A plasma probe includes a substrate having substantially the same
properties as those of a substrate to be processed, a bottom electrode
layer located over the substrate and electrically isolated therefrom, a
dielectric layer positioned over the bottom electrode layer including
apertures through which one or more electrodes of the bottom electrode
layer are exposed, and at least one upper electrode layer electrically
isolated from the bottom electrode layer by way of the dielectric layer.
Electrodes of the bottom and upper electrode layers may communicate with
meters which may provide real-time data representative of one or more
properties of a region of a plasma to which the electrodes are exposed.
The plasma probe may be fabricated by forming the bottom electrode layer
over the substrate and separately forming one or more upper electrode
layers over a sacrificial substrate. These structures are assembled with
the dielectric layer therebetween.