Product Type: Technical Application Note

Audience: Process Engineers, Plasma Tool OEMs, R&D Teams, Quality & Process Control Specialists

Length: ~15 pages | Format: PDF

Why This Application Note Matters

Controlling atomic hydrogen concentration in plasma processes is critical for thin-film quality, etching precision, and surface treatment performance. Traditional measurement methods—such as LIF or mass spectrometry—are accurate but prohibitively expensive, complex, and difficult to integrate into production tools.

This application note provides a practical, low-cost, and inline solution using actinometry with Nova Fabrica’s Inteleg® 2B-PEM platform. It transforms optical emission spectroscopy (OES) into a decision-grade diagnostic tool for real-time process monitoring.

Key Takeaways

Step-by-Step Implementation: From gas mixture setup to real-time hydrogen density estimation.

Validated Equations: Includes intensity-ratio and flow-based formulations with branching fraction and wavelength corrections.

Atomic Data Guidance: How to retrieve accurate Einstein coefficients and rate constants from NIST and LXCat.

Worked Examples: Real calculations for hydrogen density using Inteleg® CSensor.

Unit Normalisation Section: SI-consistent workflow, conversion macros, and error-proofing checklist.

Integration Ready: Preconfigured for Inteleg® 2B-PEM with CSensor automation and trend logging.

What Problems Does It Solve?

Indirect Measurement Challenge: Atomic hydrogen is transient and surface-reactive—making direct sensing impractical.

Plasma Variability: Electron temperature fluctuations distort absolute readings; actinometry normalises against argon.

Cost Barrier: Avoids high CAPEX of LIF or CRDS systems.

Integration Constraints: Works through existing viewports—no chamber redesign required.

Benefits for Your Operation

Real-Time Process Control: Detect hydrogen concentration shifts instantly and adjust recipes before defects occur.

Lower Cost, Higher ROI: Achieve actionable diagnostics without expensive instrumentation.

Plug-and-Play Deployment: Native support in Inteleg® 2B-PEM for automated ratio computation and alarm triggers.

Scalable Across Tools: Applicable to PECVD, ALD, plasma cleaning, and surface activation processes.

Who Should Buy This Note?

Process Engineers seeking tighter control of hydrogen-sensitive recipes.

Equipment OEMs integrating advanced diagnostics into next-gen plasma tools.

R&D Teams validating new chemistries or scaling lab processes to production.

Quality Managers enforcing process stability and reducing scrap rates.

Included Sections

Industry Challenges & Actinometry Rationale

Objective & Implementation Benefits

Detailed Methodology (with formulas)

Practical Tips & Common Pitfalls

Unit Normalisation & SI Workflow

References to Peer-Reviewed Data Sources