• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.02a
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• pp.523-523
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• 2012

As the wafer geometric requirements continuously complicated and minutes in tens of nanometers, the expectation of real-time add-on sensors for in-situ plasma process monitoring is rapidly increasing. Various industry applications, utilizing plasma impedance monitor (PIM) and optical emission spectroscopy (OES), on etch end point detection, etch chemistry investigation, health monitoring, fault detection and classification, and advanced process control are good examples. However, process monitoring in semiconductor manufacturing industry requires non-invasiveness. The hypothesis behind the optical monitoring of plasma induced ion current is for the monitoring of plasma induced charging damage in non-invasive optical way. In plasma dielectric via etching, the bombardment of reactive ions on exposed conductor patterns may induce electrical current. Induced electrical charge can further flow down to device level, and accumulated charges in the consecutive plasma processes during back-end metallization can create plasma induced charging damage to shift the threshold voltage of device. As a preliminary research for the hypothesis, we performed two phases experiment to measure the plasma induced current in etch environmental condition. We fabricated electrical test circuits to convert induced current to flickering frequency of LED output, and the flickering frequency was measured by high speed optical plasma monitoring system (OPMS) in 10 kHz. Current-frequency calibration was done in offline by applying stepwise current increase while LED flickering was measured. Once the performance of the test circuits was evaluated, a metal pad for collecting ion bombardment during plasma etch condition was placed inside etch chamber, and the LED output frequency was measured in real-time. It was successful to acquire high speed optical emission data acquisition in 10 kHz. Offline measurement with the test circuitry was satisfactory, and we are continuously investigating the potential of real-time in-situ plasma induce current measurement via OPMS.

• KIEE International Transaction on Systems and Control
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• v.2D no.2
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• pp.120-124
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• 2002

A new methodology is presented to diagnose faults in equipment plasma. This is accomplished by using neural networks as a pattern recognizer of radio frequency (rf) impedance match data. Using a match monitor system, the match data were collected. The monitor system consisted mainly of a multifunction board and a signal flow diagram coded by Visual Designer. Plasma anomaly was effectively represented by electrical match positions. Twenty sets of fault-symptom patterns were experimentally simulated with variations in process factors, which include rf source power, pressure, Ar, and $O_$2 flow rates. As an input to neural networks, two means and standard deviations of positions were used as well as a reflected power. Diagnostic accuracy was measured as a function of training factors, which include the number of hidden neurons, the magnitude of initial weights, and two gradients of neuron activation functions. The accuracy was the most sensitive to the number of hidden neurons. Interaction effects on the accuracy were also examined by performing a 2$^$4 full factorial experiment. The experiments were performed on multipole inductively coupled plasma equipment.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.117-126
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• 2022

The Ionospheric Anomaly Monitoring by Magnetometer And Plasma-probe (IAMMAP) is one of the scientific instruments for the Compact Advanced Satellite 500-3 (CAS 500-3) which is planned to be launched by Korean Space Launch Vehicle in 2024. The main scientific objective of IAMMAP is to understand the complicated correlation between the equatorial electro-jet (EEJ) and the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) which play important roles in the dynamics of the ionospheric plasma in the dayside equator region. IAMMAP consists of an impedance probe (IP) for precise plasma measurement and magnetometers for EEJ current estimation. The designated sun-synchronous orbit along the quasi-meridional plane makes the instrument suitable for studying the EIA and EEJ. The newly-devised IP is expected to obtain the electron density of the ionosphere with unprecedented precision by measuring the upper-hybrid frequency (f_UHR) of the ionospheric plasma, which is not affected by the satellite geometry, the spacecraft potential, or contamination unlike conventional Langmuir probes. A set of temperature-tolerant precision fluxgate magnetometers, called Adaptive In-phase MAGnetometer, is employed also for studying the complicated current system in the ionosphere and magnetosphere, which is particularly related with the EEJ caused by the potential difference along the zonal direction.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.02a
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• pp.499-499
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• 2012

This study was evaluated on etcher of capacitive coupled plasmas with OES (Optical Emission Spectroscopy) and impedance by VI probe that are widely used for process control and monitoring at semiconductor industry. The experiment was operated at conventional Ar and C4F8 plasma with variable change such as pressure and addition of gas (Atmospheric Leak: N2 and O2), RF, pressure, that are highly possible to impact wafer yield during wafer process, in order to observe OES and VI Probe signals. The sensitivity change on OES and Impedance by Vi probe was analyzed by statistical method to determine healthy of process. The main goal of this study is to understand unwanted tool performance to eventually improve productive capability. It is important for process engineers to actively adjust tool parameter before any serious problem occurs.

• Applied Science and Convergence Technology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.161-168
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• 2014

A real-time monitoring of immersed antenna type inductively coupled plasma (ICP) was done with a homemade 2 dimensional voltage probe array to check the uniformity of the plasma. Measured voltage values with a high impedance voltmeter are close to the floating potential of the plasma. As the substrate carrier was moving into a magnetron sputtering plasma diffusive from a $125mm{\times}625mm$ size cathode, measured results showed reliably separation of plasma into the upper and lower empty space over the carrier. Infra red thermal imaging camera was used to observe the cross corner effect in situ without eroding a target to the end of the usage. 3 dimensional particle trace model was used to analyze the magnetron discharge's behavior.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2015.08a
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• pp.142.2-142.2
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• 2015

Plasma etch endpoint detection (EPD) of SiO2 and PR layer is demonstrated by plasma impedance monitoring in this work. Plasma etching process is the core process for making fine pattern devices in semiconductor fabrication, and the etching endpoint detection is one of the essential FDC (Fault Detection and Classification) for yield management and mass production. In general, Optical emission spectrocopy (OES) has been used to detect endpoint because OES can be a simple, non-invasive and real-time plasma monitoring tool. In OES, the trend of a few sensitive wavelengths is traced. However, in case of small-open area etch endpoint detection (ex. contact etch), it is at the boundary of the detection limit because of weak signal intensities of reaction reactants and products. Furthemore, the various materials covering the wafer such as photoresist (PR), dielectric materials, and metals make the analysis of OES signals complicated. In this study, full spectra of optical emission signals were collected and the data were analyzed by a data-mining approach, modified K-means cluster analysis. The K-means cluster analysis is modified suitably to analyze a thousand of wavelength variables from OES. This technique can improve the sensitivity of EPD for small area oxide layer etching processes: about 1.0 % oxide area. This technique is expected to be applied to various plasma monitoring applications including fault detections as well as EPD.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.185.2-185.2
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• 2016

The plasma density is an essential plasma parameter describing plasma physics. Furthermore, it affects the throughput and uniformity of plasma processing (etching, deposition, ashing, etc). Therefore, a novel technique for plasma density measurement has been attracting considerable attention. Microwave probe is a promising diagnostic technique. Various type of cutoff, hairpin, impedance, transmission, and absorption probes have been developed and investigated. Recently, based on the basic type of probes, modified flat probe (curling and multipole probes), have been developing for in situ processing plasma monitoring. There is a need for comparative study between the probes. It can give some hints on choosing the reliable probe and application of the probes. In this presentation, we make attempt of numerical study of different kinds of microwave probes. Characteristics of frequency spectrum from probes were analyzed by using three-dimensional electromagnetic simulation. The plasma density, obtained from the spectrum, was compared with simulation input plasma density. The different microwave probe behavior with changes of plasma density, sheath and pressure were found. To confirm the result experimentally, we performed the comparative experiment between cutoff and hairpin probes. The sheath and collision effects are corrected for each probe. The results were reasonably interpreted based on the above simulation.