Method for using an in situ particle sensor for monitoring particle performance in plasma deposition processes

A method for evaluating a plurality of recipes for processing a substrate with a substrate processing system, the method comprising:

• for each such recipe,
• detecting the presence of in situ particles within the substrate processing system over a period of time that spans a plurality of distinct processing steps within that recipe;
• determining a time dependence of in situ particle levels from the detected particles for that recipe;
• correlating the distinct processing steps with the time dependence for that recipe;
• and
• comparing relative particle levels for corresponding processing steps among the plurality of recipes.

A computer-readable storage medium having a computer-readable program embodied therein for directing operation of a substrate processing system including a process chamber;

• a plasma generation system;
• a substrate holder;
• and a gas delivery system configured to introduce gases into the process chamber, the computer-readable program including instructions for operating the substrate processing system to deposit a silicate glass layer on a plurality of substrates in the processing chamber in accordance with the following:
• executing a cyclic process of seasoning the substrate processing chamber, depositing the silicate glass layer by plasma deposition within the substrate processing chamber, purging the substrate processing chamber, and cleaning the substrate processing chamber,
• wherein purging the substrate processing chamber does not include purging with SiH4.

A substrate processing system comprising:

• a housing defining a process chamber;
• a plasma generating system operatively coupled to the process chamber;
• a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate during substrate processing;
• a gas-delivery system configured to introduce gases into the process chamber, including sources for a silicon-containing gas, a fluorine-containing gas, an oxygen-containing gas, and a nitrogen-containing gas;
• a pressure-control system for maintaining a selected pressure within the process chamber;
• a controller for controlling the high-density plasma generating system, the gas-delivery system, and the pressure-control system;
• and
• a memory coupled to the controller, the memory comprising a computer-readable medium having a computer-readable program embodied therein for directing operation of the substrate processing system, the computer-readable program including instructions to execute a cyclic process of seasoning the substrate processing chamber, depositing the silicate glass layer by plasma deposition within the substrate processing chamber, purging the substrate processing chamber, and cleaning the substrate processing chamber, wherein purging the substrate processing chamber does not include purging with SiH4.

A substrate processing system comprising:

• a housing defining a process chamber;
• a high-density plasma generating system operatively coupled to the process chamber;
• a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate during substrate processing;
• a gas-delivery system configured to introduce gases into the process chamber, including sources for a silicon-containing gas, a fluorine-containing gas, an oxygen-containing gas, and a nitrogen-containing gas;
• a pressure-control system for maintaining a selected pressure within the process chamber;
• a vacuum system for pumping gas from the housing, the vacuum system including:
• a throttle body connected with the process chamber and with a pump through a tube;
• a brightfield particle sensor positioned withing the throttle body to detect particles exposed to light from plasma within the process chamber during operation of the substrate processing system;
• and
• a darkfield particle sensor positioned along the tube to detect particles isolated from light during operation of the substrate processing system;
• and
• a controller for controlling the high-density plasma generating system, the gas-delivery system, the pressure-control system, and the vacuum system.