# US 10,502,651 B2 · Creating a mini environment for gas analysis > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,502,651 B2 - Document ID: US10502651B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/285,627 - Filed: 2016-10-05 - Published: 2017-04-06 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2015-10-05 - Assignees: Inficon GmbH - Applicants: INFICON, Inc. - Inventors: Chenglong Yang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10502651B2 ## CPC - G01M 3/16: using electric detection means ({G01M3/045,} G01M3/06, G01M3/12, G01M3/20, G01M3/24, G01M3/26 take precedence) - G01M 3/3236: {by monitoring the interior space of the containers} - G01M 3/38: by using light (G01M3/02 takes precedence) - H10P 72/0406: {for cleaning followed by drying, rinsing, stripping, blasting or the like} - H10P 72/0421: {for drying etching} - H10P 72/0604: {Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring} - H10P 72/0616: {Monitoring of warpages, curvatures, damages, defects or the like} - H10P 74/238: {comprising acting in response to an ongoing measurement without interruption of processing, e.g. endpoint detection or in-situ thickness measurement} - G01N 21/62: Systems in which the material investigated is excited whereby it emits light or causes a change in wavelength of the incident light - G01N 21/718: {Laser microanalysis, i.e. with formation of sample plasma} - G01M: TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract Systems and methods for in-situ leak detection and endpoint detection of wafer dry etch or chamber clean in chambers, e.g., vacuum chambers used in semiconductor processing. A mini environment is created and a sensor, such as an SPOES sensor, can be used in the mini-environment to perform leak detection. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vacuum system, comprising: a process chamber; a foreline in fluid communication with the process chamber; a sensor manifold coupled to the foreline; a sensor coupled to the sensor manifold; and a sensor assistant gas supply line coupled to the sensor manifold, wherein the foreline is configured to effect a flow of a chamber gas from the process chamber into the sensor manifold, wherein the sensor assistant gas supply line is configured to effect a flow of the sensor assistant gas into the sensor and, wherein the sensor assistant gas is configured to augment the operation of the sensor by enabling the evaluation of pressure variations and amplifying the sensitivity of the sensor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vacuum system of claim 1, wherein the sensor assistant gas is configured to test for leaks in the process chamber. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vacuum system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a plasma assisted optical emission spectroscopy (SPOES) sensor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vacuum system of claim 1, further comprising a control element coupled to the sensor manifold and configured to control pressure in the sensor manifold. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The vacuum system of claim 4, wherein the control element comprises a restriction orifice, an isolation valve, a pressure controller, a pump, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The vacuum system of claim 1, wherein the sensor manifold comprises an inlet portion and an outlet portion, the outlet portion coupled to the foreline. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The vacuum system of claim 6, wherein the inlet portion is coupled to the foreline. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The vacuum system of claim 6, wherein the inlet portion is coupled to the process chamber. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The vacuum system of claim 1, wherein the sensor assistant gas is configured to test for leaks in the sensor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The vacuum system of claim 1, wherein the sensor assistant gas is configured to test for changes in chemistry as a consequence of a sensor plasma produced by the sensor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The vacuum system of claim 1 wherein the chamber and sensor assistant gases are combined to enable evaluation of: (i) changes in pressure within the pressure chamber (ii) changes in pressure within the sensor, and (iii) changes in the chemistry as a consequence of a sensor plasma produced by the sensor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The vacuum system of claim 1 wherein the sensor assistant gas is N2. ### Claim 13 A sensor system for a vacuum chamber, comprising: a sensor manifold; a sensor coupled to the sensor manifold, the sensor configured to test for leaks in the vacuum chamber; and a gas supply line coupled to the sensor manifold, the gas supply line configured to supply a sensor assistant gas to the sensor manifold for accessing the sensor, wherein the sensor manifold is configured to be coupled to a chamber foreline, wherein the foreline is configured to effect a flow of a chamber gas from the vacuum chamber into the sensor manifold, wherein the gas supply line is configured to effect a flow of a sensor assistant gas into the sensor, and, wherein the sensor assistant gas is configured to augment the operation of the sensor by enabling the evaluation of pressure variations and amplifying the sensitivity of the sensor. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The sensor system of claim 13, wherein the sensor comprises a plasma assisted optical emission spectroscopy (SPOES) sensor. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The sensor system of claim 13 wherein the sensor assistant gas is N2. ### Claim 16 A method for detecting leaks in a vacuum chamber system including sensor system, wherein a foreline and the sensor system are in fluid communication with the vacuum process chamber, the sensor system comprising a sensor manifold in fluid communication with the foreline, a sensor in fluid communication with the sensor manifold, and a gas supply line in fluid communication with the sensor manifold, the method comprising the steps of: introducing a valving apparatus in the sensor manifold to restrict a flow of a chamber gas to the sensor; effecting a flow of the chamber gas into the sensor manifold; causing a sensor assistant gas to flow through the gas supply line into the sensor manifold to create a mini environment including the combined chamber and sensor assistant gases; activating the sensor; and testing, with the sensor, the mini environment to identify a leak in the vacuum chamber system, wherein the sensor assistant gas is configured to augment the operation of the sensor by enabling the evaluation of pressure variations and amplifying the sensitivity of the sensor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein flowing the chamber gas comprises activating a control element. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the control element comprises a restriction orifice, an isolation valve, a pressure controller, a pump, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the sensor comprises a plasma assisted optical emission spectroscopy (SPOES) sensor. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein flowing the chamber gas comprises flowing the chamber gas from the foreline into the sensor manifold. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the sensor manifold comprises an inlet portion coupled to the vacuum process chamber and an outlet portion coupled to the foreline. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein flowing the chamber gas comprises flowing the chamber gas from the vacuum process chamber into the inlet portion. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, further comprising flowing the mini environment from the sensor manifold to the foreline. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, further comprising flowing the chamber gas during processing in the vacuum process chamber. ### Claim 25 (depends on 16) The method for leak detection of claim 16 wherein the sensor assistant gas is N2. ### Claim 26 (depends on 16) The method for leak detection of claim 16 further including the step of amplifying the sensitivity of the sensor by combining the sensor assistant gas with the chamber gases.