Plasma monitoring and control method and system

Abstract

A plasma monitoring and control method and system monitor and control plasma in an electronic device fabrication reactor by sensing the voltage of the radio frequency power that is directed into the plasma producing gas at the input to the plasma producing environment of the electronic device fabrication reactor. The method and system further sense the current and phase angle of the radio frequency power directed to the plasma producing gas at the input to the plasma producing environment. Full load impedance is measured and used in determining characteristics of the plasma environment, including not only discharge and sheath impedances, but also chuck and wafer impedances, primary ground path impedance, and a secondary ground path impedance associated with the plasma environment. This permits end point detection of both deposition and etch processes, as well as advanced process control for electronic device fabrication. The invention also provides automatic gain control features for applying necessary signal gain control functions during the end point and advanced process control operations.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.