Advanced Energy Industries, Inc.

Kla Tencor Corporation

Advanced Plasma, Inc.

Gregory A Roche

Leonard Joseph Mahoney

Daniel Carter

Hendrik Walde

Carl William Almgren

William D Sproul

Steven J Roberts

William W Saylor

A plasma processing system is provided with diagnostic apparatus for making in-situ measurements of plasma properties. The diagnostic apparatus generally comprises a non-invasive sensor array disposed within a plasma processing chamber, an electrical circuit for stimulating the sensors, and means for recording and communicating sensor measurements for monitoring or control of the plasma process. In one form, the sensors are dynamically pulsed dual floating Langmuir probes that measure incident charged particle currents and electron temperatures in proximity to the plasma boundary or boundaries within the processing system. The plasma measurements may be used to monitor the condition of the processing plasma or furnished to a process system controller for use in controlling the plasma process.

Sensor array for measuring plasma characteristics in plasma processing environments

There is provided by this invention a wafer probe for measuring plasma and surface characteristics in plasma processing environment that utilizes integrated sensors on a wafer substrate. A microprocessor mounted on the substrate receives input signals from the integrated sensors to process, store, and transmit the data. A wireless communication transceiver receives the data from the microprocessor and transmits information outside of the plasma processing system to a computer that collects the data during plasma processing. The integrated sensors may be dual floating Langmuir probes, temperature measuring devices, resonant beam gas sensors, or hall magnetic sensors. There is also provided a self-contained power source that utilizes the plasma for power that is comprised of a topographically dependent charging device or a charging structure that utilizes stacked capacitors.

Wafer probe for measuring plasma and surface characteristics in plasma processing environments

There is provided by this invention a novel inductively coupled plasma source apparatus that utilizes a transformer to induce closed path secondary plasma currents in a hollow metal housing that is directly cooled by a fluid. This plasma source apparatus is particularly useful for generating a high charged particle density source of ions, electrons, and chemically active species to serve various plasma related processes that may require high power densities. A hollow metal vacuum chamber is coupled to and electrically insulated from a metal vacuum process chamber by means of dielectric gaps that are well shielded from direct exposure to the plasma body. Electrons, photons and excited gaseous species are generated within the metal hollow chamber and process chamber to serve a wide variety of material, surface and gas processing applications. There is also provided by this invention a means of ganging together several hollow metal vacuum chamber assemblies about a single vacuum process chamber.

Inductively coupled ring-plasma source apparatus for processing gases and materials and method thereof

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Fort Collins, CO, United States of America

Gregory A Roche