JPH1171669A - Mechanism for detecting defect in sputtering - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To execute the discrimination of defects in products by the detection of the generation of arc without executing the inspection of products by the eye like the conventional manner. SOLUTION: In a mechanism of detecting defects in sputtering used for d.c. sputtering device in which coating film is formed on a substate by d.c. glow discharge using a target as a negative potential, it has a d.c. power source 1 for sputtering, a sensor controller 2 electrically connected with the d.c. power source 1 and, when the d.c. power source 1 detects arc on the target, receiving the signal and a sequencer 3 electrically connected with the sensor controller 2, receiving the information about n.g. from the sensor controller 2 based on the signal and regarding the substrate as an n.g. one.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sputter failure detection mechanism, and more particularly to a sputter failure detection mechanism used in DC sputtering for forming a film on a substrate by DC glow discharge with a target having a negative potential.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As is well known, in a sputtering apparatus using DC sputtering, a substrate (disk) is generally arranged below a processing chamber, and a target is arranged above the processing chamber so as to face the substrate. Therefore, when a large arc discharge occurs, a target around the arc generating portion is melted and splashes out, so that a target material particle may be attached to the substrate. Conventionally, in the time-output power characteristic diagram as shown in FIG. 2, the substrate is NG only when the output power is 80% or less of the set power for 20% or more of the set time.
Was output.

[0003]

However, in the conventional case, the above-mentioned target material grains are also generated outside the signal area such as a mirror portion on the inner and outer circumferences of the disk, and thus may not be detected by the inspection apparatus. Therefore, visual product inspection is required.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and includes an arc detecting means, a sensor controller for receiving a signal when an arc is detected on a target by the arc detecting means, and a sensor controller based on the signal. NG information is received, and the substrate is NG
By providing a configuration including a sequencer regarded as a substrate, it is an object of the present invention to provide a sputter failure detection mechanism that can determine a product failure by detecting arc generation without performing a visual product inspection as in the related art. I do.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a sputter failure detection mechanism used in DC sputtering for forming a film on a substrate by DC glow discharge with a target having a negative potential. Arc detecting means for detecting, a sensor controller electrically connected to the arc detecting means and receiving an arc detection signal, and electrically connected to the sensor controller;
A sputter failure detection mechanism comprising: a sequencer that receives the information of G and regards the substrate as an NG substrate.

In the present invention, the arc is, for example, an arc enough to cut off a DC power supply.

In the present invention, means for determining a defect of a product (substrate) by arc detection include, for example, a method of detecting arc generation separately for each level, a method of detecting arc generation with a DC power supply, and a method of detecting arc generation by a load. A method of detecting by a nearby current detector, a method of detecting arc generation by a probe in plasma, a method of detecting arc generation by a change in substrate potential, and a method of detecting arc generation by a change in plasma generation by an optical sensor or the like. The method is performed by the following method.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A sputter failure detecting mechanism according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.

Reference numeral 1 in the drawing denotes a DC power supply for sputtering. A sensor controller 2 is electrically connected to the sputtering DC power supply 1. The sensor controller 2 is configured to receive a signal when the DC power supply 1 detects an arc on the target enough to cut off the DC power supply 1. A sequencer 3 is electrically connected to the sensor controller 2. The sequencer 3 has a function of considering the board as an NG board when NG information is received from the sensor controller 2 based on the signal.

As described above, in the sputter failure detection mechanism according to the above embodiment, when the DC power supply 1 detects an arc on the target enough to cut off the DC power supply 1, the sensor controller 2 receives the signal, Since the sensor controller 2 is configured to notify the sequencer 3 of NG, it is possible to determine a product defect by detecting an arc without detecting the product visually as in the related art.

In fact, an Al target was used as the target, the input power was 9 KW, and the sputtering time was 1.5 seconds.
When sputtering was performed under the conditions of c and Ar gas flow rates of 35 sccm, it was confirmed that the DC power source for sputtering emitted a signal during the shut-off operation. FIG. 3 shows a characteristic diagram of voltage and current with respect to time. Although the voltage was initially -450 V, the voltage rapidly increased in the first arc generation (1), and also changed rapidly in the second and third arc generations (2) and (3). Was confirmed. Also, it was confirmed that the current also changed abruptly in accordance with the voltage and gradually decreased.

In the above embodiment, the case where the generation of an arc is detected by the DC power supply for sputtering has been described.
The present invention is not limited to this, and various methods described in [Means for Solving the Problems] may be used.

[0013]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, an arc detecting means, a sensor controller for receiving a signal when an arc is detected on a target by the arc detecting means, and an NG signal from the sensor controller based on the signal. Of the spatter which can determine the product defect by detecting arc generation without performing a visual product inspection as in the related art by using a configuration including a sequencer that receives the information of the above and regards the substrate as an NG substrate. A detection mechanism can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a sputter failure detection mechanism according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing time and output power characteristics according to a conventional board failure detection method.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing time, voltage, and current characteristics using a sputter failure detection mechanism according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1. DC power supply for sputtering, 2. Sensor controller, 3. Sequencer.

Claims (2)

[Claims] An arc detecting means for detecting an arc generated on a target in a failure detection mechanism of a sputter used for a DC sputtering for forming a film on a substrate by a DC glow discharge having a target at a negative potential; A sensor controller that is electrically connected to the arc detection means and receives an arc detection signal; and a sensor controller that is electrically connected to the sensor controller and receives NG information from the sensor controller based on the signal. A sputter failure detection mechanism, comprising: a sequencer to be considered. 2. The arc detecting means is a DC power supply.
2. The sputter failure detecting mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said arc is an arc that interrupts a DC power supply.