SENSOR SYSTEM AND METHODS USED TO DETECT MATERIAL WEAR AND SURFACE DETERIORATION

摘要

A sensor system has been developed for measuring erosion of a sputtering target (510) in a vacuum chamber that includes: a) a sputtering target, b) a wafer, c) a vacuum atmosphere located between the sputtering target and the wafer, and d) a sensor device (525) directly coupled to the sputtering target (510), wherein the sensor device (525) is exposed to the vacuum atmosphere and comprises a data collection apparatus that is exposed to atmospheric pressure. A method of detecting erosion in a sputtering target (510) has also been developed that includes: a) providing a sputtering target (510), b) providing a wafer (550), c) initiating a vacuum atmosphere and a plasma that are located between the sputtering target (510) and the wafer (550), d) providing a sensor device (525) directly coupled to the sputtering target (510), wherein the sensor device (525) is partly exposed to the vacuum atmosphere and comprises a data collection apparatus that is exposed to atmospheric pressure, e) collecting data from the data collection apparatus; and f) automatically terminating the operation of the plasma once the data collection apparatus determines that the sputtering target (510) has sufficiently eroded.