Apparatus and method for endpoint control and plasma monitoring

A method of monitoring a substrate processing step in a processing chamber, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a controller capable of operating the processing chamber to perform the substrate processing step, an endpoint detection system capable of detecting an endpoint of the substrate processing step, and a bi-directional communication link coupling the endpoint detection system and the controller;
• generating a plurality of first signals and sending the first signals from the controller to the endpoint detection system by the bi-directional communication link, the first signals comprising a signal that communicates a start of performing the substrate processing step;
• and
• generating one or more second signals and sending the second signals from the endpoint detection system to the controller by the bi-directional communication link, the second signals communicating an endpoint of the substrate processing step.

A process monitoring system capable of monitoring substrate processing steps in a plurality of processing chambers, the process monitoring system comprising:

• a controller capable of operating the processing chambers to perform the substrate processing steps, and generating a plurality of first signals that communicate a start of performing the substrate processing steps and transfer one or more endpoint detection algorithms;
• an endpoint detection system capable of detecting an endpoint of the substrate processing step in each processing chamber and generating one or more second signals communicating that the endpoint has been reached;
• and
• a bi-directional communication link coupling the endpoint detection system and the controller, the bi-directional communication link adapted to pass the first signals from the controller to the endpoint detection system and the second signal from the endpoint detection system to the controller.

A method of monitoring substrate processing steps in a plurality of processing chambers, the method comprising:

• providing a controller capable of operating the plurality of processing chambers to perform the substrate processing steps and generating a plurality of first signals that communicate one or more starts of performing the substrate processing steps and transfer one or more endpoint detection algorithms;
• providing an endpoint detection system capable of detecting endpoints of the substrate processing steps in each process chamber and generating a plurality of second signals communicating that the endpoints have been reached;
• carrying source information on the first signal and second signal;
• and
• sending the first signals from the controller to the endpoint detection system and the second signals from the endpoint detection system to the controller by a bi-directional communication link.

A method of monitoring substrate processing steps in a plurality of processing chambers, the method comprising:

• providing a controller capable of operating the processing chambers to perform the substrate processing steps, and generating a plurality of first signals that communicate starting the substrate processing steps and that transfer endpoint detection algorithms to the endpoint detection system;
• providing an endpoint detection system capable of detecting one or more endpoints of the substrate processing steps in each processing chamber and generating a plurality of second signals related to the endpoint;
• and
• sending the first signals from the controller to the endpoint detection system and the second signals from the endpoint detection system to the controller by a bi-directional communication link such that the controller receives one of the second signals related to the endpoints within about 50 milliseconds of being sent by the endpoint detection system.