Abstract: A system includes a probe arranged in a plasma processing chamber of the plasma processing system. A capacitor has one end connected to the probe. An RF source is configured to selectively supply an RF signal including RF bursts to another end of the capacitor. A plasma characterizing computing device is configured to collect a set of process data from the probe by measuring current supplied to the capacitor and voltage at the capacitor; identify a relevancy range for the set of process data, wherein the relevancy range includes process data collected after the capacitor begins discharging and before the capacitor is fully discharged; determine a set of seed values based on the process data in the relevancy range; and employ the relevancy range and the set of seed values as initial values for curve fitting corresponding to the one of the RF bursts to reduce a number of curve-fitting iterations.

Abstract: A method for automatically characterizing plasma during substrate processing is provided. The method includes collecting a set of process data, which includes at least data about current and voltage. The method also includes identifying a relevancy range for the set of process data, wherein the relevancy range includes a subset of the set of process data. The method further includes determining a set of seed values. The method yet also includes employing the relevancy range and the set of seed values to perform curve-fitting, wherein the curve-fitting enables the plasma to be automatically characterized.

Abstract: A method for automatically characterizing plasma during substrate processing is provided. The method includes collecting a set of process data, which includes at least data about current and voltage. The method also includes identifying a relevancy range for the set of process data, wherein the relevancy range includes a subset of the set of process data. The method further includes determining a set of seed values. The method yet also includes employing the relevancy range and the set of seed values to perform curve-fitting, wherein the curve-fitting enables the plasma to be automatically characterized.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for creating a set of wafer transfer instructions configured to transfer a wafer between an origination wafer-holding location and a destination wafer-holding location in a plasma cluster tool, which has a plurality of wafer-holding locations. The method includes receiving a first user-provided location indicator and a second user-provided location indicator, which graphically identify the origination wafer-holding location and the destination wafer-holding location respectively on the on-screen graphical representation of the plasma cluster tool. The method further includes ascertaining data pertaining to a path between the first user-provided location indicator and the second user-provided location indicator. The method further includes forming the set of wafer transfer instructions responsive to the data pertaining to the path. The set of wafer transfer instructions is configured to transfer the wafer along a set of wafer-holding locations associated with the path.