公开(公告)号：US12203828B2

公开(公告)日：2025-01-21

申请号：US17240677

申请日：2021-04-26

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Ryan T. Downey ,  Hemant P. Mungekar ,  James L'Heureux ,  Andreas Neuber ,  Michael W. Johnson ,  Joseph A. Van Gompel ,  Gino Gerardo Crispieri ,  Tony H. Tong ,  Maxime Cayer ,  John L Koenig ,  Mike M. Huang

IPC: G01M99/00

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for detecting anomalies in a semiconductor processing system. According to certain embodiments, one or more external sensors are mounted to a sub-fab component, communicating with the processing system via a communication channel different than a communication channel utilized by the sub-fab component and providing extrinsic sensor data that the sub-fab component is not configured to provide. The extrinsic sensor data may be combined with sensor data from a processing tool of the system and/or intrinsic sensor data of the sub-fab component to form virtual sensor data. In the event the virtual data exceeds or falls below a threshold, an intervention or a maintenance signal is dispatched, and in certain embodiments, an intervention or maintenance action is taken by the system.

公开(公告)号：US10777394B2

公开(公告)日：2020-09-15

申请号：US15811322

申请日：2017-11-13

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Hemant P. Mungekar ,  William Pryor ,  Zhijun Jiang

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  C23C16/44 ,  G01B11/06 ,  H01L21/67

Abstract: Implementations of the present disclosure generally relate to methods for cleaning processing chambers. More specifically, implementations described herein relate to methods for determining processing chamber cleaning endpoints. In some implementations, a “virtual sensor” for detecting a cleaning endpoint is provided. The “virtual sensor” is based on monitoring trends of chamber foreline pressure during cleaning of the chamber, which involves converting solid deposited films on the chamber parts into gaseous byproducts by reaction with etchants like fluorine plasma for example. Validity of the “virtual sensor” has been confirmed by comparing the “virtual sensor” response with infrared-based optical measurements. In another implementation, methods of accounting for foreline pressure differences due to facility design and foreline clogging over time.