Method for predicting plasma micro-arcing, and method for controlling plasma process of production equipment using the same

A method for controlling a plasma process of production equipment, the method comprising:

• obtaining a spectrum signal from a plasma reaction in a chamber;
• obtaining a high-frequency signal by removing a noise from the spectrum signal;
• calculating at least one distribution function having a soft arcing section of a soft arcing event and a hard arcing section of a hard arcing event depending on an optical intensity of the high-frequency signal;
• transforming the distribution function to a logarithmic scale function;
• separately counting a number of occurrences of the soft arcing event in a given unit time during the soft arcing section in the logarithmic scale function;
• comparing the number of occurrences of the soft arcing event during the given unit time with the number of occurrences of the soft arcing event during a previous unit time;
• and
• determining that number of occurrences of the hard arcing event will increase during a next unit time subsequent to the given unit time, and outputting an interlock control signal to allow the plasma reaction not to be continuously performed during the next unit time, when the number of occurrences of the soft arcing event during the given unit time increases in comparison with that during the previous unit time.

A method for controlling a plasma process of production equipment, the method comprising:

• obtaining a spectrum signal of a given plasma process in a chamber;
• classifying an optical intensity of the spectrum signal into a soft arcing event and a hard arcing event according to an amplitude of the optical intensity of the spectrum signal;
• separately counting a number of occurrences of the soft arcing event in a given unit time;
• comparing the number of occurrences of the soft arcing event during the given unit time with the number of occurrences of the soft arcing event during a previous unit time;
• and
• outputting an interlock control signal to discontinue the plasma process in the chamber, when the number of occurrences of the soft arcing event during the given unit time increases in comparison with the number of occurrences of the soft arcing event during the previous unit time.