Development of aerosol-LIBS (Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy) for real-time monitoring of process-induced particles

Abstract

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) has been increasingly used in recent years to rapidly detect the elemental compositions of various materials in different media (i.e., solids, liquids, and gases). In this study, an aerosol-LIBS system was developed for the real-time monitoring of process-induced particles generated during semiconductor manufacturing. The developed system consists primarily of a laser, a spectrometer, optics, and an aerosol chamber; the last element was constructed for the application of the aerosol-LIBS to various semiconductor manufacturing processes and comprises exhaust tubes and low pressure and high temperature chambers. The system was evaluated for its sensitivity to various elements using laboratory-generated aerosols and successfully detected P, Fe, Mg, Cu, Co, Ni, Ca, Na, and K emission lines. Further evaluation of the aerosol-LIBS is ongoing.