Two-step process for cleaning a substrate processing chamber

• US 5,843,239 A
• Filed: 03/03/1997
• Issued: 12/01/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated, DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Shrotriya, Ashish V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden, Jill
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHAUDHRY, SAEED T
• Application Number:
  US08/811,079
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• Field of Search: 134/1, 134/1.1, 134/21, 134/22.1, 438/905, 438/906
• US Class Current: 134/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 7/0035 by radiant energy, e.g. UV, laser, light beam or the like
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4405 Cleaning of reactor or parts inside the reactor by using reactive gases
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32862 In situ cleaning of vessels and/or internal parts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 438/905 Cleaning of reaction chamber

Abstract

A method for removing particles from an interior surface of a processing chamber using a two-step cleaning process. The method includes introducing a first cleaning process gas into the processing chamber, applying energy to that first cleaning process gas to remove particles from the processing chamber'"'"'s interior surface, and introducing a second cleaning process gas into the processing chamber to remove a cleaning residue formed by a reaction between the first cleaning process gas and the processing chamber'"'"'s interior surface. Removing or gettering the cleaning residue from the chamber wall improves the quality of the wafers formed in the process.

Claims

1. A process for removing a deposition residue from an interior of a processing chamber, while minimizing a cleaning residue resulting from said process, said process comprising the steps of:

flowing a first cleaning process gas into the processing chamber, said first cleaning process gas comprising ozone and a fluorine-containing compound;

forming a plasma from said first cleaning process gas;

maintaining said plasma for a first time period;

flowing a second cleaning process gas into the processing chamber, wherein said second cleaning process gas consists of a compound selected from the group of compounds consisting of perfluorocarbons, fluorine, nitrogen, and combinations of fluorine and nitrogen; and

maintaining said plasma for a second time period.

2. The process of claim 1 further comprising generating a plasma by applying RF energy to said first and second cleaning process gases, wherein said RF energy is applied at an RF power of between about 500 W and 2000 W during said first time period, and at an RF power of between about 400 W and 2000 W during said second time period.

3. The process of claim 2, wherein said second cleaning process gas comprises C₂ F₆ and said plasma is generated using an RF power of between about 400-600 Watts.

4. The process of claim 3, wherein said fluorine-containing compound comprises C₂ F₆ and said plasma is generated using an RF power of between about 700-2000 Watts.

5. The process of claim 1, further comprising generating a plasma by applying RF energy to said first and said second cleaning process gases, wherein said RF energy is applied at an RP power density of between about 0.99 W/cm² and 3.95 W/cm² during said first time period, and at an RF power density of between about 0.79 W/cm² and 3.95 W/cm² during said second time period.

6. The process of claim 5, further comprising the step of evacuating said ozone from the processing chamber between said first and said second time periods while maintaining said plasma.

7. The process of claim 1, wherein the deposition residue comprises silicon oxide and said cleaning residue comprises aluminum fluoride.

8. The process of claim 1, wherein said first processing gas comprises a mixture of oxygen and said ozone, wherein said mixture is between about 8% and 13% ozone, by weight.

9. The process of claim 1, wherein said first processing gas comprises a mixture of oxygen and said ozone, wherein the ratio of oxygen to ozone in said mixture is between about 12.5:

1 and 7.7;

1.

10. The process of claim 1, wherein said fluorine-containing compound comprises NF₃.

11. The process of claim 1, wherein said second cleaning process gas comprises N₂.

12. A process for cleaning interior surfaces of a processing chamber, said process comprising the steps of:

flowing a first cleaning process gas into the processing chamber, said first cleaning process gas comprising ozone and C₂ F₆ ;

removing a deposition residue from the interior surfaces of the processing chamber by generating a plasma from said cleaning process gas, said plasma formed at a first RF power density of between about 1.38 W/cm² and 3.95 W/cm² ; and

removing a cleaning residue from the interior surfaces of the processing chamber by maintaining said plasma while reducing said plasma to a second RF power density of between about 0.79 W/cm² and 1.19 W/cm².

13. The process of claim 12, further comprising the step of evacuating said ozone from the processing chamber while maintaining said plasma.

14. A process for removing a deposition residue from an interior of a processing chamber, while minimizing a cleaning residue resulting from said process, said process comprising the steps of:

flowing a first cleaning process gas into the processing chamber, said first cleaning process gas comprising ozone and a fluorine-containing compound;

forming a plasma from said first cleaning process gas;

maintaining said plasma for a first time period, wherein the cleaning residue is formed by a reaction between said first cleaning process gas and the interior of the processing chamber during said first time period;

flowing a second cleaning process gas into the processing chamber, wherein said second cleaning process gas consists of a compound selected from the group of compounds consisting of fluorine, nitrogen, combinations of carbon and fluorine, and combinations of nitrogen and fluorine; and

maintaining said plasma for a second time period.

15. The process of claim 14, further comprising the step of evacuating said ozone from the processing chamber while maintaining said plasma.

16. The process of claim 14, wherein said second cleaning process gas consists of C₂ F₆.

17. The process of claim 16, wherein said plasma is generated using an RF power density of between about 0.79 W/cm² and 1.19 W/cm².

18. The process of claim 14, wherein said second cleaning process gas consists of N₂.

19. A process for cleaning interior surfaces of a processing chamber, said process comprising the steps of:

flowing a cleaning process gas into the processing chamber, said cleaning process gas comprising a fluorine-containing compound;

forming a plasma from said cleaning process gas;

maintaining said plasma for a first period of time, wherein said plasma is maintained at a first RF power density of between about 1.38 W/cm² and 3.95 W/cm² during said first period of time; and

maintaining said plasma for a second period of time, wherein said plasma is maintained at a second RF power density of between about 0.79 W/cm² and 1.19 W/cm² during said second period of time.

20. The process of claim 19, said process further comprising the step of altering a composition of said cleaning process gas after said first period of time by discontinuing a flow of said fluorine-containing compound and commencing a flow of another fluorine-containing compound.

21. The process of claim 19, wherein said cleaning process gas further comprises ozone and said process further comprises the step of evacuating ozone from the processing chamber prior to said second period of time.

22. The process of claim 21, wherein said fluorine-containing compound comprises C₂ F₆.