METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTING LEAKS IN A PLASMA ETCH CHAMBER

摘要

For use with semiconductor processing, a plasma etch apparatus has a leak detection system in an etch environment. The leak detection comprises monitoring a plasma etch trace. The plasma etch trace exhibits a dip in the plasma intensity. This dip correlates with a change of pressure in the etch environment. In an example embodiment according to the present invention, an etch environment, having an entrance load lock and an exit load lock isolating the etch environment from the atmosphere, is monitored. Leaks in the etch environment to the load locks during wafer transfer and pump down are detected by observing dips in the plasma etch trace.