Semiconductor-processing device provided with a remote plasma source for self-cleaning
First Claim
1. A chemical vapor deposition (CVD) device, comprising a deposition reaction chamber, a plasma discharge chamber that is provided remotely from the reaction chamber, remote plasma piping that links the reaction chamber and the remote plasma discharge chamber, wherein energy coupled to the remote plasma discharge chamber activates cleaning gas within the plasma discharge chamber, and the activated cleaning gas is brought into the inside of the reaction chamber through the piping and changes solid substances adhered to the inside of the reaction chamber as a consequence of film formation, to gaseous substances, thereby cleaning the inside of the reaction chamber, wherein internal surfaces of the piping comprises a metal not corroded by the activated cleaning gas species.
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Abstract
A plasma CVD device includes a reaction chamber, a remote plasma discharge chamber that is provided remotely from the reaction chamber, and piping that links the reaction chamber and the remote plasma discharge chamber. The remote plasma discharge chamber activates cleaning gas by plasma discharge energy, and the activated cleaning gas is introduced into the inside of the reaction chamber through the piping and changes solid substances that adhere to the inside of the reaction chamber in consequence of film formation, to gaseous substances, thereby cleaning the inside of the reaction chamber. The device is characterized by at least one of the following: (a) the remote plasma discharge chamber generates active species using radio frequency oscillating output energy of a preselected frequency; (b) the piping is made of materials that are not corroded by the active species; or (c) the piping is provided with a through-flow type valve.
674 Citations
44 Claims
- 1. A chemical vapor deposition (CVD) device, comprising a deposition reaction chamber, a plasma discharge chamber that is provided remotely from the reaction chamber, remote plasma piping that links the reaction chamber and the remote plasma discharge chamber, wherein energy coupled to the remote plasma discharge chamber activates cleaning gas within the plasma discharge chamber, and the activated cleaning gas is brought into the inside of the reaction chamber through the piping and changes solid substances adhered to the inside of the reaction chamber as a consequence of film formation, to gaseous substances, thereby cleaning the inside of the reaction chamber, wherein internal surfaces of the piping comprises a metal not corroded by the activated cleaning gas species.
- 20. A plasma chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor, comprising a reaction chamber, a remote plasma discharge chamber connected to the reaction chamber by piping, a source of cleaning gas in fluid communication with the piping upstream of the remote plasma discharge chamber, and a power source communicating energy with a frequency between about 300 kHz and 500 kHz to activate the cleaning gas within the remote plasma discharge chamber.
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33. A method of cleaning a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reaction chamber with cleaning gas provided through a remote plasma discharge chamber, comprising:
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dissociating cleaning gas within the remote plasma discharge chamber by applying energy with a power of less than about 3,000 W;
supplying activated species from the remote plasma discharge chamber to the reaction chamber through a piping;
removing adhered deposits from CVD reactions on a wall of the reaction chamber at a rate of greater than or equal to about 2.0 microns/minute. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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- 41. A self-cleaning chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor, comprising a reaction chamber, a remote plasma discharge chamber connected to the reaction chamber by piping, a gaseous source of fluorine in fluid communication with the piping upstream of the remote plasma discharge chamber, the piping comprises a through-flow type valve positioned between the remote plasma discharge chamber and the reaction chamber, and a power source communicating energy with a frequency between about 300 kHz and 500 kHz to activate fluorine within the remote plasma discharge chamber.
Specification