Patent · US Expired

Method for endpoint detection using throttle valve position

US6358327B1 · kind B1 · utility

42Cited by
5References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 29, 1999
Grant dateMar 19, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 29, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S438/905
  • WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A method and apparatus for endpoint detection is provided. Endpoint is determined by monitoring throttle valve position during a production instance of a given process, and by comparing a production signal obtained thereby with a calibration signal previously obtained by monitoring throttle valve position during performance of the process on a chamber or on a wafer of known constitution. The production process endpoint may be set based on the endpoint time of the calibration signal, or may be determined by filtering the calibration signal and the production signal to identify features thereof and by comparing the pattern of features of the production signal with the pattern of features of the calibration signal. Preferably throttle valve positions are filtered using a low pass finite impulse response filter of order three.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.