Method for toolmatching and troubleshooting a plasma processing system

A method for toolmatching a plurality of plasma processing chambers, the method comprising:

• generating a RF power signal for each chamber without igniting any plasma within each chamber;
• measuring a voltage of said RF power signal, a current of said RF power signal, and a phase of said RF power signal, received by each chamber while holding other parameters affecting the chamber constant;
• computing a value representative of an impedance for each chamber based on said voltage, said current, and said phase;
• and
• comparing said value for each chamber with other chambers.

An apparatus for testing a plasma processing system having a chamber, an RF power source, and a matching network, the apparatus comprising:

• means for generating an RF power signal from the RF power source to the chamber without igniting any plasma within the chamber;
• means for measuring a voltage of said RF power signal, a current of said RF power signal, and a phase of said RF power signal, received by the chamber while holding other parameters affecting the chamber constant;
• means for computing a value representative of an impedance of the chamber based on said voltage, said current, and said phase;
• and
• means for comparing said value with a reference value to determine any defects in the plasma processing system, said reference value representative of the impedance of a defect-free chamber.

An apparatus for toolmatching a plurality of plasma processing chambers, the apparatus comprising:

• means for generating a RF power signal for each chamber without igniting any plasma within each chamber;
• means for measuring a voltage of said RF power signal, a current of said RF power signal, and a phase of said RF power signal, received by each chamber while holding other parameters affecting the chamber constant;
• means for computing a value representative of an impedance for each chamber based on said voltage, said current, and said phase;
• and
• means for comparing said value for each chamber with other chambers.

A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for testing a plasma processing system having a chamber, an RF power source, and a matching network, the method comprising:

• generating an RF power signal from the RF power source to the chamber without igniting any plasma within the chamber;
• measuring a voltage of said RF power signal, a current of said RF power signal, and a phase of said RF power signal, received by the chamber while holding other parameters affecting the chamber constant;
• computing a value representative of an impedance of the chamber based on said voltage, said current, and said phase;
• and
• comparing said value with a reference value to determine any defects in the plasma processing system, said reference value representative of the impedance of a defect-free chamber.

A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for toolmatching a plurality of plasma processing chambers, the method comprising:

• generating a RF power signal for each chamber without igniting any plasma within each chamber;
• measuring a voltage of said RF power signal, a current of said RF power signal, and a phase of said RF power signal, received by each chamber while holding other parameters affecting the chamber constant;
• computing a value representative of an impedance for each chamber based on said voltage, said current, and said phase;
• and
• comparing said value for each chamber with other chambers.