Prevention of clogging in CVD apparatus
First Claim
1. A method of reducing clogging in an effluent line communicating with a chemical vapor deposition chamber due to condensation of vapors in the effluent line, which method comprises injecting a hot gas from externally of the chemical vapor deposition chamber directly into the effluent line to maintain the temperature of internal walls of the effluent line above the temperature at which condensation of the vapors occurs.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Plugging of the effluent line of an apparatus comprising CVD chamber is prevented or substantially reduced by injecting a hot gas into the effluent line during processing. In CVD tungsten processing, including preconditioning the reaction chamber, deposition, and cleaning, a hot gas, such as dried air or nitrogen, is injected into the effluent line downstream of the vacuum pump to maintain the temperature of the internal walls of the effluent line below that at which condensation of WOF4 occurs. In another embodiment, periodic high bursts of a hot gas into the effluent line removes WO3 deposits proximate the inlet of the downstream wet scrubber.
11 Citations
43 Claims
- 1. A method of reducing clogging in an effluent line communicating with a chemical vapor deposition chamber due to condensation of vapors in the effluent line, which method comprises injecting a hot gas from externally of the chemical vapor deposition chamber directly into the effluent line to maintain the temperature of internal walls of the effluent line above the temperature at which condensation of the vapors occurs.
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18. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, which method comprises:
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depositing tungsten by chemical vapor deposition on a substrate in a chemical vapor deposition chamber; exhausting vapors from the chamber by a vacuum pump through an effluent line; and injecting a hot gas from externally of the chemical vapor deposition chamber directly into the effluent line to substantially reduce clogging in the effluent line due to the condensation of WOF4 by maintaining the internal walls of the effluent line at a temperature above that at which condensation of WOF4 occurs. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 35, 37, 39, 40, 42)
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- 32. A method of reducing tungsten oxide clogging in the moisture-rich area of a wet scrubber situated downstream of and in communication with a tungsten-chemical vapor deposition chamber via an effluent line, which method comprises periodically injecting a hot gas from externally of the tungsten-chemical vapor deposition chamber directly into the effluent line at a rate of about 250 to about 350 slpm for about 5 to about 30 seconds.
Specification