Cleaning of bonded silicon electrodes

• US 20080236618A1
• Filed: 03/30/2007
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Inventors: Augustino, Jason, Whitten, Stephen, Shih, Hong, Avoyan, Armen, Outka, Duane, Fang, Yan
• Granted Patent: US 8,221,552 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/3
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/04 Cleaning involving contact with liquid
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32862 In situ cleaning of vessels and/or internal parts

Abstract

Methods of cleaning plasma processing chamber components include contacting surfaces of the components with a cleaning solution, while avoiding damage of other surfaces or areas of the components by the cleaning solution. An exemplary plasma processing chamber component to be cleaning is an elastomer bonded electrode assembly having a silicon member with a plasma-exposed silicon surface, a backing member, and an elastomer bonding material between the silicon surface and the backing member.

Claims

1. A method of cleaning a bonded electrode assembly of a plasma processing chamber, the assembly comprising a silicon member having a plasma-exposed silicon surface, a backing member, and a bonding material between the silicon surface and the backing member and wherein gas holes extend through the backing member and silicon member, the method comprising:

(a) contacting the silicon surface with a cleaning solution; and

(b) preventing the cleaning solution from damaging the backing member and/or bonding material by a method selected from the group consisting of;

(i) applying the cleaning solution to the silicon surface using one or more rollers that only contact the silicon surface;

(ii) pressurizing the backing member while applying the cleaning solution to the silicon surface;

(iii) applying a volume of the cleaning solution to the silicon surface such that the cleaning solution evaporates before capillary action draws the cleaning solution into gas holes in the silicon surface and in contact with the bonding material and/or backing member;

(iv) applying corrosion inhibitor to the backing member and/or bonding material; and

(v) combinations thereof.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the backing member comprises aluminum.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the backing member comprises graphite.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the bonding material comprises an elastomer bonding material.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the bonding material comprises silicon polymer and aluminum alloy powder filler.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the cleaning solution comprises an acidic solution.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the cleaning solution comprises hydrofluoric acid.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the assembly is oriented with the silicon surface facing downward during application of the cleaning solution to the silicon surface.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the cleaning solution is applied to the silicon surface using two or more rollers that contact the silicon surface.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the silicon surface is supported above an upper surface of the cleaning solution on the rollers and part of the rollers is immersed in the cleaning solution.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the rollers are coated with and/or made from polytetrafluoroethylene and/or polyvinyl alcohol.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

supporting the assembly in a fixture comprising a cover, wherein the cover comprises a gas inlet;

sealing the cover on the assembly to provide an airtight region above a backside of the backing member and below a bottom of the cover; and

providing gas to the airtight region through the gas inlet to pressurize the backing member during application of the cleaning solution to the silicon surface.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the gas is selected from the group consisting of air, nitrogen, and mixtures thereof.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein sufficient pressure is applied to counteract capillary action that may draw the cleaning solution into gas holes in the silicon surface.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein a steady stream of gas is blown through gas holes in the electrode assembly.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein about 1-10 CFM of gas is applied to the backing member.

17. The method of claim 8, wherein applying a volume of the cleaning solution to the silicon surface such that the cleaning solution evaporates before capillary action draws the cleaning solution into gas holes in the silicon surface and in contact with the bonding material and/or backing member comprises wiping the silicon surface with a wipe wetted with the cleaning solution.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the corrosion inhibitor is applied to the backing member and/or bonding material before the cleaning solution is applied to the silicon surface.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the backing member comprises aluminum and the corrosion inhibitor inhibits corrosion of aluminum.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the corrosion inhibitor is selected from the group consisting of vanillin, amoxicillin, dicyandiamide, and mixtures thereof.