Method of fault detection for material process system

Abstract

A method for material processing utilizing a material processing system to perform a process. The method performs a process (), measures a scan of data (), and transforms the data scan () into a signature () including at least one spatial component. The scan of data () can include a process performance parameter such as an etch rate, an etch selectivity, a deposition rate, a film property, etc. The signature () can be stored (), and compared with either a previously acquired signature or with an ideal signature (). If at least one spatial component substantially deviates from the reference spatial component, then a process fault has potentially occurred. If the cumulative deviation of all spatial components or a select group of components substantially deviates from a reference set of spatial components, then a process fault has potentially occurred.