Methods and systems for etching substrates using a remote plasma are described. Remotely excited etchants are formed in a remote plasma and flowed through a showerhead into a substrate processing region to etch the substrate. Optical emission spectra are acquired from the substrate processing region just above the substrate. The optical emission spectra may be used to determine an endpoint of the etch, determine the etch rate or otherwise characterize the etch process. A weak plasma may be present in the substrate processing region. The weak plasma may have much lower intensity than the remote plasma. In cases where no bias plasma is used above the substrate in an etch process, a weak plasma may be ignited near a viewport disposed near the side of the substrate processing region to characterize the etchants.