Disclosed herein is a method for determining the endpoint of an etch operation used for forming high aspect ratio features and/or over low open area (<1%) on a substrate in a processing chamber. The method begins by obtaining a reference emission curve. An etch operation is performed on a patterned substrate. A plasma optical emission intensity is measured for each of the etch cycles. A differential curve between the reference emission and the plasma optical emissions is calculated. And endpoint is determined for the etch operation on the first substrate based on an inflection point detection or other unique features through pattern recognition in the differential curve for stopping the etch of the first substrate.

Disclosed herein is a device for measuring a plasma ion density, which includes a transceiver antenna configured to apply and receive a microwave, of which a frequency is varied, to and from plasma, and a frequency analyzer configured to analyze a frequency of the microwave received from the transceiver antenna and measure a cut-off frequency, wherein the frequency of the microwave applied to the plasma is varied in the range of 100 kHz to 500 MHz.

A plasma processing apparatus includes a plasma processing chamber processing a sample using plasma, a radio frequency power supply supplying radio frequency power for generating the plasma, a sample stage including an electrode electrostatically chucking the sample, mounting the sample thereon, a DC power supply applying DC voltage to the electrode, and a control device shifting the DC voltage previously set, in a negative direction by a first shift amount during discharge of the plasma, shifting the DC voltage having been shifted in the negative direction by the first shift amount, in a positive direction by a second shift amount after the discharge of the plasma. The first shift amount has a value changing potential over a surface of the sample to 0 V, upon shifting the DC voltage in the positive direction. The second shift amount has a value obtained based on a floating potential of the plasma.

A method includes receiving light, by a light coupling device and along an optical path, reflected back from a reflector mounted on a liner of a processing chamber. The method further includes detecting, by a spectrometer within the received light, a first spectrum representative of a deposited film layer on the reflector. The method further includes aligning, using an alignment device, the light coupling device in two dimensions with reference to the reflector along the optical path until maximization of the light received by the light coupling device.

A method includes receiving, by a processing device, first sensor data indicating a state of a wall corresponding to a first processing chamber. The first sensor data includes optical spectral data. The method further includes determining, by the processing device, a first value based on the first sensor data. The first value corresponds to a first amount of a product disposed along a surface of the wall at a first time. The method further includes determining, by the processing device, a first update to a first process operation associated with the first processing chamber based on the first value. The method further includes performing, by the processing device, one or more of (i) preparing a notification indicating the first update for presentation on a graphical user interface (GUI), or (ii) causing performance of the first process operation in accordance with the first update.

A method and a system for adjustable coating on a substrate using a magnetron sputtering apparatus are provided. The method comprises the steps of providing a magnetron assembly which comprises a plurality of magnets attached to a plurality of yokes and a plurality of actuating mechanisms (208), each operatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of yokes. The method further comprises automatically determining individual positions of each of the plurality of yokes of the magnetron assembly on the basis of at least one parameter, and adjusting individually positions of each of the plurality of yokes of the magnetron assembly in accordance with the automatically determined individual positions.

A calibration method includes placing an LED light source having a given wavelength range inside a reference apparatus; acquiring first data as an emission intensity of light at a wavelength, a light amount of the light being adjusted in stages by changing the light amount output from the LED light source; storing the first data in a memory; placing the LED light source in a calibration target apparatus; acquiring second data as an emission intensity of light at a wavelength, a light amount of the light being adjusted in the stages by changing the light amount output from the LED light source; and calculating a calibration formula based on the first data stored in the memory and the second data.

A method of controlling plasma includes providing a plasma processing apparatus that includes N microwave introducing radiators disposed in a circumferential direction of a ceiling plate of a processing container so as to introduce microwaves for generating plasma into the processing container, wherein N≥2; and M sensors and configured to monitor at least one of electron density Ne and electron temperature Te of the plasma generated in the processing container, wherein M equals to N or a multiple of N. The method further includes controlling at least one of a power and a phase of the microwaves introduced from the microwave introducing radiators based on at least one of electron density Ne and electron temperature Te of the plasma monitored by the M sensors.

A controller of a plasma processing apparatus stores a frequency spectrum related to a first timing into a storage unit, controls a microwave generator to generate a microwave in correspondence to a setting frequency, setting power, and a setting bandwidth at a second timing, controls a demodulator to measure travelling wave power and reflected wave power of the microwave for each frequency, calculates the frequency spectrum related to the second timing on the basis of a measurement result from the demodulator, calculates a correction value for correcting a waveform of the travelling wave power for each frequency such that a difference for each frequency between the frequency spectrum related to the second timing and the frequency spectrum related to the first timing, stored in the storage unit, is small, and controls the microwave generator on the basis of the calculated correction value for each frequency.

Embodiments disclosed herein include optical sensor systems and methods of using such systems. In an embodiment, the optical sensor system comprises a housing and an optical path through the housing. In an embodiment, the optical path comprises a first end and a second end. In an embodiment a reflector is at the first end of the optical path, and a lens is between the reflector and the second end of the optical path. In an embodiment, the optical sensor further comprises an opening through the housing between the lens and the reflector.