Method for monitoring plasma processing apparatus

Abstract

The present apparatus comprises a vacuum process chamber 100 that contains an upper electrode 110 having a conductive plate 115 with gas supply holes for supplying a process gas and a lower electrode 130 having a platform on which a sample is to be mounted; process gas supply means 117 for supplying the process gas to the gas supply holes in the upper electrode 110 and exhaust means 106 for exhausting the vacuum process chamber; a high frequency power supply 121 for applying a high frequency power to the upper electrode to generate a plasma between the upper and lower electrodes; a high frequency bias power supply 122 for applying a high frequency power to the upper electrode to generate a direct current bias potential in the upper electrode; and abnormal discharge determination means 152 for determining whether an abnormal discharge has occurred or not based on the direct current bias potential generated in the upper electrode.

1 - 5 . (canceled)  
     
     
         6 . A method for monitoring a plasma processing apparatus, comprising: 
 providing a vacuum process chamber that contains an upper electrode having a conductive plate with gas supply holes for supplying a process gas and a lower electrode having a platform on which a sample is to be mounted;    supplying the process gas to said gas supply holes in said upper electrode and enabling exhausting of said vacuum process chamber;    applying a high frequency power to said upper electrode to generate a plasma between the upper and lower electrodes;    applying a high frequency bias power to said upper electrode to generate a direct current bias potential in the upper electrode; and    determining whether an abnormal discharge has occurred or not based on the variation with time of the direct current bias potential generated in said upper electrode.    
     
     
         7 . A method for monitoring a plasma processing apparatus, comprising: 
 providing a vacuum process chamber that contains an upper electrode having a conductive plate with gas supply holes for supplying a process gas and a lower electrode having a platform on which a sample is to be mounted;    supplying the process gas to said gas supply holes in said upper electrode and enabling exhausting of said vacuum process chamber;    applying a high frequency power to said upper electrode to generate a plasma between the upper and lower electrodes;    applying a high frequency bias power to said upper electrode to generate a direct current bias potential in the upper electrode;    applying a high frequency bias power to said lower electrode to generate a voltage amplitude in the lower electrode; and    determining whether an abnormal discharge has occurred or not based on the variation with time of the direct current bias potential generated in said upper electrode and the variation with time of the voltage amplitude generated in said upper electrode.    
     
     
         8 . A method for monitoring a plasma processing apparatus, comprising: 
 providing a vacuum process chamber that contains an upper electrode having a conductive plate with gas supply holes for supplying a process gas and a lower electrode having a platform on which a sample is to be mounted;    supplying the process gas to said gas supply holes in said upper electrode and enabling exhausting of said vacuum process chamber;    applying a high frequency power to said upper electrode to generate a plasma between the upper and lower electrodes;    applying a high frequency bias power to said upper electrode to generate a direct current bias potential in the upper electrode;    applying a high frequency bias power to said lower electrode to generate a voltage amplitude in the lower electrode;    storing the normal value of the direct current bias potential of the upper electrode obtained by monitoring the same according to various plasma processing conditions; and    determines determining whether an abnormal discharge has occurred or not based on the direct current bias potential generated in said upper electrode and the normal value of the direct current bias potential of the upper electrode which is stored.