Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for monitoring the condition of plasma equipment

US7227624B2 · kind B2 · utility

4Cited by
9References
34Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 24, 2002
Grant dateJun 5, 2007
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 9, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N21/59
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An apparatus (100) senses a degree of cleanliness of a plasma reactor having a chamber (102) containing a plasma (103) that emits light (104) during a process conducted in the chamber (102). The apparatus (100) also has a light sensing element (180), configured to sense an intensity of the light (104) emitted by the plasma (103) after the light (104) passes through a film (135) that accrues in the chamber (102) during the process, and to provide a light intensity indication signal, and an electronics assembly (170) configured to receive the light intensity indication signal and to provide an indication of the degree of cleanliness of the plasma reactor.

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