Control method and plasma processing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021125814-A1
Application number	US-202017076463-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 21, 2020
Priority date	Oct 28, 2019
Publication date	Apr 29, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of controlling a scanning-type plasma processing apparatus using a phased array antenna, includes observing light emission of plasma generated inside a processing container through observation windows provided at multiple positions in the processing container, calculating an in-plane distribution of values representing characteristics of the plasma on a substrate, based on data on the observed light emission of the plasma, and correcting a scanning pattern and/or a plasma density distribution of the plasma based on the calculated in-plane distribution of the values representing the characteristics of the plasma on the substrate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of controlling a scanning-type plasma processing apparatus using a phased array antenna, the method comprising:
observing light emission of plasma generated inside a processing container through observation windows provided at multiple positions in the processing container; calculating an in-plane distribution of values representing characteristics of the plasma on a substrate, based on data on the observed light emission of the plasma; and correcting at least one or more of a scanning pattern and a plasma density distribution of the plasma based on the calculated in-plane distribution of the values representing the characteristics of the plasma on the substrate.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the correcting at least one or more of a scanning pattern and a plasma density distribution of the plasma includes controlling at least one or more of power and phase output from at least one antenna part of the phased array antenna.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the correcting at least one or more of a scanning pattern and a plasma density distribution of the plasma includes controlling a time for supplying power output from at least one antenna part of the phased array antenna.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the correcting at least one or more of a scanning pattern and a plasma density distribution of the plasma is performed at least at any one of a timing among before processing the substrate, a timing after maintenance of the plasma processing apparatus, and a timing after changing recipe data used in the plasma processing apparatus.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the correcting at least one or more of a scanning pattern and a plasma density distribution of the plasma is performed, based on the data on light emission of the plasma observed during a process of one substrate, in a first step of a subsequent substrate to be processed after the process of the substrate.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the values representing the characteristics of the plasma include any one of a density of the plasma, an emission intensity of the plasma, a processing rate of the substrate by the plasma, and a value representing a processing result of the substrate by the plasma.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the correcting at least one or more of a scanning pattern and a plasma density distribution of the plasma includes controlling a time for supplying power output from at least one antenna part of the phased array antenna.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the correcting at least one or more of a scanning pattern and a plasma density distribution of the plasma is performed at least at any one of a timing among before processing the substrate, a timing after maintenance of the plasma processing apparatus, and a timing after changing recipe data used in the plasma processing apparatus.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the correcting at least one or more of a scanning pattern and a plasma density distribution of the plasma is performed, based on the data on light emission of the plasma observed during a process of one substrate, in a first step of a subsequent substrate to be processed after the process of the substrate.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the values representing the characteristics of the plasma include any one of a density of the plasma, an emission intensity of the plasma, a processing rate of the substrate by the plasma, and a value representing a processing result of the substrate by the plasma.

11 . A plasma processing apparatus comprising:
a processing container; a gas supply part configured to supply a gas into the processing container; a phased array antenna configured to emit electromagnetic waves into the processing container; a light emission monitoring mechanism configured to observe light emission of plasma generated in the processing container through observation windows provided at multiple positions in the processing container; and a controller configured to: calculate an in-plane distribution of values representing characteristics of the plasma on a substrate, based on data on the observed light emission of the plasma; and correct at least one or more of a scanning pattern and a plasma density distribution of the plasma based on the calculated in-plane distribution of the values representing the characteristics of the plasma on the substrate.

Assignees

• Tokyo Electron Ltd

Inventors

• Sato Mikio
• Kamata Eiki
• Ikeda Taro

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

• H10P72/0604

  Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring · CPC title

• H10P72/0421

  for drying etching · CPC title

• H10P50/242

  of Group IV materials · CPC title

• H01J37/32935 Primary

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