Patent ID: 8268181
Filing Date: 2012-09-18
Classification: G03F,H01J,H01L

Abstract:
1. A method for detecting an endpoint for an oxygen free and nitrogen free plasma ashing process, comprising: exposing a substrate comprising photoresist material and/or post etch residues thereon to the oxygen free and nitrogen free plasma in a process chamber, wherein the oxygen free and nitrogen free plasma source is generated remotely and introduced into the process chamber; removing the photoresist material and/or post etch residues from the substrate; exhausting the removed photoresist material and/or post etch residues from the process chamber into a single exhaust conduit fluidly coupled to the process chamber, wherein the exhaust conduit has a substantially straight shape extending from an outlet of the process chamber; selectively introducing an oxidizing gas into the exhaust conduit; generating a plasma from the oxidizing gas and the exhausted photoresist material and/or post etch residues to form emissive species within the exhaust conduit; and optically monitoring an emission signal within the exhaust conduit produced by the emissive species to determine the endpoint of the oxygen free and nitrogen free plasma ashing process.