduct obtained by each sensor.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the processing system is communicatively coupled to each sensor of the plurality of test stations by at least one lead-wire.

9 . The system of claim 8 further comprising:
a lead-wire storage device configured to store an excess length of the at least one lead-wire extending between the processing system and the sensor in each of the plurality of test stations.

10 . The system of claim 7 , wherein each test station further comprises:
a clamping mechanism configured to hold the bottom end of the hollow tube against the coating layer of the semiconductor chamber component disposed in the test station.

11 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the sensor holder is configured to couple the sensor to the top end of the hollow tube.

12 . The system of claim 7 , wherein each test station further comprises:
a seal disposed at the bottom end of the hollow tube and configured to seal the hollow tube against the coating layer of the semiconductor chamber component disposed in the test station.

13 . The system of claim 7 further comprising:
a power source configured to electrically power the sensors in each of the plurality of test stations.

14 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the processing system further comprises:
at least one analog to digital converter (ADC) coupled to the sensor in each of the plurality of test stations.

15 - 20 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Tabassum Tasnuva
• Larsson Mats
• Papke Kevin A

Classifications

• G01N33/203

  Physics · mapped topic

• G01N27/04

  by investigating resistance · CPC title

• G01N33/005 Primary

  H2 · CPC title

• G01N33/2025

  Gaseous constituents · CPC title

• G01N33/0095

  Semiconductive materials · CPC title