Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
54 words
A method for monitoring the operation of a plasma etch apparatus, in particular for determining an operation endpoint comprising: monitoring a plurality of parameters associated with the operation of said plasma etch apparatus; forming a composite of said plurality of parameters; and analyzing said composite to determine etch conditions within said plasma etch apparatus.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said plurality of parameters include the monitoring of the D.C. bias of a cathode and/or a plasma emission spectrum within said plasma etch apparatus.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 2, wherein said step of forming a composite includes forming a composite of at least two spectral components of said plasma emission spectrum and/or said D.C. bias, in particular of a weighted sum thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 2 or 3, wherein said step of forming a composite further includes filtering undesired components from said composite and/or removing the background level from said weighted sum.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
57 words
The method of any of claims 1 to 4, wherein said step of forming a composite includes: digitizing said plurality of parameters, in particular said spectral components to provide a plurality of digital parameters; multiplying said plurality of digital parameters with a weighting factor; and summing said weighted, digital parameters to develop a time related sum function.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 5, wherein said step of forming a composite includes: summing said time related sum function over time to develop a time related background function; and subtracting said time related background function from said time related sum function to develop a time related offset function.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 6, wherein said step of forming a composite includes: performing a notch filter function on said time related offset function to remove undesired components from said time related offset function.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
30 words
The method of any preceding claim, wherein said step of analyzing said composite includes: analyzing the time-dependent change of said composite; and comparing said time-dependent change with a predetermined value.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 8, wherein steps of analyzing the time-dependent change and comparing said time-dependent change with a predetermined value is repeated a plurality of times, and wherein endpoint is determined after a number of consecutive comparisons indicate endpoint conditions.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
60 words
An apparatus (10) for monitoring the operation of a plasm etch apparatus (12) comprising: means (22) for monitoring a plurality of parameters associated with the operation of said plasma etch apparatus (12); means (24) for forming a composite of said plurality of parameters; and means (24) for analyzing said composite to determine etch conditions within said plasma etch apparatus (12).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus (10) of claim 10, wherein said means (22) for monitoring includes means for monitoring the D.C. bias of a cathode (16) within said plasma etch apparatus (12) and/or means (28) for monitoring spectral component(s) of a plasma emission spectrum within said plasma etch apparatus (12).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
76 words
The apparatus (10) of claim 10 or 11, wherein said means (28) for monitoring a plurality of parameters, in particular said spectral component(s) includes: a plurality of photosensor means (62); and a plurality of filters (60) associated with said plurality of photosensor means (62) and disposed between said plurality of photosensor means (62) and said plasma emission (20) whereby each of said photosensor means (62) is responsive to a spectral component of said plasma emission spectrum.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus (10) of claim 12, further comprising housing means (30) provided with a plurality of light guides (48) for guiding said plasma emission spectrum to said plurality of photosensor means (62), with said light guides (48) preferably indcluding tapered holes through said housing means (30).
Claim 14
Independent Claim
61 words
The apparatus (10) of any of claims 10 to 13, further comprising analog-to-digital converter means (70) responsive to said plurality of photosensor means (62) and operative to produce digital data corresponding to said plurality of spectral components and said means for forming a composite and said means for analyzing said composite comprise digital computer means (24) responsive to said digital data.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus (10) of claim 14, wherein said digital computer means mathematically combines said digital data and derives an endpoint condition from said mathematical combination.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
52 words
An emission detection apparatus (10) comprising: an elongated probe (28) provided with a plurality of longitudinal light guides (48) adapted to guide light from an electromagnetic emission source; a plurality of transmissive filters (60) associated with said holes (48); and a plurality of photoresponsive means (62) associated with said transmissive filters (60).
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
The emission detection apparatus of claim 16, wherein said light guides (48) comprise longitudinal holes through said elongated probe (30), said holes preferably comprising truncated conical bores.