Device for measuring pressure in a chamber
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorPaul Fisher
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device for measuring pressure at several locations in a processing chamber under dynamic conditions, i.e. when gas is flowing into and/or out of the chamber. A substrate has a plurality of pressure sensors electrically coupled to a measurement instrument. Conditions are established within a processing chamber to determine the effects of various process parameters, such as gas flow, on local pressures, and the local pressures are measured. The test conditions may simulate a process or may be standard test conditions to evaluate chamber configurations or hardware. The pressure test substrate may be calibrated under static conditions to improve the accuracy of the pressure readings.
Claims53
An assembly for measuring pressure on a substrate comprising a reactor chamber for processing semiconductor wafers;
- a substrate disposed in said reactor chamber;
- a gas flowing into and out of said reactor chamber for assisting in producing a pressure on said substrate;
- and at least one pressure sensor disposed on a surface of said substrate to provide at least one electrical signal in response to the pressure on the substrate.
The assembly of 3 wherein the at least one pressure sensor is fabricated on the silicon wafer to form an integrated pressure test wafer.
A device for measuring pressure in a chamber comprising a substrate having a substrate surface and including a structure defining a cavity;
- a chip pressure sensor disposed in said cavity;
- and at least one conductive trace disposed on said substrate surface and electrically coupled to said chip pressure sensor.
An integrated test wafer for measuring pressure in a processing chamber comprising a substrate having a substrate surface and including a substrate structure with no flexible diaphragm;
- a plurality of pressure sensors integrally formed in said substrate and in proximity to said substrate surface such as to be exposed for measuring pressure in a reactor chamber;
- and a conductive trace disposed on said substrate surface.
Device for measuring pressure in a chamber comprising a substrate having a substrate surface and a structure defining a cavity;
- a first diaphragm layer supported by said substrate layer and extending over said cavity;
- a second diaphragm layer supported by said first diaphragm layer;
- at least one thin-film resistor supported by said second diaphragm layer;
- and at least one conductive trace supported by said substrate surface and coupled to said at least one thin-film resistor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.