US 12,437,979 B2
Capacitive sensors and capacitive sensing locations for plasma chamber condition monitoring
Yaoling Pan, Santa Clara, CA (US); Patrick John Tae, Palo Alto, CA (US); Leonard Tedeschi, San Jose, CA (US); Philip Allan Kraus, San Jose, CA (US); and Michael D. Willwerth, Campbell, CA (US)
Assigned to Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed by Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed on Mar. 6, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/812,075.
Prior Publication US 2021/0280399 A1, Sep. 9, 2021
Int. Cl. H01J 37/32 (2006.01); G01N 27/22 (2006.01)
CPC H01J 37/32935 (2013.01) [G01N 27/221 (2013.01); H01J 37/32458 (2013.01); H01J 37/32834 (2013.01); H01J 2237/24564 (2013.01); H01J 2237/24585 (2013.01); H01J 2237/3321 (2013.01); H01J 2237/334 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A plasma processing chamber, comprising:
a chamber wall surrounding a processing region, the chamber wall comprising an opening there through;
a capacitive sensor module in the opening of the chamber wall, the capacitive sensor module extending continuous from a location within the opening of the chamber wall to a location outside of the opening of the chamber wall and within the processing region, wherein the capacitive sensor module is a single sensor module comprising a capacitive sensor integrated with a thermal sensor, the capacitive sensor intervening between the thermal sensor and the processing region such that the capacitive sensor is proximate to the processing region and the thermal sensor is distal from the processing region;
a chamber lid over the chamber wall, the chamber lid above the processing region;
a chamber floor beneath the chamber wall, the chamber floor below the processing region; and
a support pedestal in the processing region, the support pedestal below the chamber lid and above the chamber floor, the support pedestal surrounded by the chamber wall, and the support pedestal having an electrode, wherein the capacitive sensor module is in a location vertically between the electrode of the support pedestal and the chamber floor.