Semiconductor fabricating apparatus
AssigneeTokyo Electron Limited
InventorMitsuhiro Yuasa
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Abstract
A resonant frequency sensor is disposed in a plasma-processing chamber included in a semiconductor fabricating apparatus. A change in the resonant frequency caused by etching, sputtering or deposition is sensed in order to detect the timing of performing the maintenance of the processing chamber. If data representing the relationship between an amount of etching or deposition occurring at a predetermined position in the processing chamber and occurrence of an abnormality is produced in advance, an optimal maintenance timing can be determined.
Claims6
A semiconductor fabricating apparatus having a resonant frequency sensor fabricated as a micro machine chip and disposed through a wall of a processing chamber, wherein a change in resonant frequency of said resonant frequency sensor is detected in order to determine a maintenance timing and the resonant frequency sensor includes:
- a fixed part having a first electrode;
- a vibrating part having a second electrode;
- and
- a piezoelectric joint configured to couple the fixed part and the vibrating part,
- wherein the resonant frequency of the resonant frequency sensor is determined by a capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.