Method for monitoring usage of a physical vapor deposition (PVD) target with an ultrasonic transducer

A system for semiconductor manufacturing, the system comprising:

• a plurality of consumable elements removably mounted on one or more process chambers having corresponding back plates, wherein the back plates have ultrasonic transducer openings;
• ultrasonic transducers corresponding to the plurality of consumable elements, wherein the ultrasonic transducers are arranged within the ultrasonic transducer openings over the corresponding consumable elements, wherein an ultrasonic transducer has an ultrasonic transducer bottom surface that is parallel with a back plate bottom surface of a back plate, and wherein the ultrasonic transducers are focused towards front sides of the corresponding consumable elements, opposite back sides of the corresponding consumable elements;
• a plurality of magnetrons arranged in fluid cavities, between the back plates and the corresponding consumable elements, wherein a magnetron of the plurality of magnetrons is sunken into a back side of a corresponding one of the consumable elements;
• and
• a monitoring unit configured to estimate and monitor remaining service lifetimes of the consumable elements using the corresponding ultrasonic transducers.

A system for semiconductor manufacturing, the system comprising:

• a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process tool comprising:
• a process chamber;
• a PVD target comprising a front side that is inside the process chamber and that defines a top surface of the process chamber, and further comprising a back side that is opposite the front side and that is outside the process chamber, wherein the PVD target comprises a fluid cavity that is spaced over the top surface of the process chamber and that is sunken into the back side of the PVD target, such that the fluid cavity is below a top surface of the PVD target;
• a back plate covering and contacting the back side of the PVD target, wherein the fluid cavity is between the back plate and the PVD target;
• an ultrasonic transducer within an opening in the back plate, and directed towards the front side of the PVD target, wherein a bottom surface of the ultrasonic transducer is in fluid communication with the fluid cavity, and wherein a top surface of the ultrasonic transducer is not in fluid communication with the fluid cavity;
• and
• a monitoring unit configured to estimate and monitor a remaining service lifetime of the PVD target using the ultrasonic transducer.