Inventors:
Minh Le - Colorado Springs CO
Kuang Han Chen - Boston MA
Taber H. Smith - Dallas TX
Duane S. Boning - Belmont MA
Herbert H. Sawin - Chestnut Hill MA
Assignee:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Cambridge MA
International Classification:
G01J 3457
Abstract:
Plasma process analysis techniques are provided. The intensity of each of a number, P, of a plurality of radiation wavelengths that are emitted from a plasma process are monitored as the process proceeds. Indications of P-dimensional correlations between the intensities of the P monitored wavelengths are produced as the process proceeds. Then the produced correlation indications are compared with a prespecified correlation indication generated based on historical conditions for the plasma process, to determine the status condition of the process as the process proceeds. With this technique, the use of a priori, expected, specific templates is not required for evaluating radiation emission data during a plasma process. Instead the techniques investigate and discover the multiple complex correlations that form between various radiation emission wavelengths during a plasma process, and do not impose an expectation for a specific correlation or trend between the various wavelengths. The discovered correlations found to exist between the radiation wavelengths are then employed for monitoring a plasma process based on the discovered correlations.