Methods Of Cleaning And Plasma Processing Apparatus For Manufacturing Semiconductors

• US 20120006351A1
• Filed: 07/06/2011
• Published: 01/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Yi, Hun-Jung, Kim, In-Joong, Jun, Hyun-Su, Jeon, Sang-jean, Kim, Se-Yeon
• Application Number:
  US13/176,868
• Publication Number:
  US 20120006351A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32862 In situ cleaning of vessels and/or internal parts

Abstract

A cleaning method for cleaning a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus may include generating plasma from a cleaning gas. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus may be cleaned with the plasma. A positive direct-current voltage may be applied to an ESC of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus during a cleaning of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. A negative direct-current voltage may be applied to the ESC during the cleaning of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. Also, a wall of the process chamber may be cleaned by applying the positive direct-current voltage to the ESC.

Claims

1. A method of cleaning a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus having a process chamber and an electrostatic chuck (ESC), the method comprising:

supplying a cleaning gas into the process chamber;

generating plasma from the cleaning gas; and

applying a direct-current voltage to the ESC during a cleaning of at least one of the process chamber and the ESC.

2. The cleaning method according to claim 1, wherein applying a direct-current voltage to the ESC includes applying a negative direct-current voltage to the ESC to clean the ESC.

3. The cleaning method according to claim 1, wherein applying a direct-current voltage to the ESC includes applying a positive direct-current voltage to the ESC to reduce a sheath on a surface of the ESC.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein applying a direct-current voltage to the ESC includes applying a negative direct-current voltage to the ESC to increase a sheath on a surface of the ESC.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein applying a direct-current voltage to the ESC includes applying a negative direct-current voltage to the ESC to increase a sheath on a surface of the ESC and applying a positive direct-current voltage to the ESC to decrease the sheath on the surface of the ESC.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein

when the applied direct-current voltage is positive, a potential (Vp) of the plasma increases, and

when the applied direct-current is negative, the potential (Vp) of the plasma decreases.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the applying a direct-current voltage to the ESC includes applying a positive direct-current and a negative direct-current and a potential (Vp) of the plasma on application of the positive direct-current voltage is greater than a potential (Vp) of the plasma on application of the negative direct-current voltage.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the applying a direct-current voltage to the ESC includes applying a positive direct-current and a negative direct-current, and a potential difference between a potential (Vp) of the plasma and a potential (Vf) of the process chamber wall increases by the application of the positive direct-current voltage, and decreases by the application of the negative direct-current voltage.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein applying a direct-current voltage to the ESC includes applying a positive direct-current and a negative direct-current, and a potential difference between the potential (Vp) of the plasma and a potential (Vf) of the chamber wall on application of the positive direct-current voltage is greater than the potential difference between the potential (Vp) of the plasma and the potential (Vf) of the chamber wall on application of the negative direct-current voltage.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein a wafer or a dummy wafer is not disposed on the ESC during the applying a direct-current voltage to the ESC during a cleaning.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

applying a direct-current voltage to a first electrode of the apparatus while applying the direct-current voltage to the ESC.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

applying an opposite direct-current voltage to the process chamber while applying the direct-current voltage to the ESC.

13. A method of plasma processing an apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor, comprising:

applying a positive direct-current voltage to an electrostatic chuck (ESC) and applying a negative direct-current voltage to the ESC while cleaning the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus with plasma,

wherein a wall of the process chamber is cleaned by applying the positive direct-current voltage to the ESC.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the cleaning comprises:

supplying a cleaning gas into the process chamber;

generating plasma from the cleaning gas; and

cleaning the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus with the plasma.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the ESC is cleaned by applying the negative direct-current voltage to the ESC.

16. A method of cleaning an apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor comprising:

applying a direct current voltage to a first element of the apparatus to adjust a sheath on the first element to one of protect the first element from plasma and clean the first element using the plasma.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein first element is an electrostatic chuck (ESC).

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the direct current voltage is positive to protect the ESC and negative to clean the ESC.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the direct current voltage is simultaneously applied to an electrode in the apparatus, the electrode being arranged such that the plasma is between the electrode and the ESC.

20. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

applying a second direct current voltage while applying the direct current voltage to the ESC, the second direct voltage being applied to a process chamber wall of the apparatus and being opposite to the direct current voltage applied to the ESC.