# US 11,908,665 B2 · Plasma processing apparatus and measurement method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,908,665 B2 - Document ID: US11908665B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/953,808 - Filed: 2020-11-20 - Published: 2021-06-03 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2019-11-28 - Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited - Applicants: Tokyo Electron Limited - Inventors: Chishio Koshimizu; Manabu Iwata - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11908665B2 ## CPC - H01J 37/32642: {Focus rings} - H01J 37/32091: {the radio frequency energy being capacitively coupled to the plasma} - H01J 37/32522: {Temperature} - H01J 37/32715: {Workpiece holder} - H01J 37/32935: {Monitoring and controlling tubes by information coming from the object and/or discharge} - H05H 1/46: using applied electromagnetic fields, e.g. high frequency or microwave energy (H05H1/26 takes precedence) - H10P 72/0434: {mainly by convection} - H10P 72/0604: {Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring} - H10P 72/72: using electrostatic chucks - H10P 72/722: {Details of electrostatic chucks} - H10P 72/7611: {characterised by edge profile or support profile} - H01J 2237/24564: Measurements of electric or magnetic variables, e.g. voltage, current, frequency - H01J 2237/24585: Other variables, e.g. energy, mass, velocity, time, temperature - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) - H05H: PLASMA TECHNIQUE (apparatus or processes specially adapted for producing X-rays H05G2/00); PRODUCTION OF ACCELERATED ELECTRICALLY-CHARGED PARTICLES OR OF NEUTRONS; PRODUCTION OR ACCELERATION OF NEUTRAL MOLECULAR OR ATOMIC BEAMS - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract A disclosed plasma processing apparatus includes a chamber, a substrate support, an electric path, and a measuring device. The substrate support is accommodated in the chamber. The electric path is coupled to or capacitively coupled to an edge ring on the substrate support. The measuring device measures an electrical characteristic value of the edge ring with a voltage applied to the edge ring on the substrate support through the electric path. The electrical characteristic value measured by the measuring device is variable in accordance with a thickness of the edge ring. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A plasma processing apparatus, comprising: a chamber; a substrate support accommodated in the chamber; an electric path coupled to or capacitively coupled to an edge ring on the substrate support; a measuring device configured to measure an electrical characteristic value of the edge ring with a voltage applied to the edge ring on the substrate support through the electric path, the electrical characteristic value being variable in accordance with a thickness of the edge ring; an adjuster configured to adjust an upper end position of a sheath above the edge ring; and a controller configured to control the adjuster to reduce tilting of a recess in an edge of a substrate on the substrate support, the controller being configured to control the adjuster in accordance with the electrical characteristic value, or a thickness of the edge ring determined based on the electrical characteristic value or a decrease in the thickness of the edge ring determined based on the electrical characteristic value. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a temperature controller configured to control a temperature of the edge ring, wherein the measuring device obtains the electrical characteristic value of the edge ring with the temperature being controlled at a reference temperature by the temperature controller. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a temperature sensor configured to obtain a temperature measurement value of the edge ring, wherein the electrical characteristic value includes an electrical characteristic value of the edge ring at a reference temperature, and the measuring device converts an electrical characteristic value of the edge ring at the temperature measurement value obtained by the temperature sensor to an electrical characteristic value of the edge ring at the reference temperature. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the measuring device measures the electrical characteristic value with an alternating-current voltage or a radio-frequency voltage applied to the edge ring through the electric path capacitively coupled to the edge ring. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the electrical characteristic value includes a value of a real part of an impedance of the edge ring. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the substrate support includes a dielectric portion on which a part of the edge ring is placeable, the electric path includes a first electrode and a second electrode located in the dielectric portion, and the measuring device applies the alternating-current voltage or the radio-frequency voltage to the edge ring through the first electrode and the second electrode capacitively coupled to the edge ring. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the substrate support further includes a lower electrode and an electrostatic chuck located on the lower electrode, and the dielectric portion extends between the lower electrode and the electrostatic chuck and a side wall of the chamber to surround the lower electrode and the electrostatic chuck. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the substrate support includes an electrostatic chuck, and the dielectric portion includes a part of the electrostatic chuck. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are electrically coupled to one or more direct-current power supplies to generate an electrostatic attraction between the electrostatic chuck and the edge ring. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the measuring device measures the electrical characteristic value with a direct-current voltage applied to the edge ring through the electric path coupled to the edge ring. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the electrical characteristic value includes a resistance of the edge ring. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the electric path includes a first contact and a second contact in contact with the edge ring at positions symmetric to each other about a central axis of the edge ring. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the measuring device includes a current sensor located on the electric path and configured to measure a current value of a current flowing through the edge ring, and a voltage sensor configured to measure a potential difference across the edge ring between the first contact and the second contact, and the measuring device determines the resistance based on the potential difference and the current value. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the measuring device includes a current sensor located on the electric path and configured to measure a current value of a current flowing through the edge ring, a first voltage sensor configured to measure a first potential difference across a first area of the edge ring, the first area extending in a first part of a plane including the first contact, the second contact, and the central axis, and a second voltage sensor configured to measure a second potential difference across a second area of the edge ring, the second area extending in a second part of the plane, and the measuring device determines the resistance based on an average of the first potential difference and the second potential difference and on the current value. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the measuring device determines a thickness of the edge ring or a decrease in the thickness of the edge ring based on the electrical characteristic value. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adjuster includes a power supply electrically coupled to the edge ring to set a potential of the edge ring, and the electric path includes a first switch and a second switch configured to selectively couple the edge ring to the power supply or to the measuring device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adjuster is controlled by the controller to adjust a vertical position of an upper surface of the edge ring or a potential of the edge ring in accordance with the electrical characteristic value, or the thickness of the edge ring determined based on the electrical characteristic value or the decrease in the thickness of the edge ring determined based on the electrical characteristic value. ### Claim 18 A plasma processing apparatus, comprising: a chamber; a substrate support accommodated in the chamber; an electric path coupled to or capacitively coupled to an edge ring on the substrate support; and a measuring device configured to measure an electrical characteristic value of the edge ring with a voltage applied to the edge ring on the substrate support through the electric path, the electrical characteristic value being variable in accordance with a thickness of the edge ring, wherein the measuring device measures the electrical characteristic value with a direct-current voltage applied to the edge ring through the electric path coupled to the edge ring, the electrical characteristic value includes a resistance of the edge ring, the electric path includes a first contact and a second contact in contact with the edge ring at positions symmetric to each other about a central axis of the edge ring, the measuring device includes a current sensor located on the electric path and configured to measure a current value of a current flowing through the edge ring, a first voltage sensor configured to measure a first potential difference across a first area of the edge ring, the first area extending in a first part of a plane including the first contact, the second contact, and the central axis, and a second voltage sensor configured to measure a second potential difference across a second area of the edge ring, the second area extending in a second part of the plane, and the measuring device determines the resistance based on an average of the first potential difference and the second potential difference and on the current value. ### Claim 19 A plasma processing apparatus, comprising: a chamber; a substrate support accommodated in the chamber; an electric path coupled to or capacitively coupled to an edge ring on the substrate support; and a measuring device configured to measure an electrical characteristic value of the edge ring with a voltage applied to the edge ring on the substrate support through the electric path, the electrical characteristic value being variable in accordance with a thickness of the edge ring, wherein the measuring device determines a thickness of the edge ring or a decrease in the thickness of the edge ring based on the electrical characteristic value.