Method system and computer readable medium for monitoring the status of a chamber process

Abstract

A method system and computer readable medium for monitoring a process performed in a process chamber includes performing the process in the chamber, generating light in the chamber, and detecting transmission properties of the light through a window of the chamber. A status of the process is monitored based the detected transmission properties of the light through the window. The process performed in the chamber may be a conditioning, cleaning or production process for a semiconductor, and may include generating a plasma, CVD or wet etching.

1 . A method of monitoring a process performed in a process chamber, comprising: 
 performing the process in the chamber;    generating light in the chamber;    detecting transmission properties of the light through a window of the chamber having a layer of material thereon; and    monitoring a status of the process based on changes in the detected transmission properties that are caused by the process changing a state of the layer of material.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the performing a process comprises conditioning the chamber for a semiconductor production process.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the conditioning comprises generating a plasma in the chamber.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the conditioning comprises performing chemical vapor deposition in the chamber.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the conditioning the chamber comprises forming the layer of material on an interior surface of the window.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the performing a process comprises cleaning an interior surface of the chamber.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the cleaning comprises performing a wet etching cleaning process in the chamber to remove material from the interior surface of the chamber.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the cleaning comprises performing a dry etching cleaning process in the chamber to remove material from the interior surface of the chamber.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the performing a process comprises performing a production process on a semiconductor substrate in the chamber.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the performing a production process comprises generating a plasma in the chamber.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the performing a production process comprises performing chemical vapor deposition in the chamber.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the generating light comprises generating light from a light source.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the generating light from a light source comprises generating light at a predetermined wavelength based on the process performed in the chamber.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the generating light comprises generating light from the process performed in the chamber.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the generating light comprises generating light from a plasma generated in the chamber.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the detecting transmission properties comprises detecting an intensity of the light through the window of the chamber.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the detecting transmission properties comprises detecting a wavelength of the light through the window of the chamber.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the detecting a wavelength comprises detecting a predetermined wavelength based on the process performed in the chamber.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the detecting transmission properties comprises performing optical emission spectroscopy on the light emitted through the window of the chamber.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the monitoring comprises comparing the detected transmission property with prerecorded transmission property data correlated to the process performed in the chamber.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising determining an endpoint of the process performed in the chamber based on the comparing step.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising determining a phase change point of the process performed in the chamber based on the comparing step.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising determining an abnormal condition of the process performed in the chamber based on the comparing step.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising controlling the process performed in the chamber based on the monitored status of the process.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the controlling comprises at least one of stopping the process and changing parameters of the process.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the light generated is infrared light and the method further comprises monitoring absorption of infrared light by material on a surface of the window.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein: 
 the detecting comprises detecting an intensity of the light through the window having the layer of material thereon;    the monitoring comprises comparing the detected intensity with a predetermined threshold intensity correlated to an endpoint of the conditioning process; and    the method further comprises stopping the conditioning process when the detected intensity is less than or equal to the threshold intensity.    
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the predetermined threshold intensity is one of a fixed intensity quantity and an intensity ratio representing a proportion of the intensity detected at the start of the conditioning process.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein: 
 the detecting comprises detecting an intensity of the light through the window having the layer of material thereon;    the monitoring comprises comparing the detected intensity with a predetermined threshold intensity correlated to an endpoint of the cleaning process; and    the method further comprises stopping the cleaning process when the detected intensity is more than or equal to the threshold intensity.    
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the predetermined threshold intensity is one of a fixed intensity quantity and an intensity ratio representing a proportion of the intensity detected at the start of the cleaning process.  
     
     
         31 . A method of monitoring a process performed in a process chamber, comprising: 
 step for performing the process in the chamber;    step for generating light in the chamber;    step for detecting transmission properties of the light through a window of the chamber having a layer of material thereon; and    step for monitoring a status of the process based on changes in the detected transmission properties that are caused by the process changing a state of the layer of material.    
     
     
         32 . A computer readable medium containing program instructions for execution on a computer system, which when executed by the computer system, cause the computer system to perform the steps of: 
 performing the process in the chamber;    generating light in the chamber;    detecting transmission properties of the light through a window of the chamber having a layer of material thereon; and    monitoring a status of the process based on changes in the detected transmission properties that are caused by the process changing a state of the layer of material.    
     
     
         33 . A system for monitoring a process performed in a process chamber, comprising: 
 a light generating device configured to generate light in the chamber;    a detector configured to detect transmission properties of the light through a layer of material on a window of the chamber; and    a monitoring device configured to monitor a status of the process based on changes in the detected transmission properties that are caused by the process changing a state of the layer of material.    
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 33 , further comprising a plasma generating device configured to generate a plasma in the chamber.  
     
     
         35 . The system method of  claim 33 , further comprising a deposition device configured to perform chemical vapor deposition in the chamber.  
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 33 , further comprising a holding device configured to hold a semiconductor substrate to be processed in the chamber.  
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the light generating device comprises a device for generating a plasma in the chamber.  
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the light generating device comprises a light source.  
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the light source comprises a light source configured to generate light at a predetermined wavelength based on the process performed in the chamber.  
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the detector comprises a device configured to detect an intensity of the light through the window of the chamber.  
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the detector comprises a device configured to detect a wavelength of the light through the window of the chamber.  
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein the detector comprises a device configured to detect a predetermined wavelength based on the process performed in the chamber.  
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the detector comprises a device configured to perform optical emission spectroscopy on the light emitted through the window of the chamber.  
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein said monitoring device comprises a controller comprising: 
 a memory configured to store prerecorded transmission property data correlated to the process performed in the chamber; and    a processor configured to compare the detected transmission property with the prerecorded transmission property data.    
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein the processor is configured to determine an endpoint of the process performed in the chamber based on a result of the compare function.  
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein the processor is configured to determine a phase change point of the process performed in the chamber based on the compare function.  
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein the processor is configured to determine an abnormal condition of the process performed in the chamber based on the compare function.  
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein the controller is configured to control the process performed in the chamber based on the status of the process monitored.  
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 48 , wherein the controller is configured to control the process by performing at least one of stopping the process and changing parameters of the process.  
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein: 
 the detector comprises a device configured to detect an intensity of the light through the window;    the monitoring device comprises a device configured to compare the detected intensity with a predetermined threshold intensity correlated to an endpoint of a conditioning process performed in the chamber; and    the system further comprises a controller configured to stop the conditioning process when the detected intensity is less than or equal to the threshold intensity.    
     
     
         51 . The system of  claim 50 , wherein the monitoring device is configured to compare the detected intensity to one of a fixed intensity quantity and an intensity ratio representing a proportion of the intensity detected at the start of the conditioning process.  
     
     
         52 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein: 
 the detector comprises a device configured to detect an intensity of the light through the window;    the monitoring device comprises a device configured to compare the detected intensity with a predetermined threshold intensity correlated to an endpoint of a cleaning process performed in the chamber; and    the system further comprises a controller configured to stop the cleaning process when the detected intensity is more than or equal to the threshold intensity.    
     
     
         53 . The system of  claim 52 , wherein the monitoring device is configured to compare the detected intensity to one of a fixed intensity quantity and an intensity ratio representing a proportion of the intensity detected at the start of the cleaning process.  
     
     
         54 . A system for monitoring a process performed in a process chamber, comprising: 
 means for generating light in the chamber;    means for detecting transmission properties of the light through a window of the chamber having a layer of material thereon; and    means for monitoring status of the process based changes in the detected transmission properties that are caused by the process changing a state of the layer of material.    
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the dry etching cleaning process comprises performing a plasma process in the chamber to remove material from the interior surface of the chamber.