Endpoint booster systems and methods for optical endpoint detection
AssigneeSkyworks Solutions, Inc.
InventorsElena Becerra Woodard, Daniel Kwadwo Amponsah Berkoh, Kelly Yuji Kimura
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An endpoint booster transports an optical signal from inside of a plasma etch chamber through a viewport to an optical cable outside of the plasma etch chamber. The optical signal is analyzed to determine an endpoint of a plasma process. The endpoint booster inhibits process byproducts from accumulating on the viewport during the plasma process, which increases the time between chamber cleanings. The reduction in chamber downtime for cleaning increases production throughput.
Claims20
An endpoint booster having a front side and a back side, and comprising an aperture configured to channel an endpoint signal from a vacuum etch chamber to a fiber optic cable, the aperture including a plurality of clustered holes extending from the front side to the back side, the back side of the endpoint booster configured to be installed next to a vacuum side of a viewport window within a wall of the vacuum etch chamber, the front side of the endpoint booster configured to be exposed to an interior of the vacuum etch chamber, the front side including a removal port configured to receive a removal tool thereby permitting an operator to remove the endpoint booster from within the vacuum etch chamber to clean the viewport window.
A system for etching a semiconductor wafer, the system comprising:
- a vacuum etch chamber including a viewport window having an atmospheric side and a vacuum side;
- a fiber optic cable optically coupled to the atmospheric side of the viewport window, the fiber optic cable configured to receive and transmit an endpoint signal;
- and
- an endpoint booster having a front side and a back side, and comprising an aperture configured to channel an endpoint signal from a vacuum etch chamber to a fiber optic cable, the aperture including a plurality of clustered holes extending from the front side to the back side, the back side of the endpoint booster configured to be installed next to a vacuum side of a viewport window within a wall of the vacuum etch chamber, the front side of the endpoint booster configured to be exposed to an interior of the vacuum etch chamber, the front side including a removal port configured to receive a removal tool thereby permitting an operator to remove the endpoint booster from within the vacuum etch chamber to clean the viewport window.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.