Methods and apparatus for inspecting contact openings in a plasma processing system
US6979579B1 · kind B1 · utility
2Cited by
6References
40Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 30, 2004 |
| Grant date | Dec 27, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 30, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L2924/0002
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
In a plasma processing system, a method of inspecting a contact opening of a contact formed in a first layer of the substrate to determine whether the contact reaches a metal layer that is disposed below the first layer is shown. The method includes flowing a gas mixture into a plasma reactor of the plasma processing system, the gas mixture comprising a flow of a chlorine containing gas. The method also includes striking a plasma from the gas mixture; and exposing the contact to the plasma. The method further includes detecting whether metal chloride is present in the contact opening after the exposing.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.