US 12,266,506 B2
Scanning impedance measurement in a radio frequency plasma processing chamber
Yue Guo, Redwood City, CA (US); Kartik Ramaswamy, San Jose, CA (US); Nicolas J. Bright, Arlington, WA (US); Yang Yang, Singapore (SG); and A N M Wasekul Azad, Santa Clara, CA (US)
Assigned to Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed by Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed on Sep. 7, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/930,139.
Prior Publication US 2024/0079212 A1, Mar. 7, 2024
Int. Cl. H01J 37/32 (2006.01); G01R 27/02 (2006.01); H01L 21/66 (2006.01)
CPC H01J 37/32183 (2013.01) [G01R 27/02 (2013.01); H01L 22/20 (2013.01); H01J 2237/3341 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of processing a substrate in a plasma processing system, comprising:
delivering an RF signal, by an RF generator, through an RF match to an electrode assembly disposed within the plasma processing system, wherein while delivering the RF signal the RF match is set to a first matching point;
delivering a voltage waveform, by a waveform generator, to the electrode assembly disposed within the plasma processing system while the RF signal is delivered to the electrode assembly;
receiving, by the RF match, a synchronization signal from a RF generator or the waveform generator;
measuring, by an output sensor of the RF match, a first set of impedance related data of the plasma processing system over a first time period, the first time period beginning after a first delay triggered by a first portion of a first waveform pulse of the synchronization signal;
measuring, by the output sensor of the RF match, a second set of impedance related data of the plasma processing system over a second time period, the second time period beginning after a second delay triggered by the first portion of the first waveform pulse of the synchronization signal;
calculating, by the RF match, a combined impedance parameter based on the measured first set of impedance related data and the measured second set of impedance related data; and
adjusting a matching parameter within the RF match based on the calculated combined impedance parameter to achieve a second matching point.