CN-122003577-A - Self-aligning interferometric endpoint housing

Abstract

Embodiments of an Interferometric Endpoint (IEP) housing assembly for endpoint detection of plasma processing are provided herein. In some embodiments, an IEP housing assembly includes an IEP housing having an upper end configured to interface with a light source and having an internal cavity, wherein a lower end of the IEP housing is configured to interface with a dome assembly of a processing chamber, a bracket having a body disposed about the IEP housing and having a plurality of arms extending radially outward from the body, and a plurality of biasing members extending from the body to the IEP housing and configured to retain the IEP housing within the body while allowing lateral deflection.

Inventors

• Terry Shuer Bairegoda Shivalin Gaia
• Skanda S. Chandrashekar
• Kartick M. Prabakar
• Mahadev Josh
• Peter F. DeMont

Assignees

• 应用材料公司

Dates

Publication Date

20260508

Application Date

20241009

Priority Date

20231010

Claims (20)

1. 1. An Interferometric Endpoint (IEP) housing assembly for endpoint detection of a plasma process, the IEP housing assembly comprising: an IEP housing having an upper end configured to interface with a light source and having an internal cavity, wherein a lower end of the IEP housing is configured to interface with a dome assembly of a processing chamber; A bracket having a body disposed about the IEP housing and having a plurality of arms extending radially outwardly from the body, and A plurality of biasing members extending from the body to the IEP housing and configured to retain the IEP housing within the body while allowing lateral deflection.
2. 2. The IEP housing assembly of claim 1, further comprising a first mounting plate coupled to the bracket through respective ends of the plurality of arms.
3. 3. The IEP housing assembly of claim 2, further comprising a plurality of second biasing members disposed between respective ends of the plurality of arms and the first mounting plate and configured to output a force on the bracket to hold the IEP housing against the dome assembly.
4. 4. The IEP housing assembly of claim 2, further comprising a second mounting plate coupled to the first mounting plate and configured to mount a plurality of lights.
5. 5. The IEP housing assembly of claim 4, wherein the first mounting plate comprises an upper ring and a lower ring extending downwardly and radially outwardly from the upper ring, and further comprising a plurality of mounting tabs extending radially inwardly from the upper ring and configured for coupling to the bracket, and a plurality of second mounting tabs extending radially outwardly from the upper ring and configured for coupling to the second mounting plate.
6. 6. The IEP housing assembly of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the body is annular and the plurality of arms is comprised of three arms.
7. 7. The IEP housing assembly of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the bracket and the IEP housing are made of plastic.
8. 8. The IEP housing assembly of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the IEP housing comprises an annular recess having an angled surface at a lower end of the IEP housing.
9. 9. The IEP housing assembly of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the body comprises a plurality of clearance holes, and further comprising a plurality of screws extending through the plurality of clearance holes to loosely retain the IEP housing within the central opening of the body.
10. 10. The IEP housing assembly of any one of claims 1-5, wherein each of the plurality of biasing members comprises a housing, a pin, and a spring.
11. 11. The IEP housing assembly of any one of claims 1-5, wherein each of the plurality of second biasing members is disposed about a fastener extending through a respective one of the plurality of arms and into the first mounting plate.
12. 12. The IEP housing assembly of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the bracket is disposed entirely between an upper surface of the first mounting plate and a lower surface of the first mounting plate.
13. 13. The IEP housing assembly of any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a lens disposed in a lower end of the IEP housing, and a retaining ring coupled with the IEP housing at the lower end to clamp the lens therebetween.
14. 14. The IEP housing assembly of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the upper end of the IEP housing comprises a central opening and the lower end of the IEP housing comprises a second central opening concentric with the central opening.
15. 15. A processing chamber, the processing chamber comprising: A chamber body defining an interior volume therein; A dome assembly disposed in the interior volume, wherein the dome assembly includes a dome, a window, and a dome ring configured to clamp the window to the dome, and An upper assembly disposed above the dome, wherein the upper assembly comprises the IEP housing assembly of any one of claims 1 to 5.
16. 16. The processing chamber of claim 15, further comprising an RF coil disposed between the support and the dome, wherein the RF coil comprises a first coil and a second coil disposed about the IEP housing.
17. 17. The processing chamber of claim 15, wherein the window is aligned with a lens disposed at a lower end of the IEP housing.
18. 18. The process chamber of claim 17, further comprising a lens disposed in a lower end of the IEP housing, and a retaining ring coupled with the IEP housing at the lower end to clamp the lens therebetween.
19. 19. The processing chamber of claim 15, wherein the upper assembly further comprises a lamp assembly coupled to the IEP housing assembly.
20. 20. The processing chamber of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of biasing members comprises a housing, a pin, and a spring.

Description

Self-aligning interferometric endpoint housing Technical Field Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to substrate processing equipment. Background Integrated circuits have evolved into complex devices that can include millions of components (e.g., transistors, capacitors, resistors, and the like) on a single chip. The evolution of chip designs requires faster circuitry and greater circuit density. The need for greater circuit density necessarily results in a reduction in the size of integrated circuit components. The smallest dimension of a feature of such a device is commonly referred to in the art as the critical dimension. The critical dimensions generally include the minimum width of the features, such as lines, columns, openings, spaces between lines, and the like. As these critical dimensions shrink, accurate measurement and process control becomes more difficult. The interferometric endpoint detection method uses a light beam directed onto a substrate (e.g., from an Interferometric Endpoint (IEP) housing), and the light beam is reflected from the substrate to form a reflected light beam. Based on the reflected beam, a plasma process endpoint, an etch depth, or an etch rate may be determined. However, interferometric endpoint housings in conventional processing chambers are often assembled in blind locations, which makes integration and alignment of the interferometric endpoint housing over the substrate during processing difficult. Accordingly, the inventors herein provide embodiments of an improved interferometric endpoint housing assembly for endpoint detection. Disclosure of Invention Embodiments of an Interferometric Endpoint (IEP) housing assembly for endpoint detection of plasma processing are provided herein. In some embodiments, an IEP housing assembly includes an IEP housing having an upper end configured to interface with a light source and having an internal cavity, wherein a lower end of the IEP housing is configured to interface with a dome assembly of a processing chamber, a bracket having a body disposed about the IEP housing and having a plurality of arms extending radially outward from the body, and a plurality of biasing members extending from the body to the IEP housing and configured to retain the IEP housing within the body while allowing lateral deflection. In some embodiments, an end point detection (IEP) housing assembly for plasma processing includes an IEP housing having an upper end configured to interface with a light source and having an interior cavity, wherein a lower end of the IEP housing is configured to interface with a dome assembly of a processing chamber, a bracket having a body disposed about the IEP housing and having a plurality of arms extending radially outward from the body, a plurality of biasing members extending from the body to the IEP housing and configured to retain the IEP housing within the body while allowing lateral deflection, a first mounting plate coupled to the bracket through respective ends of the plurality of arms, and a plurality of second biasing members disposed between the plurality of arms and the first mounting plate and configured to exert a force on the bracket to retain the IEP housing against the dome assembly. In some embodiments, a process chamber includes a chamber body defining an interior volume therein, a dome assembly disposed in the interior volume, wherein the dome assembly includes a dome, a window, and a dome ring configured to clamp the window to the dome, and an upper assembly disposed above the dome, wherein the upper assembly includes an Interferometric Endpoint (IEP) housing assembly for endpoint detection of plasma processing including an IEP housing having an upper end configured to interface with a light source and having an interior cavity, wherein a lower end of the IEP housing is configured to interface with the dome ring, a bracket having a body disposed around the IEP housing and having a plurality of arms extending radially outward from the body, and a plurality of biasing members extending from the body to the IEP housing and retaining the IEP housing within the body while allowing lateral deflection of the IEP housing relative to the dome ring. Other and further embodiments of the present disclosure are described below. Drawings The embodiments of the present disclosure briefly summarized above, discussed in more detail below, may be understood by reference to the illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure that are illustrated in the appended drawings. However, the drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this disclosure and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the disclosure may admit to other equally effective embodiments. Fig. 1 depicts a schematic side view of a processing chamber, in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present disclosure. Fig. 2 depicts a schematic side view of an upper assembly of a processing chamber, in accorda