Methods and apparatus for monitoring plasma parameters in plasma doping systems

Plasma doping apparatus comprising:

• a plasma doping chamber;
• a platen located in said plasma doping chamber for supporting a workpiece;
• an anode spaced from said platen in said plasma doping chamber;
• a process gas source coupled to said plasma doping chamber, wherein a plasma containing ions of the process gas is produced in a plasma discharge region between said anode and said platen;
• a pulse source for applying pulses between said platen and said anode for accelerating ions from the plasma into the workpiece;
• and
• a plasma monitor comprising one or more optical sensors mounted on or near said anode for sensing a spatial distribution of the plasma, wherein the spatial distribution of the plasma is indicative of dose distribution of ions implanted into the workpiece.

A method for plasma doping, comprising:

• supporting a workpiece on a platen in a plasma doping chamber;
• generating a plasma and accelerating ions from the plasma into the workpiece;
• and
• sensing a spatial distribution of a plasma parameter.

A method for plasma doping, comprising:

• supporting a workpiece on a platen in a plasma doping chamber;
• generating a plasma and accelerating ions from the plasma into the workpiece;
• and
• optically sensing a spatial distribution of the plasma, wherein the spatial distribution of the plasma is indicative of dose distribution of ions implanted into the workpiece.

A method for plasma doping, comprising:

• supporting a workpiece on a platen in a plasma doping chamber;
• generating a plasma and accelerating ions from the plasma into the workpiece;
• and
• electrically sensing a spatial distribution of the plasma, wherein the spatial distribution of the plasma is indicative of dose distribution of ions implanted into the workpiece.

Plasma doping apparatus comprising:

• a plasma doping chamber;
• a platen located in said plasma doping chamber for supporting a workpiece;
• an anode spaced from said platen in said plasma doping chamber;
• a process gas source coupled to said plasma doping chamber, wherein a plasma containing ions of the process gas is produced in a plasma discharge region between said anode and said platen;
• a pulse source for applying pulses between said platen and said anode for accelerating ions from the plasma into the workpiece;
• and
• a plasma monitor comprising an optical sensor for sensing optical emissions from the plasma over a selected wavelength range and processing circuitry connected to the optical sensor for processing the sensed optical emissions over the selected wavelength range.

A method for plasma doping, comprising:

• supporting a workpiece on a platen in a plasma doping chamber;
• generating a plasma and accelerating ions from the plasma into the workpiece;
• sensing optical emissions from the plasma over a selected range of wavelengths;
• and
• processing sensed optical emissions over the selected wavelength range to provide a measurement value that is representative of a condition of the plasma.