Method of cleaning a coated process chamber component

• US 20040099285A1
• Filed: 11/25/2002
• Published: 05/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quantum Global Technologies LLC (Ultra Clean Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Wang, Hong, Stow, Clifford C., He, Yongxiang
• Granted Patent: US 6,902,628 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/8
• CPC Class Codes: B24C 1/06 for producing matt surfaces, e.g. on plastic materials, on glass
• CPC Class Codes: C22B 7/007 by acid leaching
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/564 Means for minimising impurities in the coating chamber such as dust, moisture, residual gases
• CPC Class Codes: C23F 1/36 for etching aluminium or alloys thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C23G 1/125 aluminium
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/20 Recycling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 134/902 Semiconductor wafer

Abstract

In a method of cleaning and refurbishing a process chamber component having a metal coating having a surface thereon, the surface of the metal coating is immersed in an acidic solution to remove at least a portion of the process deposits from the surface. Thereafter, the surface of the metal coating is immersed in a basic solution to remove substantially all the metal coating. The component may optionally be bead blasting to roughen a surface of the component, and the metal coating may be reformed.

Claims

1. A method of cleaning a process chamber component, the component comprising a metal coating having a surface thereon, the method comprising:

(a) immersing the surface of the metal coating in an acidic solution to remove a least a portion of the process deposits from the surface; and

(b) after (a), immersing the surface of the metal coating in a basic solution to remove substantially all the metal coating.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein (a) comprises immersing the surface in an acidic solution comprising from about 2 to about 8 M HF.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein (a) comprises immersing the surface in acidic solution comprising from about 5 to about 15 M HNO₃.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein (b) comprises immersing the surface in a basic solution comprising from about 1 to about 8 M KOH.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein the component comprises an underlying ceramic structure having the metal coating thereon, and wherein the method further comprises:

(c) bead blasting the component to provide a surface having a roughness average of less than about 150 microinches.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein the component comprises an underlying metal structure having the metal coating thereon, and wherein the method further comprises:

(c) bed blasting the component to provide a surface having a roughness average of at least about 160 microinches.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein the metal coating comprises one or more of aluminum, titanium, copper and chromium.

8. A method according to claim 7 wherein the component comprises an underlying structure comprising aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, silicon carbide and silicon nitride, titanium, stainless steel, copper or tantalum.

9. A component cleaned according to the method of claim 1, the component comprising one or more rings that are sized and shaped to at least partially surround the substrate and to cover at least a portion of an upper surface of a substrate support in a process chamber to inhibit erosion of the support.

10. A component cleaned according to the method of claim 1, the component comprising a portion of one or more of an upper shield and lower shield that are sized and shaped to at least partially surround a substrate support in a process chamber and forms a barrier to protect the chamber walls.

11. A method of refurbishing a process chamber component comprising an underlying ceramic structure having a metal coating thereon, the method comprising:

(a) immersing a surface of the metal coating in an acidic solution comprising HF and HNO₃ to remove at least a portion the process deposits from the surface;

(c) after (a), immersing the surface of the metal coating in a basic solution comprising KOH to remove substantially all the metal coating, thereby exposing at least a portion of an underlying surface of the underlying structure;

(d) optionally, bead blasting the top surface of the underlying structure to provide an underlying surface having a roughness average of less than about 150 microinches; and

(e) re-forming the metal coating over at least a portion of the underlying surface.

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein (a) comprises immersing the surface in an acidic solution comprising from about 2 M to about 8 M HF and from about 5 M to about 15 M HNO₃, and wherein (b) comprises immersing the surface in a basic solution comprising from about 1 M to about 8 M KOH.

13. A method according to claim 11 wherein the metal coating comprises one or more of aluminum, titanium, copper or chromium.

14. A method according to claim 11 wherein the underlying ceramic structure comprises aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, silicon carbide and silicon nitride.

15. A method according to claim 11 wherein (d) comprises re-forming a metal coating having a thickness of from about 6 to about 8 mm, an average surface roughness of from about 1000 to about 1200 microinches, and a porosity of less than about 30%.

16. A process chamber component re-furbished by the method of claim 11, the component comprising a deposition ring that is sized and shaped to at least partially surround the substrate and to cover at least a portion of an upper surface of a substrate support in a process chamber to inhibit erosion of the support.

17. A method of refurbishing a process chamber component comprising an underlying metal structure having a metal coating thereon, the method comprising:

(a) immersing a surface of the metal coating in an acidic solution comprising at least one of HF and HNO₃ to remove at least a portion of the process deposits from the surface;

(b) after (a), immersing the surface of the metal coating in a basic solution comprising KOH to remove substantially all the metal coating, thereby exposing at least a portion of an underlying surface of the underlying metal structure;

(c) optionally, bead blasting the underlying surface of the underlying metal structure to provide a top surface having a roughness average of at least about 160 microinches; and

(d) re-forming the metal coating over at least a portion of the underlying surface.

18. A method according to claim 17 wherein (a) comprises immersing the surface in an acidic solution comprising from about 2 M to about 8 M HF and from about 5 M to about 15 M HNO₃, and wherein (b) comprises immersing the surface in a basic solution comprising from about 1 M to about 8 M KOH.

19. A method according to claim 17 wherein the underlying metal structure comprising at least one of aluminum, titanium, stainless steel, copper and tantalum.

20. A method according to claim 17 wherein (d) comprises re-forming a metal coating having a thickness of from about 8 to about 12 mm, an average surface roughness of from about 1400 to about 1600 microinches, and a porosity of less than about 30%.

21. A process chamber component re-furbished by the method of claim 17, the component comprising at least one of (1) a portion of a shield that is sized and shaped to at least partially surround a substrate support in a process chamber and form a barrier to protect the walls of the chamber, and (2) a cover ring that is sized and shaped to at least partially surround the substrate and to cover at least a portion of an upper surface of a substrate support in a process chamber to inhibit erosion of the support.