Methods for processing substrates in process systems having shared resources

A method of processing substrates in a twin chamber processing system having shared processing resources, comprising:

• flowing a process gas from a shared gas panel of a twin chamber processing system to a first processing volume of a first process chamber having a first substrate disposed in the first processing volume and to a second processing volume of a second process chamber having a second substrate disposed in the second processing volume;
• forming a first plasma from the process gas in the first processing volume to process the first substrate by providing RF power from a first RF power source coupled to the first process chamber and a second plasma from the process gas in the second processing volume to process the second substrate by providing RF power from a second RF power source coupled to the second process chamber;
• monitoring the first processing volume with a first endpoint detection system and the second processing volume with a second endpoint detection system to determine if an endpoint is reached in either volume;
• and
• terminating the first plasma when a first endpoint is reached in the first processing volume for processing the first substrate while continuing to provide the second plasma in the second processing volume until a second endpoint is reached.

A computer readable medium, having instructions stored thereon which, when executed, causes a twin chamber processing system having a first process chamber, a second process chamber, and shared processing resources to perform a method, comprising:

• flowing a process gas from a shared gas panel of the twin chamber processing system to a first processing volume of the first process chamber having a first substrate disposed in the first processing volume and to a second processing volume of the second process chamber having a second substrate disposed in the second processing volume;
• forming a first plasma from the process gas in the first processing volume to process the first substrate by providing RF power from a first RF power source coupled to the first process chamber and a second plasma from the process gas in the second processing volume to process the second substrate by providing RF power from a second RF power source coupled to the second process chamber;
• monitoring the first processing volume with a first endpoint detection system and the second processing volume with a second endpoint detection system to determine if a process endpoint is reached in either volume;
• and either
• terminating the first and second plasma simultaneously when a first endpoint is reached in the first processing volume for processing the first substrate;
• or
• terminating the first plasma when a first endpoint is reached in the first processing volume for processing the first substrate while continuing to provide the second plasma in the second processing volume until a second endpoint is reached.