# US 2019/0170653 A1 · Plasma processing apparatus, plasma processing method and plasma processing analysis method

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- Number: US 2019/0170653 A1
- Document ID: US20190170653A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/272,354
- Filed: 2019-02-11
- Published: 2019-06-06
- Earliest claimed: 2015-01-30
- Assignees: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
- Applicants: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
- Inventors: Ryoji ASAKURA; Kenji TAMAKI; Daisuke SHIRAISHI; Akira KAGOSHIMA; Satomi INOUE
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190170653A1

## CPC

- G01N 21/68: using high frequency electric fields
- H01J 37/32926: {Software, data control or modelling}
- H01J 37/32972: {Spectral analysis}
- H01J 37/3299: {Feedback systems}
- H10P 72/0604: {Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring}
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

A plasma processing apparatus, plasma processing method, and plasma processing analysis method in which a suitable combination of wavelength, time interval, and etching condition parameter for control to change etching conditions is determined among wavelengths, time intervals, and changeable parameters for spectroscopic measurement data in order to ensure stable etching conditions. Specifically, a regression equation which represents the correlation between emission intensity and etching result at a wavelength and a time interval is obtained for each of two or more combinations of wavelength, time interval, and etching condition parameter. Furthermore, for each of the combinations, the amount of change is calculated from the regression equation when the value set for the etching condition parameter is changed. Among the combinations, the combination for which the amount of change is the smallest is determined as the combination of wavelength, time interval, and changed etching condition parameter to be used for control.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-11. (canceled)

### Claim 12

A plasma processing apparatus which performs plasma processing on a specimen with Advanced Process Control (APC) in use as control to suppress fluctuations in plasma processing by feedback control or feedforward control, the apparatus comprising:
an analysis unit configured to select a combination for the APC of plasma emission wavelength, time interval for the plasma emission wavelength, and a parameter for the plasma processing,
wherein the analysis unit is configured to
obtain a first regression equation representing correlation between a plasma emission intensity and a plasma processing result from temporal change data of the plasma processing according to a fixed recipe;
obtain a second regression equation representing correlation between the plasma emission intensity and the plasma processing result according to a changed recipe based on experimental data; and
select the combination for the APC of plasma emission wavelength, time interval for the plasma emission wavelength, and a parameter for the plasma processing so as to
make a coefficient of correlation of the first regression equation higher than a first prescribed value; and
make a difference between a gradient of the first regression equation and the gradient of the second regression equation smaller than a second prescribed value.

### Claim 13

A plasma processing apparatus which performs plasma processing on a specimen with Advanced Process Control (APC) in use as control to suppress fluctuations in plasma processing by feedback control or feedforward control and is connected to an analysis unit configured to select a combination for the APC of plasma emission wavelength, time interval for the plasma emission wavelength, and a parameter for the plasma processing, the apparatus comprising:
the analysis unit further configured to
obtain a first regression equation representing correlation between a plasma emission intensity and a plasma processing result from temporal change data of the plasma processing according to a fixed recipe;
obtain a second regression equation representing correlation between the plasma emission intensity and plasma processing result according to a changed recipe based on experimental data;
select the combination for the APC of plasma emission wavelength, time interval for the plasma emission wavelength, and a parameter for the plasma processing so as to
make a coefficient of correlation of the first regression equation higher than a first prescribed value; and
make a difference between a gradient of the first regression equation and the gradient of the second regression equation smaller than a second prescribed value.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 13,
wherein the parameter is provided in plurality.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 12,
wherein the parameter is provided in plurality.

### Claim 16

An analysis unit comprising:
the analysis unit configured to select a combination of plasma emission wavelength, time interval for the plasma emission wavelength, and a parameter for plasma processing to suppress fluctuations under control in the plasma processing by feedback control or feedforward control,
wherein a first regression equation representing correlation between a plasma emission intensity and a plasma processing result is obtained from temporal change data of the plasma processing according to a fixed recipe,
wherein a second regression equation representing a correlation between the plasma emission intensity and plasma processing result is obtained according to a changed recipe based on experimental data, and
wherein the combination of plasma emission wavelength, time interval for the plasma emission wavelength, and a parameter for plasma processing is selected so as to
make a coefficient of correlation of the first regression equation higher than a first prescribed value; and
make a difference between a gradient of the first regression equation and the gradient of the second regression equation smaller than a second prescribed value.

### Claim 17

A plasma processing method using a plasma processing apparatus which performs plasma processing on a specimen with Advanced Process Control (APC) in use as control to suppress fluctuations in plasma processing by feedback control or feedforward control and comprises an analysis unit to find a combination for the APC of plasma emission wavelength, time interval for the plasma emission wavelength, and a parameter for the plasma processing, the method comprising the steps of:
obtaining a first regression equation representing correlation between a plasma emission intensity and a plasma processing result from temporal change data of the plasma processing according to a fixed recipe;
obtaining a second regression equation representing correlation between the plasma emission intensity and plasma processing result according to a changed recipe based on experimental data; and
selecting the combination for the APC of plasma emission wavelength, time interval for the plasma emission wavelength, and a parameter for the plasma processing so as to
make a coefficient of correlation of the first regression equation higher than a first prescribed value; and
make a difference between a gradient of the first regression equation and the gradient of the second regression equation smaller than a second prescribed value.

### Claim 18

An analysis method comprising:
finding a combination of plasma emission wavelength, time interval for the plasma emission wavelength, and a parameter for plasma processing to suppress fluctuations under control in the plasma processing by feedback control or feedforward control,
wherein a first regression equation representing a correlation between a plasma emission intensity and a plasma processing result is obtained from temporal change data of the plasma processing according to a fixed recipe,
wherein a second regression equation representing correlation between the plasma emission intensity and plasma processing result is obtained according to a changed recipe based on experimental data, and
wherein the combination of plasma emission wavelength, time interval for the plasma emission wavelength, and a parameter for plasma processing is selected so as to
make a coefficient of correlation of the first regression equation higher than a first prescribed value; and
make a difference between a gradient of the first regression equation and the gradient of the second regression equation smaller than a second prescribed value.