Methods of end point detection for substrate fabrication processes

摘要

Methods and substrate processing systems for analyzing an end point of a process are provided. By-products of the process are detected and monitored to determine the completion of various types of reaction processes within a substrate processing chamber. The methods provide real time process monitoring, thereby reducing the need to rigidly constrain other substrate processing parameters, increasing chamber cleaning efficiency, and/or increasing substrate processing throughput.

主权项

1. A method for analyzing an end point of a process performed inside a substrate processing chamber, comprising:
performing the process to remove a material from an interior portion of the substrate processing chamber, wherein the process generates a by-product; detecting the generation of the by-product in the interior portion of the substrate processing chamber concurrently while the process is being performed, wherein the by-product generated in the interior portion of the substrate processing chamber is in the form of an ionized or gaseous phase having an optical density, wherein the by-product is water; directing a flow of the by-product into a pressure cavity near a substrate processing space above a support pedestal, wherein the pressure cavity is connected to an analyzer; monitoring a value of a property of the by-product by the analyzer; and determining an end point of the process when the value of the property of the by-product decreases below a threshold limit.