Enhancement of remote plasma source clean for dielectric films
First Claim
1. A method of cleaning a processing chamber comprising chamber walls and a gas distribution assembly having a faceplate, comprising:
- generating reactive oxygen species from an oxygen-containing gas in a remote plasma source connected to the processing chamber;
generating reactive nitrogen species from a nitrogen-containing gas in the remote plasma source;
introducing the reactive oxygen species and the reactive nitrogen species into the processing chamber; and
exposing interior surfaces of the processing chamber to the reactive oxygen species and the reactive nitrogen species in the absence of RF power in the chamber while the gas distribution assembly and the chamber walls are heated, wherein the exposing the interior surfaces to the reactive oxygen species and the reactive nitrogen species removes carbon-containing deposits previously formed on the interior surfaces of the processing chamber during a deposition of an amorphous carbon film in the processing chamber.
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Abstract
Methods for cleaning semiconductor processing chambers used to process carbon-containing films, such as amorphous carbon films, barrier films comprising silicon and carbon, and low dielectric constant films including silicon, oxygen, and carbon are provided. The methods include using a remote plasma source to generate reactive species that clean interior surfaces of a processing chamber in the absence of RF power in the chamber. The reactive species are generated from an oxygen-containing gas, such as O2, and/or a halogen-containing gas, such as NF3. An oxygen-based ashing process may also be used to remove carbon deposits from the interior surfaces of the chamber before the chamber is exposed to the reactive species from the remote plasma source.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of cleaning a processing chamber comprising chamber walls and a gas distribution assembly having a faceplate, comprising:
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generating reactive oxygen species from an oxygen-containing gas in a remote plasma source connected to the processing chamber; generating reactive nitrogen species from a nitrogen-containing gas in the remote plasma source; introducing the reactive oxygen species and the reactive nitrogen species into the processing chamber; and exposing interior surfaces of the processing chamber to the reactive oxygen species and the reactive nitrogen species in the absence of RF power in the chamber while the gas distribution assembly and the chamber walls are heated, wherein the exposing the interior surfaces to the reactive oxygen species and the reactive nitrogen species removes carbon-containing deposits previously formed on the interior surfaces of the processing chamber during a deposition of an amorphous carbon film in the processing chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of cleaning a processing chamber comprising chamber walls and a gas distribution assembly having a faceplate, comprising:
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generating reactive oxygen species from an oxygen-containing gas in a remote plasma source connected to the processing chamber; generating reactive fluorine species from a fluorine-containing gas in the remote plasma source; introducing the reactive oxygen species and the reactive fluorine species into the processing chamber; and exposing interior surfaces of the processing chamber to the reactive oxygen species and the reactive fluorine species in the absence of RF power in the chamber while the gas distribution assembly and the chamber walls are heated, wherein the exposing the interior surfaces to the reactive oxygen species and the reactive fluorine species removes silicon and carbon-containing deposits previously formed on the interior surfaces of the processing chamber. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of cleaning a processing chamber, comprising:
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performing an oxygen-based ashing in the processing chamber; generating reactive species from a halogen-containing gas in a remote plasma source connected to the processing chamber; and exposing interior surfaces of the processing chamber to the reactive species in the absence of RF power in the processing chamber. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification