SYSTEM, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REAL TIME CONTROL OF RAPID ALTERNATING PROCESSES (RAP)

摘要

A method for controlling an etch operation which is a rapid alternating process having etch and passivation phases is described. The method includes (a) supplying source power to an inductive coil of a plasma chamber, (b) initiating supply of a first process gas that flows along a distance separating a mass flow controller and the chamber, (c) detecting an optical signal from plasma generated within the chamber, with the optical signal being analyzed to identify a predefined change in amplitude relative to time, (d) triggering activation of bias power upon identifying the predefined change, the bias power being held active for a predefined amplitude duration during which the etch phase is primarily active, (e) initiating supply of a second process gas during a period in which the passivation phase is primarily active and the bias power is inactive, and (f) repeating (b)-(e) for additional cycles while processing an etch operation.

主权项

1. A method for controlling an etch operation in a plasma chamber, the etch operation being a rapid alternating process (RAP) that is configured to include an etch phase and a passivation phase, comprising,
(a) supplying a source power to an inductive coil of the plasma chamber, the inductive coil being disposed above a substrate support of the plasma chamber; (b) initiating supply of a first process gas to the plasma chamber, the supply of the first process gas being configured to flow the first process gas along a distance separating a first mass flow controller (MFC) that is coupled to a first gas source and an interior region of the plasma chamber; (c) detecting an optical signal from a plasma generated within the interior region of the plasma chamber, the optical signal being analyzed to identify a predefined change in amplitude relative to time in the optical signal; (d) triggering activation of bias power onto the substrate support upon identifying the predefined change in the optical signal, the activation of the bias power being held for a predefined amplitude duration during which the etch phase is primarily active; (e) initiating supply of a second process gas to the plasma chamber during a period in which the passivation phase is configured to be primarily active and the bias power is caused to be inactive; and (f) repeating (b)-(e) for a plurality of cycles while processing an etch operation of a substrate in the plasma chamber.