Patents Assigned to Sandia
  • Patent number: 6090302
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to various aspects of a plasma process, and more specifically the monitoring of such plasma processes. One aspect relates in at least some manner to calibrating or initializing a plasma monitoring assembly. This type of calibration may be used to address wavelength shifts, intensity shifts, or both associated with optical emissions data obtained on a plasma process. A calibration light may be directed at a window through which optical emissions data is being obtained to determine the effect, if any, that the inner surface of the window is having on the optical emissions data being obtained therethrough, the operation of the optical emissions data gathering device, or both. Another aspect relates in at least some manner to various types of evaluations which may be undertaken of a plasma process which was run, and more typically one which is currently being run, within the processing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Sandia
    Inventors: Michael Lane Smith, Jr., Joel O'Don Stevenson, Pamela Peardon Denise Ward