Real-Time Monitoring System In Plasma Processing

INTRODUCTION

Plasma is an ionized gas, one of the four fundamental states of matter, and was first described by chemist Irving Langmuir in 1920. In it, a portion of the atoms will be excited or ionized to form atoms. free electrons and ions. When the electrons of neutral substances return to their ground state, the plasma will emit light at a wavelength characteristic of the atoms in the plasma. Although not a commonly mentioned state of matter, plasma is more familiar than we think. Fire, neon lights, and fluorescent lights all contain plasma. Even 99.9% of the state of matter in the universe is plasma. Stars are all plasma – the Sun itself is a giant ball of plasma.

Currently, on the market, there are many practical applications using plasma such as elemental analysis, plasma etching, film deposition, sterilization, and pain relief... From here, it can be seen that real-time plasma monitoring is a potential application.

INTINS will bring to your plasma application a system full of unique and outstanding features that help monitor plasma with high performance and extreme convenience.

SALIENT FEATURES

All changes in plasma properties are extremely important to help control and improve plasma-related processes and products. In industry, engineering, and medicine, precise process control and reproducibility can only be ensured through in-depth characterization of molecular species in the plasma and on surfaces.

Automatically collect spectral data in real-time and composition analysis

Emission spectra can provide detailed elemental information for a plasma sample. At the same time, the wavelength of the emission line is used to determine the elements that exist in the plasma, the intensity of the emission peaks is the premise for quantifying the electron density in the plasma sample in real-time to meet the requirements essential for plasma applications.

Figure 1: a. The graph updates the spectrum continuously, b. Elements table

We use compact high-resolution spectrometers and highly sensitive detectors that help diagnose plasma with a high degree of accuracy and reliability. The system will automatically collect spectral data in real-time. Spectral data will be continuously updated in graph form as shown in Figure 1a. At the same time, the compositional analysis results including molecular names, ionization states, and wavelengths will be updated in table form as shown in Figure 1b continuously and quickly.

Endpoint detection tool

Besides, the endpoint detection function also plays an extremely important role in plasma monitoring.

Figure 2: Trend endpoint detection of software

As a highly sensitive endpoint detection tool in the plasma etching process, ensuring timely and accurate detection.

If any etching takes place beyond the endpoint then the device will not be as intended and as such there will be an unknown effect on the device's performance. As features and devices become ever smaller even a small degree of over-etching can destroy the functionality of the device. Our technique will be based on real-time optical emission spectrum and combined with other smart algorithms to be able to determine the endpoint accurately and quickly. Figure 2 is a graphic illustration of an endpoint when observed in real-time.

Other features

In addition, our system also provides a few other important plasma parameters such as plasma temperature for each molecule, ...

BUILD SYSTEM

INTINS provides a complete optical system with this application. Includes the most advanced optical components. As for the spectrometer, we have a full range of suitable lines for many different applications. Specifically for this application, we recommend a few suitable machine models as follows

The HR4000 Spectrometer is a versatile high-resolution spectrometer. The HR4000 has a 3648-element CCD-array detector from Toshiba that enables optical resolution as precise as 0.02 nm (FWHM). The HR4000 is responsive from 200-1100 nm, but the specific range and resolution depend on your grating and entrance slit choices. This novel combination of optics and electronics is ideal for applications such as characterizing lasers, measuring gas absorbance, and determining atomic emission lines. Interface options include USB.

Ocean HDX spectrometer uses a robust optical bench design, optimized components, and precision engineering to maximize optical resolution, increase throughput, reduce stray light, and maintain thermal stability for integrated, industrial, and research applications. The HDX is responsive from 200-1100 nm.

HDX has a back-thinned CCD array and High Definition Optics design, with X-Platform Electronics to enhance communication capabilities, plus powerful onboard storage and processing functions. Store up to 50.000 spectra and take advantage of onboard averaging to capture more spectral data in less time. Interface options include USB, Gigabit Ethernet, AP Wi-Fi, and RS-232.

Besides, we also have many other models with high resolution and reasonable prices suitable for applications. Please get in touch if you need more detailed information.

APPLICATION

Biomedical Field: Cold plasma

In the field of plasma, there is also a type of plasma with low temperature, also known as cold plasma. The discovery of cold plasma has opened up an extremely promising research direction in the field of biomedicine. They contribute to very effective applications of neutralizing and inactivating bacteria and sterilizing biological tissues, so they can be applied to extremely promising wound healing. In these biomedical applications, plasma needs to be guaranteed a stable temperature below 40oC and this requirement will be conveniently controlled with the plasma measurement system we provide.

Optical endpoint detection is an important technique in various industries such as semiconductor manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and environmental monitoring. It enables real-time monitoring and control of processes by determining when a reaction or process has reached a desired state or endpoint.

The endpoint is the state where the observed substance is no longer present during processing or vice versa. Therefore, real-time endpoint detection will play a very important role in industrial applications. Our technique will be based on real-time optical emission spectroscopy and combined with other intelligent algorithms to be able to accurately and quickly determine the endpoint. Here are a few related applications:

Semiconductor Manufacturing: Plasma Etching

Plasma etching is an advanced application that involves precisely controlled removal of material from a surface to grow patterns on silicon wafers. Plasma etching in semiconductor devices requires extremely precise monitoring of reaction progress and is also very susceptible to noise. These factors mean that plasma etching requires extremely precise plasma analysis. Optical emission spectra – typically across spectral regions from near-infrared to near-ultraviolet – provide the speed, stability, and resolution needed for process control. So it can be said that endpoint detection is extremely important.

Thin Film Deposition

In the thin film deposition industry, end-point detection helps monitor film thickness and improve the uniformity of films during production.

CONCLUSION

Plasma monitoring plays a critical role in ensuring the precision, efficiency, and safety of plasma-based processes across various industries. By providing real-time data and control, it enhances the quality of products, improves process reliability, and contributes to advancements in technology and medicine.