US2022162746A1PendingUtilityA1
Waveform shape factor for pulsed pvd power
Est. expiryNov 25, 2040(~14.3 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
H05H 2242/20H05H 1/0081H01J 37/32917H01J 37/32146C23C 14/28H01J 37/3467C23C 14/54
67
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Claims
Abstract
Power supplies, waveform function generators and methods for controlling a plasma process are described. The power supplies or waveform function generators include a component for executing the method in which a waveform shape change index is determined during a plasma process and evaluated for compliance with a predetermined tolerance.
Claims
exact text as granted — not AI-modifiedWhat is claimed is:
1 . A method for controlling a plasma process, the method comprising:
determining a waveform shape change index during the deposition process; determining if the waveform shape index is within a predetermined tolerance; and determining a subsequent action for the plasma process.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the waveform shape change index is determined in real-time using the Equation (V)
I
S
=
S
_
t
-
S
_
0
S
_
0
×
100
%
,
(
VI
)
where S t is the average waveform shape factor, S 0 is an average reference waveform shape factor.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the average waveform shape factor S t is calculated using equation (IV)
S
_
t
=
∫
0
T
o
n
S
(
t
)
dt
∫
0
T
o
n
dt
,
(
IV
)
where the integral is a pulse length from time 0 to time T on and S(t) is the waveform shape factor.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the waveform shape factor S(t) at time t is calculated using equation (III) or equation (V)
S
(
t
)
=
(
v
t
-
v
m
e
a
n
v
m
e
a
n
)
2
(
III
)
S
(
t
)
=
S
init
+
K
v
(
v
(
t
)
-
v
m
e
a
n
v
m
e
a
n
)
2
+
K
f
*
Δ
F
(
t
)
F
0
+
K
D
T
*
Δ
DT
(
t
)
D
T
0
+
K
p
*
Δ
P
(
t
)
P
0
.
(
V
)
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein S 0 is an average reference waveform shape factor.
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the average reference waveform shape factor is determined from a first pulse of power in the plasma process.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the waveform shape factor index is a monitor of the process chamber and/or plasma process for deviations over time to ensure stable operation of the chamber.
8 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the average reference waveform shape factor is determined from a reference plasma process or reference processing chamber.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the waveform shape factor index matches a subject plasma process or processing chamber to the reference plasma process or reference processing chamber, respectively.
10 . The method of claim 4 , wherein if the waveform shape index is within the predetermined tolerance, the subsequent action comprises continuing the deposition process and determining the waveform shape change index during the deposition process is repeated, determining if the waveform shape index is within a predetermined tolerance is repeated, and determining a subsequent action for the deposition process is repeated.
11 . The method of claim 4 , wherein if the waveform shape change index is outside of the predetermined tolerance, the subsequent action comprises one or more of alerting a user to existence of a fault or tolerance failure, or automatically stopping of the plasma process.
12 . A method of matching a plasma process to a reference plasma process, the method comprising:
determining a waveform shape factor S t during the plasma process; determining a waveform shape change index I s using the waveform shape factor S t and an average reference waveform shape factor S 0 from the reference plasma process; determining whether the plasma process matches the reference plasma process based on the waveform shape index I s .
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the waveform shape factor S t is calculated using equation (IV)
S
_
t
=
∫
0
T
o
n
S
(
t
)
dt
∫
0
T
o
n
dt
,
(
IV
)
where the integral is a pulse length from time 0 to time T on and S(t) is the waveform shape factor.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the waveform shape change index Ī s is determined in real-time using the Equation (V)
I
S
=
S
_
t
-
S
_
0
S
_
0
×
100
%
,
(
V
)
where S t is the average waveform shape factor, S 0 is an average reference waveform shape factor.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the waveform shape factor S(t) at time t is calculated using equation (III)
S
(
t
)
=
(
v
t
-
v
m
e
a
n
v
m
e
a
n
)
2
(
III
)
where v t is the voltage, current or power at time t, and v mean is the average voltage, current or power, or Equation (V).
S
(
t
)
=
S
init
+
K
v
(
v
(
t
)
-
v
m
e
a
n
v
m
e
a
n
)
2
+
K
f
*
Δ
F
(
t
)
F
0
+
K
D
T
*
Δ
DT
(
t
)
D
T
0
+
K
p
*
Δ
P
(
t
)
P
0
.
(
V
)
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein determining whether the plasma process matches the reference plasma process comprises comparing the waveform shape change index I s to a predetermined tolerance.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein if the waveform shape index is within the predetermined tolerance, the subsequent action comprises continuing the deposition process and determining the waveform shape change index during the deposition process is repeated, determining if the waveform shape index is within a predetermined tolerance is repeated, and determining a subsequent action for the deposition process is repeated.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein if the waveform shape change index is outside of the predetermined tolerance, the subsequent action comprises one or more of alerting a user to existence of a fault or tolerance failure, or automatically stopping of the plasma process.
19 . A power supply comprising a self-diagnostic function that indicates a malfunction, the self-diagnostic function comprising a controller configured to determine one or more of a waveform shape factor S or waveform shape change index I s .
20 . The power supply of claim 19 , wherein the power supply further comprises one or more input/output to accept user input and/or provide user feedback reporting one or more of a measured waveform shape factor or waveform shape change index.Join the waitlist — get patent alerts
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