Lucent Technologies Inc.

Agere Systems Guardian Corp.

Edward Alois Reitman

Gardy Cadet

Tseng-Chung Lee

Dale E Ibbotson

A system and method for identifying events in a manufacturing process from a sequence of m-dimensional input data signals, m&gE;2 obtained from monitoring of the manufacturing process utilizing a data processor for transforming each m-dimensional input data signal to a set of output data signals based on an orthogonal polynomial transform function, wherein the input data signals are used as coefficients in evaluating the polynomial transform functions. The data processor also integrates the transform function within the defined limits of the transform function to determine a scalar value as a function of time. A display system may be used to display a graph of the scalar values as a function of time for visually identifying events or the processor may identify events based on detected scalar values. The transform function may be Fourier, Chebyshev, Legendre or other polynomial type function.

Method for extracting process determinant conditions from a plurality of process signals

A method for determining the endpoint of a plasma etch process is disclosed. The endpoint of the plasma etch process is determined using an acoustic cell attached to an exhaust port on a reaction chamber of a plasma reactor. The gas from the reaction chamber flows into the acoustic cell during the plasma etch process. Acoustic signals are periodically transmitted through the gas flowing in the acoustic cell and a first velocity for the acoustic signals associated with etching a first material layer formed on a substrate is determined. Thereafter, the endpoint of the plasma etch step is determined when the first velocity changes to a second velocity associated with etching the first material layer through its thickness to its interface with an underlying material layer. The gas from the reaction chamber flows through a compressor prior to flowing into the acoustic cell to increase the gas pressure in the acoustic cell.

Acoustic time of flight and acoustic resonance methods for detecting endpoint in plasma processes

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for monitoring the state of an attribute of a product during the manufacturing process. The invention employs an intelligent system trained in the relationship between the signatures of the manufacturing process and the product attribute as a function of time. In one embodiment the intelligent system comprises two intelligent systems: the first, trained in the relationship between the signatures of the manufacturing process and one or more signatures of the state of the attribute as a function of time; and the second, trained in the relationship between the product-state signatures as a function of time and the product attribute as a function of time. The disclosed apparatus can be an integral part of the manufacturing machinery allowing the process to continue until the exact moment when the desired state is achieved.

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Gotha, FL, United States of America

Edward Alois Reitman