Patent ID: 6969619

Claim:
A method of endpoint detection during plasma processing of a semiconductor wafer, comprising: processing a semiconductor wafer using a plasma; detecting radiation emission from the plasma during the semiconductor processing; tracking data points representing changes in spectra of the radiation as a function of time during the semiconductor processing; providing at any point prior to or during processing a plurality of profile programs, each profile program representing a different processing condition affecting detection of a plasma processing endpoint of the semiconductor wafer; selecting a profile program; inputting a first set of parameters into the selected profile program, the first set of parameters representing simplified values for determining when changes in spectra of the radiation indicate that plasma processing of the semiconductor wafer reaches an endpoint; using the selected profile program, converting the input first set of parameters into a larger, second set of parameters; applying the second set of parameters to an algorithm that converts data points from the spectra of the radiation as a function of time into an endpoint curve; and using the algorithm to track changes in spectra of the radiation as a function of time and determine when plasma processing of the semiconductor wafer reaches an endpoint.