# US 12,009,236 B2 · Sensors and system for in-situ edge ring erosion monitor

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- Number: US 12,009,236 B2
- Document ID: US12009236B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/391,262
- Filed: 2019-04-22
- Published: 2020-10-22
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2019-04-22
- Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc.
- Applicants: Applied Materials, Inc.
- Inventors: Yaoling Pan; Patrick John Tae; Michael D. Willwerth; Leonard M. Tedeschi; Daniel Sang Byun; Philip Allan Kraus; Phillip A. Criminale; Changhun Lee; Rajinder Dhindsa; Andreas Schmid; Denis M. Koosau
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12009236B2

## CPC

- H10P 72/0606: {Position monitoring, e.g. misposition detection or presence detection}
- H01J 37/32477: {characterised by the means for protecting vessels or internal parts, e.g. coatings}
- H01J 37/3288: {Maintenance}
- H03K 17/955: using a capacitive detector
- H10P 74/203: {Structural properties, e.g. testing or measuring thicknesses, line widths, warpage, bond strengths or physical defects}
- H01J 2237/022: Avoiding or removing foreign or contaminating particles, debris or deposits on sample or tube
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)
- H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M)

## Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to a method and apparatus for determining a metric related to erosion of a ring assembly used in an etching within a plasma processing chamber. In one example, the apparatus is configured to obtain a metric indicative of erosion on an edge ring disposed on a substrate support assembly in a plasma processing chamber. A sensor obtains the metric for the edge ring. The metric correlates to the quantity of erosion in the edge ring. In another example, the ring sensor may be arranged outside of a periphery of a substrate support assembly. The metric may be acquired by the ring sensor through a plasma screen.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A plasma processing chamber comprising:
a chamber body having a plurality of walls defining an internal volume;
a substrate support assembly disposed within the internal volume, wherein the substrate support assembly comprises:
an outer periphery; and
a substrate support extending to the outer periphery and having a top surface;
an edge ring having an upper surface and a lower surface opposite the upper surface, the lower surface of the edge ring disposed on the top surface of the substrate support proximate the outer periphery;
a sleeve configured to at least partially support the edge ring, the sleeve cylindrical in shape and circumscribing the substrate support, the sleeve having an opening formed along an upper surface of the sleeve, wherein the edge ring further comprises an attachment member aligned with the opening in the sleeve; and
a first sensor fixedly disposed within the opening of the sleeve adjacent to and below the upper surface of the sleeve, the sleeve disposed below the top surface and outside the outer periphery of the substrate support assembly, the first sensor configured to detect a metric of erosion of the edge ring, wherein the first sensor is a displacement sensor, and the displacement sensor includes a flexible membrane attached to sidewalls of the opening and arranged such that the attachment member contacts and displaces the flexible membrane.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The plasma processing chamber of claim 1, wherein the metric is indicative of erosion of the upper surface of the edge ring.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The plasma processing chamber of claim 2 further comprising:
a plasma screen coupled to the outer periphery of the substrate support assembly, the plasma screen having an upper screen surface and a plurality of orifices extending therethrough.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The plasma processing chamber of claim 2, further comprising:
a second sensor; and
a third sensor, wherein the first sensor, second sensor, and third sensor are each configured to detect erosion in the edge ring.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The plasma processing chamber of claim 4, wherein the first sensor, second sensor, and third sensor are equidistantly spaced with respect to the edge ring.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The plasma processing chamber of claim 1, wherein the sleeve is configured to move the edge ring between a lowered and a raised position.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The plasma processing chamber of claim 1, wherein the opening formed into the upper surface of the sleeve has the first sensor and the first sensor is exposed to the edge ring.