A plasma process monitor/control system

✍ Scribed by Stevenson, Joel O.; Ward, Pamela P.; Smith, Michael L.; Markle, Richard J.

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1998
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 436 KB
• Volume: 26
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0142-2421
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1096-9918(199802)26:2<124::aid-sia355>3.0.co;2-b

✦ Synopsis

Sandia National Laboratories has developed a system to monitor plasma processes for the control of industrial applications. The system is designed to act as a fully automated, stand-alone process monitor during printed wiring board and semiconductor production runs. The monitor routinely performs data collection, analysis, process identi-Ðcation and error detection/correction without the need for human intervention. The monitor can also be used in research mode to allow process engineers to gather additional information about plasma processes. Because plasma processes have wide application in thin-Ðlm growth, the monitor could also be used to better understand and control myriad thin-Ðlm manufacturing processes. Surface interactions, thin-Ðlm interfaces, growth and stoichiometry are potential areas of impact.

The plasma process monitor/control system consists of a computer running software developed by Sandia National Laboratories, a commercially available spectrophotometer equipped with a charge-coupled device camera, an input/output device and a Ðber-optic cable. The tool is designed to be a versatile, multipurpose piece of equipment allowing automated process veriÐcation and error detection/correction, as well as a research tool. We have used the monitor for gauging the "state-of-healthÏ of plasma processes. System 1 has been at Texas Instruments in Austin, TX, since February 1996, monitoring the health of printed wiring board plasma desmear and etch-back. System 2 has been at Advanced Micro Devices in Austin, TX, since July 1996, monitoring integrated circuit multivariate oxide etch. These systems and possible beneÐts derived from in situ monitoring of plasma processes will be discussed.