Feedback control system for iterative etch process

A method for processing a substrate, comprising:

• performing an iterative etch process on a substrate, the iterative etch process including a plurality of cycles performed in a successive manner, each cycle of the plurality of cycles including a deposition phase and an activation phase, the deposition phase defined as a plasma-based process to enable removal of a particular material from a surface of the substrate, the activation phase defined as a plasma-based process to remove the particular material from the surface of the substrate, the deposition phase performed before the activation phase in each cycle;
• acquiring one or more feedback control signals during performance of the iterative etch process on the substrate, the one or more feedback control signals correlated to a condition of the substrate;
• analyzing the one or more feedback control signals to determine the condition of the substrate;
• and
• adjusting one or more process parameters of the iterative etch process based on the condition of the substrate as determined by analyzing the one or more feedback control signals, wherein the adjusting one or more process parameters is done between performance of the deposition phase and performance of the activation phase within the given cycle.

A method for processing a substrate, comprising:

• performing an iterative etch process on a substrate, the iterative etch process including a plurality of cycles performed in a successive manner, each cycle of the plurality of cycles including a deposition phase and an activation phase, the deposition phase defined as a plasma-based process to enable removal of a particular material from a surface of the substrate, the activation phase defined as a plasma-based process to remove the particular material from the surface of the substrate, the deposition phase performed before the activation phase in each cycle;
• acquiring one or more feedback control signals during performance of the iterative etch process on the substrate, the one or more feedback control signals correlated to a condition of the substrate;
• analyzing the one or more feedback control signals to determine the condition of the substrate;
• and
• adjusting one or more process parameters of the iterative etch process within a given cycle based on the condition of the substrate as determined by analyzing the one or more feedback control signals, wherein the adjusting one or more process parameters is done by stopping performance of the deposition phase within the given cycle before a prescribed duration of the deposition phase is completed.

A method for processing a substrate, comprising:

• performing an iterative etch process on a substrate, the iterative etch process including a plurality of cycles performed in a successive manner, each cycle of the plurality of cycles including a deposition phase and an activation phase, the deposition phase defined as a plasma-based process to enable removal of a particular material from a surface of the substrate, the activation phase defined as a plasma-based process to remove the particular material from the surface of the substrate, the deposition phase performed before the activation phase in each cycle;
• acquiring one or more feedback control signals during performance of the iterative etch process on the substrate, the one or more feedback control signals correlated to a condition of the substrate;
• analyzing the one or more feedback control signals to determine the condition of the substrate;
• and
• adjusting one or more process parameters of the iterative etch process within a given cycle based on the condition of the substrate as determined by analyzing the one or more feedback control signals, wherein the adjusting one or more process parameters is done by stopping performance of the activation phase within the given cycle before a prescribed duration of the activation phase is completed.