Patent · US Active

Chamber particle detection system

US7417733B2 · kind B2 · utility

2Cited by
13References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 8, 2006
Grant dateAug 26, 2008
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 2, 2026

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L22/24
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Broadly speaking, the embodiments of the present invention fill the need by providing an improved chamber particle source identification mechanism. The in-situ chamber particle source identification method and apparatus can greatly shorten the time it takes to identify chamber particle source, which could improve the chamber throughput for production system. The method and apparatus can also be used to test components for particle performance during chamber engineering development stage. In one embodiment, an in-situ chamber particle monitor assembly for a semiconductor processing chamber includes at least one laser light source. The at least one laser light source can scan laser light in a chamber process volume within the processing chamber. The in-situ chamber particle monitor assembly also includes at least one laser light collector. The at least one laser light collector can collect laser light emitted from the at least one laser light source. The chamber particle monitor assembly also includes an analyzer external to the processing chamber that analyzes signals representing the laser light collected by the at least one laser light collector to provide chamber particle informa…

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