Control method and plasma processing apparatus
AssigneeTokyo Electron Limited
InventorsMikio Sato, Eiki Kamata, Taro Ikeda
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Abstract
A method of controlling a scanning-type plasma processing apparatus using a phased array antenna, includes observing light emission of plasma generated inside a processing container through observation windows provided at multiple positions in the processing container, calculating an in-plane distribution of values representing characteristics of the plasma on a substrate, based on data on the observed light emission of the plasma, and correcting a scanning pattern and/or a plasma density distribution of the plasma based on the calculated in-plane distribution of the values representing the characteristics of the plasma on the substrate.
Claims11
A method of controlling a scanning-type plasma processing apparatus using a phased array antenna, the method comprising:
- observing light emission of plasma generated inside a processing container through observation windows provided at multiple positions in the processing container;
- calculating an in-plane distribution of values representing characteristics of the plasma on a substrate, based on data on the observed light emission of the plasma;
- and
- correcting at least one or more of a scanning pattern or a plasma density distribution of the plasma based on the calculated in-plane distribution of the values representing the characteristics of the plasma on the substrate,
- wherein the correcting the at least one or more of the scanning pattern or the plasma density distribution of the plasma includes:
- predicting a change in an objective function representing the plasma density distribution and determining a result of the correcting the at least one or more of the scanning pattern or the plasma density distribution of the plasma, by inputting, to an inference device incorporating a learning-completed model obtained by learning a change in the objective function according to an elapsed time of the plasma processing apparatus, power and phase output from at least one antenna part of the phased array antenna, the elapsed time, and the objective function.
A plasma processing apparatus comprising:
- a processing container;
- a gas supply part configured to supply a gas into the processing container;
- a phased array antenna configured to emit electromagnetic waves into the processing container;
- a light emission monitoring mechanism configured to observe light emission of plasma generated in the processing container through observation windows provided at multiple positions in the processing container;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- calculate an in-plane distribution of values representing characteristics of the plasma on a substrate, based on data on the observed light emission of the plasma;
- and correct at least one or more of a scanning pattern or a plasma density distribution of the plasma based on the calculated in-plane distribution of the values representing the characteristics of the plasma on the substrate,
- wherein, to correct the at least one or more of the scanning pattern or the plasma density distribution of the plasma, the controller is further configured to:
- predict a change in an objective function representing the plasma density distribution and determine a result of the correcting the at least one or more of the scanning pattern or the plasma density distribution of the plasma, by inputting, to an inference device incorporating a learning-completed model obtained by learning a change in the objective function according to an elapsed time of the plasma processing apparatus, power and phase output from at least one antenna part of the phased array antenna, the elapsed time, and the objective function.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.