# US 12,772,761 B2 · Growth monitor system and methods for film deposition > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,772,761 B2 - Document ID: US12772761B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/538,996 - Filed: 2023-12-13 - Published: 2024-04-11 - Granted: 2026-10-20 - Earliest claimed: 2021-11-30 - Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc. - Applicants: Applied Materials, Inc. - Inventors: Zhepeng Cong; Mostafa Baghbanzadeh; Tao Sheng; Enle Choo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12772761B2 ## CPC - H10P 14/6349: {Deposition of epitaxial materials} - C23C 16/4412: {Details relating to the exhausts, e.g. pumps, filters, scrubbers, particle traps} - C23C 16/455: characterised by the method used for introducing gases into reaction chamber or for modifying gas flows in reaction chamber - C23C 16/463: {Cooling of the substrate} - C23C 16/52: Controlling or regulating the coating process {(C23C16/45557, C23C16/279 take precedence)} - G01B 17/02: for measuring thickness - G01B 17/025: {for measuring thickness of coating} - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) - G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS ## Abstract The present disclosure generally relates to process chambers for semiconductor processing. In one embodiment, a growth monitor for substrate processing is provided. The growth monitor includes a sensor holder and a crystal disposed in the sensor holder having a front side and a back side. An opening is formed in the sensor holder exposing a front side of the crystal. A gas inlet is disposed through the sensor holder to a plenum formed by the back side of the crystal and the sensor holder. A gas outlet is fluidly coupled to the plenum. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of measuring a characteristic for substrate processing, the method comprising: flowing a process gas over a growth monitor comprising a crystal; flowing a back side gas over a back side of the crystal; purging a front side of the crystal using a front side purge gas; and measuring the characteristic of the process gas using the crystal, wherein measuring the characteristic of the process gas occurs when the front side of the crystal is not being purged, and purging the front side of the crystal is cyclically alternated with measuring the characteristic. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a front side purge time is determined based on a sampling frequency for measuring the characteristic of the process gas. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the sampling frequency and a sampling duration is determined based on one or more of process deposition film thickness, process gas composition, process chamber preventative maintenance schedule, or combinations thereof. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: measuring a temperature of the crystal; and adjusting the temperature of the crystal by adjusting a gas flow rate and/or a gas temperature of the back side gas. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein adjusting the temperature of the crystal comprises maintaining a crystal temperature of about 20° C. to about 190° C. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein flowing the back side gas to the back side of the crystal comprises flowing the back side gas at a first flow rate during measuring the characteristic, and flowing the back side gas at a second flow rate when not measuring the characteristic, wherein the first flow rate is higher than the second flow rate, wherein the back side gas is a reduced temperature relative to a crystal temperature of the crystal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the back side gas is continuously flowed during purging the front side of the crystal and measuring the characteristic. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the back side gas and the front side purge gas is selected from helium, hydrogen, nitrogen, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the characteristic is a film thickness growth on a portion of the growth monitor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising calculating film growth rate over a substrate during processing using the measured characteristic. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein measuring the characteristic has a total sampling time of about 10% to about 50% of a total process time. ### Claim 12 A method of measuring a characteristic for substrate processing, the method comprising: flowing a process gas on a first side of a sensor; flowing a gas on a second side of the sensor; measuring the characteristic of the process gas using the sensor; and purging the first side of the sensor using a purge gas when the characteristic is not being measured. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein a valve is opened to flow the purge gas when the characteristic is not being measured, and measuring the characteristic of the process gas occurs when the first side of the sensor is not being purged. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the flowing of the gas comprises: flowing the gas through a sensor holder and to a plenum on the second side of the sensor; and exhausting the gas from the plenum through the sensor holder. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the gas purges the second side. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the flowing of the gas comprises: flowing the gas at a first flow rate during the measuring of the characteristic; and flowing the gas at a second flow rate when not measuring the characteristic, wherein the first flow rate is higher than the second flow rate. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the sensor includes a crystal, and purging the first side of the sensor is cyclically alternated with measuring the characteristic. ### Claim 18 A film growth monitor comprising: a sensor holder; a crystal disposed in the sensor holder, the crystal having a first side and a second side; an opening formed in the sensor holder on the first side; a gas inlet disposed through the sensor holder to a plenum formed by the second side of the crystal and the sensor holder; a gas outlet fluidly coupled to the plenum; and a controller configured to: flow a process gas on the first side of the crystal, flow a gas on the second side of the crystal, measure the characteristic of the process gas using the crystal, and purge the first side of the sensor using a purge gas when the characteristic is not being measured. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The film growth monitor of claim 18, wherein the film growth monitor is disposed within a fin array of an exhaust passage. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The film growth monitor of claim 18, wherein the film growth monitor is disposed within or downstream of an exhaust exit opening of an exhaust passage.