US4289188A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for monitoring etching
Assignee: Hitachi Ltd
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Filing: 1980-05-19
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Granted: 1981-09-15
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Expires: 2000-05-19
Abstract
Abstract Method and apparatus for monitoring a dry etching process using gas plasma, wherein a ratio of a spectrum intensity which varies depending on the process of the etching process to a spectrum intensity which is independent of the process of the etching process is determined and a resulting signal intensity is monitored. The completion of the etching process can be exactly determined irrespective of variation of the etching conditions.
Inventors
- 👤 Tatsumi Mizutani
- 👤 Kazuyoshi Ueki
- 👤 Shinya Iida
- 👤 Hideo Komatsu
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 05:42
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P50/00; H10P50/20; H10P50/26; H10P50/264; H10P50/266; H10P50/267; C; C23; C23F; C23F4/00; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/32; H01J37/32917; H01J37/32935; H10P90/00; H10P90/12; H10P90/126
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
66 words
A method for monitoring etching process for etching a workpiece by ions or radical sproduced by glow display plasma, comprising the steps of: correcting a specific spectrum intensity, which is dependent on the process of said etching process, of atoms or molecules produced in said plasma by another spectrum intensity which is independent of the process of said etching process; and monitoring a resulting signal intensity.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
66 words
A method for monitoring etching process for etching a workpiece by ions or radical sproduced by glow display plasma, comprising the steps of: correcting a specific spectrum intensity, which is dependent on the process of said etching process, of atoms or molecules produced in said plasma by another spectrum intensity which is independent of the process of said etching process; and monitoring a resulting signal intensity.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said spectrum intensity dependent on the process of said etching process and said spectrum intensity independent of the process of said etching process are an emission spectrum intensity at a specific wavelength and an emission spectrum intensity at another wavelength, respectively.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
50 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said spectrum intensity dependent on the process of said etching process and said spectrum intensity independent of the process of said etching process are a mass spectrum intensity of a specific mass number and a mass spectrum intensity of another mass number, respectively.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
67 words
A method according to claim 2, wherein said spectrum intensity dependent on the process of said etching process is a plasma emission spectrum intensity at a specific wavelength selected through an optical filter or a diffraction grating, and said spectrum intensity independent of the process of said etching process is a plasma emission spectrum intensity at another wavelength selected through an optical filter or a diffraction grating.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein a ratio of said spectrum intensity dependent on the process of said etching process to said spectrum intensity independent of the process of said etching process is monitored.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
56 words
A method according to claim 5, wherein a ratio of a spectrum intensity of Al atoms or AlCl molecules to a spectrum intensity of Cl atoms is monitored, said Al atoms or AlCl molecules and Cl atoms being produced in the course of etching Al or Al-based alloy using plasma of compound gas including chlorine atoms.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
98 words
An apparatus for monitoring etching process for etching a workpiece by ions or radicals produced by glow discharge plasma, comprising: means for measuring a specific spectrum intensity, which is dependent on the process of said etching process, of atoms or molecules produced in said plasma; means for measuring a spectrum intensity independent of the process of said etching process; and means for producing a corrected spectrum intensity, said corrected spectrum intensity being generated by correcting said spectrum intensity dependent on the process of said etching process by said spectrum intensity independent of the process of said etching process.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
98 words
An apparatus for monitoring etching process for etching a workpiece by ions or radicals produced by glow discharge plasma, comprising: means for measuring a specific spectrum intensity, which is dependent on the process of said etching process, of atoms or molecules produced in said plasma; means for measuring a spectrum intensity independent of the process of said etching process; and means for producing a corrected spectrum intensity, said corrected spectrum intensity being generated by correcting said spectrum intensity dependent on the process of said etching process by said spectrum intensity independent of the process of said etching process.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
46 words
An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said spectrum intensity dependent on the process of said etching process and said spectrum intensity independent of the process of said etching process are an emission spectrum at a specific wavelength and an emission spectrum at another wavelength, respectively.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
48 words
An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said spectrum intensity dependent on the process of said etching process and said spectrum intensity independent of the process of said etching process are a mass spectrum of a specific mass number and a mass spectrum of another mass number, respectively.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
86 words
An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said means for measuring the spectrum intensity dependent on the process of said etching process includes an optical filter or diffraction grating for selecting the emission spectrum of said specific wavelength and means for measuring the selected spectrum intensity, and said means for measuring the spectrum intensity independent of the process of said etching process includes an optical filter or diffraction grating for selecting the emission spectrum of said another wavelength and means for measuring the selected spectrum intensity.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
49 words
An apparatus according to claim 7, 8, 9 or 10, wherein said means for producing the corrected spectrum intensity includes means for calculating a ratio of said spectrum intensity dependent on the process of said etching process to said spectrum intensity independent of the process of said etching process.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
69 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, including means for measuring a spectrum intensity of Al atoms or AlCl molecules and means for measuring a spectrum intensity of Cl atoms, said Al atoms or AlCl molecules and said Cl atoms being produced in the course of etching Al or Al-based alloy using plasma of compound gas including chlorine atoms, and means for calculating a ratio of said two spectrum intensities.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4198261A
Cited
US4246060A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1984-09-14 | 1985-03-16 | 1985-09-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1988-09-14 | 1989-03-16 | 1989-09-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1992-09-14 | 1993-03-16 | 1993-09-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |