Disturbance-free, recipe-controlled plasma processing system and method

Abstract

A plasma processing control system for a plasma processing apparatus having a plasma processor for performing a plasma processing operation over a sample accommodated within a vacuum processing chamber, a sensor for monitoring process parameters during the processing operation, a unit for providing a processed-result estimation model which estimates a processed result on the basis of a monitored output from the sensor and a preset processed-result estimation equation, a unit for providing an optimum recipe calculation model which calculates corrections to the processing conditions so that the processed result becomes a target value on the basis of the estimated result of the processed-result estimation model, and a unit for causing the processing apparatus to process the sample under the optimum processing conditions in the next processing step on the basis of a recipe generated from the optimum recipe calculation model.

1 . A plasma processing control system comprising: 
 a plasma processor for performing a plasma processing operation over a sample accommodated within a vacuum processing chamber of a plasma processing apparatus;    a sensor for monitoring process parameters during the plasma processing operation of the processing apparatus and providing a monitored output indicative thereof;    means for providing a processed-result estimation model which estimates a processed result on the basis of the monitored output from the sensor and a preset processed-result estimation equation;    means for providing an optimum recipe calculation model which calculates corrections to processing conditions so that the processed result becomes a target value on the basis of the estimated result of the processed-result estimation model; and    means for causing the processing apparatus to process the sample under optimum processing conditions in the next processing step on the basis of a recipe generated from the optimum recipe calculation model.    
   
   
       2 . A plasma processing control system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the plasma processing apparatus includes a processed result measuring instrument for measuring a shape of the sample obtained as a result of the processing, and the measuring instrument corrects the processed-result estimation model on the basis of the measured result of the measuring instrument.  
   
   
       3 . A plasma processing control system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the optimum recipe calculation model providing means includes means for judging validity of an optimum recipe calculated by the model and selecting a usable recipe.  
   
   
       4 . A plasma processing control system according to  claim 3 , wherein the usable recipe selecting means selects one of previously-stored recipes which is closest to the optimum recipe calculated by said optimum recipe calculation model.  
   
   
       5 . A plasma processing control system according to  claim 3 , wherein the optimum recipe calculation model providing means includes a measuring instrument for measuring a shape of the sample before the processing, and the measuring instrument applies feedforward control to the optimum recipe calculating operation on the basis of a measured result of the measuring instrument with use of the optimum recipe calculation model to calculate processing conditions such that the processed result becomes a target value.  
   
   
       6 . A plasma processing control system as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising a shape estimating means including a scatterometer for estimating a processed result.  
   
   
       7 . A plasma processing control system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the plasma processing apparatus is a plasma etcher.  
   
   
       8 . A plasma processing control system comprising: 
 a plasma processor for performing a plasma processing operation over a sample accommodated within a vacuum processing chamber of a plasma processing apparatus;    optimum-recipe calculation model providing means for calculating an optimum recipe on the basis of a measured result of a processed result measuring instrument and a target value;    usable recipe selecting means for judging validity of the optimum recipe calculated by the optimum recipe calculation model and selecting a usable recipe; and    means for enabling the plasma processor on the basis of the usable recipe selected by the usable recipe selecting means to process the sample in a desired step with the processing conditions being held constant.    
   
   
       9 . A plasma processing control system as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein the optimum-recipe calculation model providing means includes a measuring instrument for measuring a shape of the sample before the processing, and means for applying feedforward control to the optimum recipe calculating operation to calculate the processing conditions on the basis of the measured result of the measuring instrument and with use of the optimum recipe calculation model so that a processed result becomes the target value.