SENSOR SYSTEM AND METHODS USED TO DETECT MATERIAL WEAR AND SURFACE DETERIORATION

WIPO Patent Application WO2004024979

B1

A sensor system has been developed for measuring erosion of a sputtering target (510) in a vacuum chamber that includes: a) a sputtering target, b) a wafer, c) a vacuum atmosphere located between the sputtering target and the wafer, and d) a sensor device (525) directly coupled to the sputtering target (510), wherein the sensor device (525) is exposed to the vacuum atmosphere and comprises a data collection apparatus that is exposed to atmospheric pressure. A method of detecting erosion in a sputtering target (510) has also been developed that includes: a) providing a sputtering target (510), b) providing a wafer (550), c) initiating a vacuum atmosphere and a plasma that are located between the sputtering target (510) and the wafer (550), d) providing a sensor device (525) directly coupled to the sputtering target (510), wherein the sensor device (525) is partly exposed to the vacuum atmosphere and comprises a data collection apparatus that is exposed to atmospheric pressure, e) collecting data from the data collection apparatus; and f) automatically terminating the operation of the plasma once the data collection apparatus determines that the sputtering target (510) has sufficiently eroded.

BONNE ULRICH (US)
MOSHER JOHN (US)
POBLANO PHILIP (US)
GRABMEIER SUSANNE (DE)
THOMAS MICHAEL (US)
STROTHERS SUSAN (US)

PCT/US2003/028832

May 27, 2004

September 12, 2003

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HONEYWELL INT INC (US)
BONNE ULRICH (US)
MOSHER JOHN (US)
POBLANO PHILIP (US)
GRABMEIER SUSANNE (DE)
THOMAS MICHAEL (US)
STROTHERS SUSAN (US)

C23C14/34; (IPC1-7): C23C14/34

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