Embodiments disclosed herein include a substrate support having a sensor assembly, and processing chamber having the same. In one embodiment, a substrate support has a puck. The puck has a workpiece support surface and a gas hole exiting the workpiece support surface. A sensor assembly is disposed in the gas hole and configured to detect a metric indicative of a deflection of a workpiece disposed on the workpiece support surface, wherein the sensor assembly is configured to provide the benefit of allowing gas to flow past the sensor assembly when positioned in the gas hole.

Plasma processing conditions may be changed for localized regions of a substrate. A reactive gas may be maintained in a localized region of a substrate while other regions of the substrate are not exposed to the reactive gas. Thus, plasma conditions may be generated at specific regions of the substrate. A multi-zoned gas injection system may be utilized to direct certain gases in certain regions of the plasma space. Techniques may be provided to maintain these gases in the desired regions, as opposed to the gases spreading across the substrate surface. Reactive gases may be provided in one region while a flow of inert gas is provided in other regions in which it is desired to restrict the effects of the reactive gases. Localized control of the plasma process may be provided as a separate plasma processing step. The localized region of the substrate may be the substrate edge.

Systems and methods for statistical data decimation are described. The method includes receiving a variable from a radio frequency (RF) system, propagating the variable through a model of the RF system, and counting an output of the model for the variable to generate a count. The method further includes determining whether the count meets a count threshold, generating a statistical value of the variable at the output of the model upon determining that the count meets the count threshold, and sending the statistical value to the RF system to adjust the variable.

A spatially selective surface functionalization device configured to generate a pattern of micro plasmas and functionalize a substrate surface may include: a pattern management system, a patterning head, and a gas delivery system, wherein the gas delivery system provides a primed gas mixture for forming a plasma between the patterning head and a target substrate below the patterning head. A patterning head may generate a distribution of micro plasmas from individual directed beams of electrons with spatial separation. A pattern management system may store and manipulate information about a pattern of surface functionalization and generate instructions for regulating a distribution of micro plasmas that functionalize a substrate surface.

A method for performing a feedback sequence for patterning CD control. The method including performing a series of process steps on a wafer to obtain a plurality of features, wherein a process step is performed under a process condition. The method including measuring a dimension of the plurality of features after performing the series of process steps. The method including determining a difference between the dimension that is measured and a target dimension for the plurality of features. The method including modifying the process condition for the process step based on the difference and a sensitivity factor for the plurality of features relating change in dimension and change in process condition.

According to one embodiment of the present specification, there can be provided an apparatus for generating plasma, comprising: a chamber configured to provide a generating space for the plasma; an antenna module placed adjacent to the chamber and configured to be connected to a first power source and generate induced electric field in the chamber; an electrode placed adjacent to the chamber and configured to be connected to a second power source and assist in a generation of the plasma; a sensor configured to obtain sensing information related to a status of the plasma; and a controller configured to control the first power source and the second power source.

A plasma processing apparatus includes a process chamber providing a space for plasma processing, a lower electrode that is in the process chamber, a surface of the lower electrode being for mounting a wafer thereon, an upper electrode that is in the process chamber and faces the lower electrode, a gas supplier configured to supply process gas between the upper electrode and the lower electrode, a focus ring arranged on the lower electrode to surround an edge of the wafer mounted on the lower electrode, an edge ring arranged below the focus ring and including first bodies that are separate from each other with a space therebetween, a plurality of heaters installed in the first bodies, and a heater controller configured to separately control driving of each of the heaters.

Embodiments provided herein generally include apparatus, plasma processing systems and methods for controlling ion energy distribution in a processing chamber. One embodiment of the present disclosure is directed to a method for plasma processing. The method generally includes: determining a voltage and/or power associated with a bias signal to be applied to a first electrode of a processing chamber, the voltage being determined based on a pressure inside a processing region of the processing chamber such that the voltage is insufficient to generate a plasma inside the chamber by application of the voltage and/or power to the first electrode; applying the first bias signal in accordance with the determined voltage and/or power to the first electrode; and applying a second bias signal to a second electrode of the processing chamber, wherein the second bias signal is configured to generate a plasma in the processing region and the first bias is applied while the second bias is applied.

Provided are a radical monitoring apparatus capable of monitoring electrical diagnosis of a radical produced by direct plasma or remote plasma and the amount of change of the produced radical, and a plasma apparatus including the radical monitoring apparatus. The plasma apparatus includes a process chamber in which a plasma process is performed, a dielectric film in the process chamber and surrounding sides of a plasma discharge space in the process chamber, and a sensor inside the dielectric film and configured to monitor plasma to thereby monitor a radical generated in the plasma.

The invention relates to a device for synchronizing a periodic high frequency power signal (18) and an external reference signal (10). The device comprises a phase control circuit (100) and a digital oscillator circuit (130). The digital oscillator circuit (130) is connected to the phase control circuit (100). The digital oscillator circuit (130) comprises means for generating the periodic high frequency power signal (18) dependent on the control signal from the phase control circuit. The phase control circuit (100) is configured to determine a phase difference of the periodic high frequency power signal (18) and the external reference signal (10).