High pressure wafer-less auto clean for etch applications
First Claim
1. A method for cleaning a processing chamber comprising:
- introducing a fluorine containing gaseous mixture into a processing chamber;
creating a plasma from the fluorine containing gaseous mixture in the processing chamber; and
establishing a chamber pressure corresponding to a threshold ion energy in which ions of the plasma clean inner surfaces of the processing chamber without leaving a residue.
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Abstract
A method for cleaning a processing chamber is provided. The method initiates with introducing a fluorine containing gaseous mixture into a processing chamber. Then, a plasma is created from the fluorine containing gaseous mixture in the processing chamber. Next, a chamber pressure is established that corresponds to a threshold ion energy in which ions of the plasma clean inner surfaces of the processing chamber without leaving a residue. A method for substantially eliminating residual aluminum fluoride particles deposited by an in-situ cleaning process for a semiconductor processing chamber and a plasma processing system for executing an in-situ cleaning process are also provided.
39 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for cleaning a processing chamber comprising:
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introducing a fluorine containing gaseous mixture into a processing chamber;
creating a plasma from the fluorine containing gaseous mixture in the processing chamber; and
establishing a chamber pressure corresponding to a threshold ion energy in which ions of the plasma clean inner surfaces of the processing chamber without leaving a residue. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for substantially eliminating residual aluminum fluoride particles deposited by an in-situ cleaning process for a semiconductor processing chamber formed, at least in part, from aluminum, the method comprising:
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performing a processing operation on a semiconductor substrate disposed within a semiconductor processing chamber; and
initiating an in-situ cleaning process upon completion of the processing operation and removal of the semiconductor substrate, the initiating including;
flowing a fluorine containing gas into the processing chamber; and
establishing a pressure within the processing chamber capable of allowing a plasma created from the fluorine containing gas to clean silicon byproducts deposited on an inner surface of the processing chamber without sputtering any aluminum containing parts of the processing chamber. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21)
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18. A plasma processing system for executing an in-situ cleaning process, comprising:
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an aluminum based processing chamber configured to operate at an elevated pressure during an in-situ cleaning operation to substantially eliminate the formation of aluminum fluoride during the in-situ cleaning process, the processing chamber including;
a gas inlet for introducing a fluorine containing cleaning gas, the fluorine containing cleaning gas optimized to remove silicon based byproducts deposited on inner surfaces of the processing chamber, and a radio frequency (RF) coil for creating a plasma from the fluorine containing cleaning gas to perform an in-situ cleaning process;
a variable conductance meter configured to control a pressure inside the processing chamber independently of a flow rate of process gases, the variable conductance meter positioned on an outlet of the processing chamber;
an optical emission spectrometer (OES) for detecting an endpoint for each step of the in-situ cleaning process performed in the processing chamber, the OES in communication with the processing chamber; and
a pumping system for evacuating the processing chamber between each step of the two step cleaning process.
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Specification