Apparatus and method for detecting an end point of chamber cleaning in semiconductor equipment
US6635144B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 11, 2001 |
| Grant date | Oct 21, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 11, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L21/67248
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Apparatus for processing semiconductor wafers includes a processing chamber, a chuck within the chamber for supporting a wafer during processing, a fiberoptic cable having a first end positioned at the surface of the chuck, and an optical pyrometer connected to a second end of the cable. The optical pyrometer measures the temperature of a wafer during processing and measures in situ temperature of plasma-excited cleaning gas introduced into the chamber during subsequent cleaning from walls thereof of unwanted solid deposits within the chamber. The pyrometer is connected to a computer which controls the flow of cleaning gases. When the temperature of the plasma-excited gas reaches a steady-state value the computer stops the flow of cleaning gases into the chamber and thereby stops the cleaning operation.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.