Method and apparatus for displaying process end point signal based on emission concentration within a processing chamber

Claim 1

An apparatus for displaying a filtered signal which represents the variation of light intensity in a processing chamber over time wherein a magnetic field generated by a signal which a period T causes plasma to rotate within the processing chamber, the apparatus comprising: (a) detecting means, coupled to the processing chamber, for detecting the light intensity within the process chamber to produce a voltage signal with a voltage amplitude varying based on the light intensity within the process chamber; (b) sampling means, coupled to the detecting means, for digitally sampling the voltage amplitude of the voltage signal at a sampling interval (I) to obtain sample values (S x ); (c) calculating means, coupled to the sampling means, for calculating running averages (R y ) of a preselected number (N) of sample values (S x ); (d) magnetic signal frequency adjusting means, coupled to the processing chamber, for setting the period T equal to the preselected number (N) times the sampling interval (I) times an integer; (e) display means for displaying in a graph sequential values of the running averages along a y-axis versus time along an x-axis and for highlighting a change in the slope of the graph; and (f) means for changing the processing conditions within said chamber in response to step (e).

Claim 2

An apparatus for displaying a filtered signal which represents the variation of light intensity in a processing chamber over time wherein a magnetic field generated by a signal which a period T causes plasma to rotate within the processing chamber, the apparatus comprising: (a) detecting means, coupled to the processing chamber, for detecting the light intensity within the process chamber to produce a voltage signal with a voltage amplitude varying based on the light intensity within the process chamber; (b) sampling means, coupled to the detecting means, for digitally sampling the voltage amplitude of the voltage signal at a sampling interval (I) to obtain sample values (S x ); (c) calculating means, coupled to the sampling means, for calculating running averages (R y ) of a preselected number (N) of sample values (S x ); (d) magnetic signal frequency adjusting means, coupled to the processing chamber, for setting the period T equal to the preselected number (N) times the sampling interval (I) times an integer; (e) display means for displaying in a graph sequential values of the running averages along a y-axis versus time along an x-axis and for highlighting a change in the slope of the graph; and (f) means for changing the processing conditions within said chamber in response to step (e).

Claim 5

A method for displaying a filtered signal which represents the variation of light intensity in a processing chamber over time wherein a magnetic field generated by a signal with a period R causes plasma to rotate within the processing chamber, the method comprising the steps of: (a) detecting the light intensity within the process chamber to produce a voltage signal with a voltage amplitude varying with the light intensity within the process chamber; (b) digitally sampling the voltage amplitude of the voltage signal at a sampling interval (I) to obtain sample values (S x ); (c) calculating running averages (R y ) of a preselected number (N) of sample values (S x ); (d) setting the period T equal to the preselected number (N) times the sampling interval (I) times an integer; (e) displaying in a graph sequential values of the running averages along a y-axis versus time along an x-axis; (f) superimposing over the graph a rectangular box having a height H representing an amount of light intensity extending in the direction of the y-axis, and a width W representing an amount of time extending in the direction of the x-axis that includes earlier displayed running averages and placed so that the midpoint of the left side of the rectangular box is coincident with an earlier displayed running average; (g) waiting for one of a positive slope, a negative slope and a zero slope; (h) detecting whether a newly displayed running average exits to the right of the rectangular box, above the rectangular box or below the rectangular box; (i) when the newly displayed discrete value of the running average is at the right of the rectangular box, designating the slope of the graph at the discrete value as having a zero slope; (j) when the newly displayed discrete value of the running average is above the rectangular box, designating the slope of the graph at the discrete value as having a positive slope; (k) when the newly displayed discrete value of the running average is below the rectangular box, designating the slope of the graph at the discrete value as having a negative slope; and (l) highlighting the rectangular box when the slope designated in steps (i), (j) and (k) is the waited for slope of step (g).

Claim 6

A method for displaying a filtered signal which represents the variation of light intensity in a processing chamber over time wherein a magnetic field generated by a signal with a period R causes plasma to rotate within the processing chamber, the method comprising the steps of: (a) detecting the light intensity within the process chamber to produce a voltage signal with a voltage amplitude varying with the light intensity within the process chamber; (b) digitally sampling the voltage amplitude of the voltage signal at a sampling interval (I) to obtain sample values (S x ); (c) calculating running averages (R y ) of a preselected number (N) of sample values (S x ); (d) setting the period T equal to the preselected number (N) times the sampling interval (I) times an integer; (e) displaying in a graph sequential values of the running averages along a y-axis versus time along an x-axis; (f) superimposing over the graph a rectangular box having a height H representing an amount of light intensity extending in the direction of the y-axis, and a width W representing an amount of time extending in the direction of the x-axis that includes earlier displayed running averages and placed so that the midpoint of the left side of the rectangular box is coincident with an earlier displayed running average; (g) waiting for one of a positive slope, a negative slope and a zero slope; (h) detecting whether a newly displayed running average exits to the right of the rectangular box, above the rectangular box or below the rectangular box; (i) when the newly displayed discrete value of the running average is at the right of the rectangular box, designating the slope of the graph at the discrete value as having a zero slope; (j) when the newly displayed discrete value of the running average is above the rectangular box, designating the slope of the graph at the discrete value as having a positive slope; (k) when the newly displayed discrete value of the running average is below the rectangular box, designating the slope of the graph at the discrete value as having a negative slope; and (l) highlighting the rectangular box when the slope designated in steps (i), (j) and (k) is the waited for slope of step (g).

Claim 11

A method for displaying a signal which represents discrete values of a variable versus time, the method comprising the steps of: (a) displaying sequentially, on a graph, discrete values of the variable at specific instances of time along a y-axis wherein passage of time is measured along an x-axis; (b) superimposing over the graph a rectangular box having a height H extending in the direction along the y-axis, and a width W representing an amount of time extending along the direction of the x-axis so that the rectangular box includes earlier displayed discrete values and placed so that the midpoint of the left side of the rectangular box is coincident with an earlier displayed discrete value; (c) detecting whether a newly displayed discrete value is at the right of the rectangular box indicating a zero change in slope of the graph, above the rectangular box indicating a positive change in slope of the graph or below the rectangular box indicating a negative change in slope of the graph; and, (d) highlighting the rectangular box when a change of slope is indicated.

Claim 12

A method for displaying a signal which represents discrete values of a variable versus time, the method comprising the steps of: (a) displaying sequentially, on a graph, discrete values of the variable at specific instances of time along a y-axis wherein passage of time is measured along an x-axis; (b) superimposing over the graph a rectangular box having a height H extending in the direction along the y-axis, and a width W representing an amount of time extending along the direction of the x-axis so that the rectangular box includes earlier displayed discrete values and placed so that the midpoint of the left side of the rectangular box is coincident with an earlier displayed discrete value; (c) detecting whether a newly displayed discrete value is at the right of the rectangular box indicating a zero change in slope of the graph, above the rectangular box indicating a positive change in slope of the graph or below the rectangular box indicating a negative change in slope of the graph; and, (d) highlighting the rectangular box when a change of slope is indicated.

Claim 15

A method for displaying a signal which represents discrete values of a variable versus time, the method comprising the steps of: (a) displaying, on a graph, discrete values of the variable at specific instances of time along a y-axis wherein passage of time is measured along an x-axis; (b) for each newly displayed discrete value, superimposing over the graph a rectangular box having height H extending in the direction along the y-axis, and width W extending along the direction of the x-axis that includes earlier displayed discrete values and placed so that the midpoint of the left side of the rectangular box is coincident with an earlier displayed discrete value; (c) when a newly displayed discrete value is at the right of the rectangular box, designating the slope of the graph at the discrete value as having a zero slope; (d) when a newly displayed discrete value is above the rectangular box, designating the slope of the graph at the discrete value as having a positive slope; and (e) when the newly displayed discrete value is below the rectangular box, designating the slope of the graph at the discrete value as having a negative slope.

Claim 16

A method for displaying a signal which represents discrete values of a variable versus time, the method comprising the steps of: (a) displaying, on a graph, discrete values of the variable at specific instances of time along a y-axis wherein passage of time is measured along an x-axis; (b) for each newly displayed discrete value, superimposing over the graph a rectangular box having height H extending in the direction along the y-axis, and width W extending along the direction of the x-axis that includes earlier displayed discrete values and placed so that the midpoint of the left side of the rectangular box is coincident with an earlier displayed discrete value; (c) when a newly displayed discrete value is at the right of the rectangular box, designating the slope of the graph at the discrete value as having a zero slope; (d) when a newly displayed discrete value is above the rectangular box, designating the slope of the graph at the discrete value as having a positive slope; and (e) when the newly displayed discrete value is below the rectangular box, designating the slope of the graph at the discrete value as having a negative slope.