Method for cleaning a process chamber

• US 6,569,257 B1
• Filed: 11/09/2000
• Issued: 05/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Xia, Li-Qun, Yieh, Ellie, Barnes, Michael, Nguyen, Huong Thanh
• Primary Examiner(s): Gulakowski, Randy
• Assistant Examiner(s): KORNAKOV, MIKHAIL
• Application Number:
  US09/710,357
• Time in Patent Office: 929 Days
• Field of Search: 134/1.1, 134/22.1, 134/22.11, 134/26, 134/30, 438/905
• US Class Current: 134/26
• 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

Abstract

A method for cleaning silicon carbide and/or organosilicate layers from interior surfaces of a process chamber is disclosed. In one aspect, silicon carbide and/or organosilicate layers are cleaned from interior surfaces of a process chamber by treating it with a hydrogen/fluorine-based plasma. In another aspect, silicon carbide and/or organosilicate layer are cleaned from interior surfaces of the process chamber by treating it with a hydrogen-based plasma followed by a fluorine-based plasma. Alternatively, silicon carbide and/or organosilicate layers are cleaned from interior surfaces of the chamber by treating it with a fluorine-based plasma followed by a hydrogen-based plasma.

Claims

1. A method of cleaning a process chamber by removing silicon carbide and/or organosilicates layers formed on the interior surfaces of the process chamber, comprising:

treating interior surfaces of the process chamber with a hydrogen-based plasma generated by providing a first gas mixture, having a hydrogen source, to the process chamber and applying an electric field to the first gas mixture; and

then

treating interior surfaces of the process chamber with a fluorine-based plasma generated by providing a gas mixture, having a fluorine source, to the process chamber and applying an electric field to the gas mixture, wherein the hydrogen-based plasma and the fluorine-based plasma are each used to react with the silicon carbide and/or organosilicates layers formed on the interior surfaces of the process chamber and the hydrogen source and the fluorine source comprise one or more gases selected from the group consisting of hydrogen (H₂), carbon tetrafluoride (CF₄), nitrogen trifluoride (NF₃), ammonia (NH₃), methane (CH₄), sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆), and fluoroethane (C₂F₆).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the gas mixture further comprises an oxygen source.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the oxygen source comprises one or more gases selected from the group consisting of oxygen (O₂), nitrous oxide (N₂O), ozone (O₃), carbon monoxide (CO), and carbon dioxide (CO₂).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrogen source is provided to the process chamber at a flow rate in a range of about 5 sccm to about 500 sccm.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluorine source is provided to the process chamber at a flow rate in a range of about 25 sccm to about 1000 sccm.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the oxygen source is provided to-the process chamber at a flow rate in a range of about 10 sccm to about 600 sccm.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the electric field applied to the gas mixture in the process chamber is a radio frequency (RF) power.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the process chamber is maintained at a temperature between about 65°

C. to about 300°

C.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the process chamber is maintained at a pressure less then about 200 torr.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising treating interior surfaces of the process chamber with an oxygen plasma prior to cleaning the process chamber using the hydrogen/fluorine plasma.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

purging the process chamber using an inert gas after interior surfaces of the process chamber have been plasma cleaned.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the inert gas is selected from the group consisting of helium (He), argon (Ar), and nitrogen (N₂).

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the process chamber is a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the process chamber is a plasma etch chamber.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the hydrogen/fluorine-based plasma is provided to the process chamber from a remotely located plasma chamber.

16. A method of cleaning a process chamber, comprising:

treating interior surfaces of the process chamber with a hydrogen-based plasma generated by providing a gas mixture, having a hydrogen source, to the process chamber and applying an electric field to the gas mixture; and

then

treating interior surfaces of the process chamber with a fluorine-based plasma generated by providing a gas mixture, having a fluorine source, to the process chamber and applying an electric field to the gas mixture, wherein the hydrogen-based plasma and the fluorine-based plasma are each used to remove material layers formed on interior surfaces the process chamber and generated using gases selected from the group consisting of hydrogen (H₂), carbon tetrafluoride (CF₄), nitrogen trifluoride (NF₃), ammonia (NH₃), methane (CH₄), sulfur hexafluoride (SF₅), and fluoroethane (C₂F₆).

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the gas mixture having a hydrogen source further comprises an oxygen source.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the oxygen source comprises one or more gases selected from the group consisting of oxygen (O₂), nitrous oxide (N₂O), ozone (O₃), carbon monoxide (CO), and carbon dioxide (CO₂).

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the hydrogen source is provided to the process chamber at a flow rate in a range of about 5 sccm to about 500 sccm.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the fluorine source is provided to the process chamber at a flow rate in a range of about 25 sccm to about 600 sccm.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein the oxygen source is provided to the process chamber at a flow rate in a range of about 10 sccm to about 600 sccm.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the electric field applied to the gas mixtures of steps (d) and (f) is a radio frequency (RF) power.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein the process chamber is maintained at a temperature between about 65°

C. to about 300°

C.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein the process chamber is maintained at a pressure less than about 20 torr.

25. The method of claim 16, further comprising treating interior surfaces of the process chamber with an oxygen-based plasma prior to cleaning the process chamber with the hydrogen-based plasma.

26. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

purging the process chamber using an inert gas after interior surfaces of the process chamber have been plasma cleaned.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the inert gas is selected from the group consisting of helium (He), argon (Ar), and nitrogen (N₂).

28. The method of claim 16, wherein each plasma is provided to the process chamber from one or more remotely located plasma chambers.

29. A method of cleaning a process chamber, comprising:

treating interior surfaces of the process chamber with a fluorine-based plasma generated by providing a gas mixture, having a fluorine source, to the process chamber and applying an electric field to the gas mixture; and

then

treating interior surfaces of the process chamber with a hydrogen-based plasma generated by providing a gas mixture, having a hydrogen source, to the process chamber and applying an electric field to the gas mixture, wherein the fluorine-based plasma and the hydrogen-based plasma are used to remove material layers formed on interior surfaces of the process chamber and generated using gases selected from the group consisting of hydrogen (H₂), carbon tetrafluoride (CF₄), nitrogen trifluoride (NF₃), ammonia (NH₃), methane (CH₄), sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆), and fluoroethane (C₂F₆).

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the gas mixture having a fluorine source further comprises an oxygen source.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the oxygen source comprises one or more gases selected from the group consisting of oxygen (O₂), nitrous oxide (N₂O), ozone (O₃), carbon monoxide (CO), and carbon dioxide (CO₂).

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the fluorine source is provided to the process chamber at a flow rate in a range of about 25 sccm to about 1000 sccm.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein the hydrogen source is provided to the process chamber at a flow rate in a range of about 5 sccm to about 500 sccm.

34. The method of claim 30 wherein the oxygen source is provided to the process chamber at a flow rate in a range of about 10 sccm to about 600 sccm.

35. The method of claim 29, wherein each electric field applied to the gas mixtures is a radio frequency (RF) power.

36. The method of claim 29, wherein the process chamber is maintained at a temperature between about 65°

C. to about 300°

C.

37. The method of claim 29, wherein the process chamber is maintained at a pressure less than about 20 torr.

38. The method of claim 29, further comprising treating interior surfaces of the process chamber with an oxygen-based plasma prior to cleaning the process chamber with the fluorine-based plasma.

39. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

purging the process chamber using an inert gas after interior surfaces of the process chamber have been plasma cleaned.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein the inert gas is selected from the group consisting of helium (He), argon (Ar), and nitrogen (N₂).

41. The method of claim 29, wherein each plasma is provided to the process chamber from one or more remotely located plasma chambers.

42. A computer storage medium containing a software routine that, when executed, causes a general purpose computer to control a process chamber using a cleaning method to remove silicon carbide and/or organosilicates layers formed on the interior surfaces of the process chamber, comprising:

treating interior surfaces of the process chamber with a fluorine-based plasma generated by providing a gas mixture, having a fluorine source, to the process chamber and applying an electric field to the gas mixture; and

then

treating interior surfaces of the process chamber with a hydrogen-based plasma generated by providing a gas mixture, having a hydrogen source, to the process chamber and applying an electric field to the gas mixture, wherein the hydrogen-based plasma and the fluorine-based plasma are each used to react with the silicon carbide and/or organosilicates layers formed on the interior surfaces of the process chamber and the hydrogen source and the fluorine source comprise one or more gases selected from the group consisting of hydrogen (H₂), carbon tetrafluoride (CF₄), nitrogen trifluoride (NF₃), ammonia (NH₃), methane (CH₄), sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆), and fluoroethane (C₂F₆).

43. The computer storage medium of claim 42, wherein the gas mixture further comprises an oxygen storage.

44. The computer storage medium of claim 43 wherein the oxygen source comprises one or more gases selected from the group consisting of oxygen (O₂), nitrous oxide (N₂O), ozone (O₃), carbon monoxide (CO), and carbon dioxide (CO₂).

45. The computer storage medium of claim 42, wherein the hydrogen source is provided to the process chamber at a flow rate in a range of about 5 sccm to a about 500 sccm.

46. The computer storage medium of claim 42, wherein the fluorine source is provided to the process chamber at a flow rate in a range of about 25 sccm to about 1000 sccm.

47. The computer storage medium of claim 43 wherein the oxygen source is provided to the process chamber at a flow rate in a range of about 10 sccm to about 600 sccm.

48. The computer storage medium of claim 42, wherein the electric field applied to the gas mixture in the process chamber is a radio frequency (RF) power.

49. The computer storage medium of claim 48 wherein the RF power is within a range of about 1 Watts/cm² to about 20 Watts/cm².

50. The computer storage medium of claim 42, wherein the process chamber is maintained at a temperature between about 65°

C. to about 300°

C.

51. The computer storage medium of claim 42, wherein the process chamber is maintained at a pressure less than about 20 torr.

52. The computer storage medium of claim 42, further comprising treating interior surfaces of the process chamber with an oxygen plasma prior to plasma cleaning the process chamber using the hydrogen source and the fluorine source.

53. The computer storage medium of claim 42, further comprising:

purging the process chamber using an inert gas after interior surfaces of the process chamber have been plasma cleaned.

54. The computer storage medium of claim 53 wherein the inert gas is selected from the group consisting of helium (He), argon (Ar), and nitrogen (N₂).

55. The computer storage medium of claim 42 wherein the hydrogen/fluorine-based plasma is provided to the process chamber from a remotely located plasma chamber.

56. A method of cleaning a process chamber, comprising:

treating interior surfaces of the process chamber with an oxygen-based plasma generated by providing a gas mixture, having an oxygen source, to the process chamber, and applying an electric field to the gas mixture; and

then

treating interior surfaces of the process chamber with a plasma comprising hydrogen and fluorine generated by providing a gas mixture using gases selected from the group consisting of hydrogen (H₂), fluoromethane (CH₃F), carbon tetrafluoride (CF₄), ammonia (NH₃), methane (CH₄), sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆), and fluoroethane (C₂F₆) to the process chamber, and applying an electric field to the gas mixture, wherein the oxygen-based plasma and the plasma comprising hydrogen and fluorine are used to remove material layers formed on interior surfaces of the process chamber.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein the oxygen source comprises one or more gases selected from the group consisting of oxygen (O₂), nitrous oxide (N₂O), ozone (O₃), carbon monoxide (CO), and carbon dioxide (CO₂).

58. The method of claim 56, further comprising treating interior surfaces of the process chamber with a fluorine-based plasma generated by providing a nitrogen trifluoride (NF₃) gas to the process chamber and applying an electric field to the nitrogen trifluoride to increase the removal of other material layers formed on interior surfaces of the process chamber.

59. A method of cleaning a process chamber, comprising:

treating interior surfaces of the process chamber with an oxygen-based plasma generated by providing a gas mixture, having an oxygen source, to the process chamber, and applying an electric field to the gas mixture; and

then

treating interior surfaces of the process chamber with a hydrogen/fluorine-based plasma generated by providing a gas mixture, having a hydrogen source and fluorine source, to the process chamber, and applying an electric field to the gas mixture, wherein the oxygen-based plasma and the hydrogen/fluorine-based plasma are used to remove material layers formed on interior surfaces of the process chamber; and

then

treating interior surfaces of the process chamber with a fluorine-based plasma generated by providing a nitrogen trifluoride (NF₃) gas to the process chamber and applying an electric field to the nitrogen trifluoride to increase the removal of the material layers formed on interior surfaces of the process chamber.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein the oxygen source comprises one or more gases selected from the group consisting of oxygen (O₂), nitrous oxide (N₂O), ozone (O₃), carbon monoxide (CO), and carbon dioxide (CO₂).

61. The method of claim 59, wherein the hydrogen source and the fluorine source comprise one or more gases selected from the group consisting of hydrogen (H₂), fluoromethane (CH₃F), carbon tetrafluoride (CF₄), ammonia (NH₃), methane (CH₄), sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆), and fluoroethane (C₂F₆).

62. A method of cleaning a process chamber to remove silicon carbide and/or organosilicates layers formed on interior surfaces of the process chamber, comprising:

treating interior surfaces of the process chamber with an oxygen-based plasma generated by providing a gas mixture, having an oxygen source, to the process chamber, and applying an electric field to the gas mixture; and

then

treating interior surfaces of the process chamber with a hydrogen/fluorine-based plasma generated by providing a gas mixture using gases selected from the group consisting of hydrogen (H₂), fluoromethane (CH₃F), carbon tetrafluoride (CF₄), ammonia (NH₃), methane (CH₄), sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆), and fluoroethane (C₂F₆) to the process chamber, and applying an electric field to the gas mixture, wherein the oxygen-based plasma and the hydrogen/fluorine-based plasma are used to react with the silicon carbide and/or organosilicates layers formed on interior surfaces of the process chamber so as to remove such layers therefrom.

63. The method of claim 62, wherein the oxygen source comprises one or more gases selected from the group consisting of oxygen (O₂), nitrous oxide (N₂O), ozone (O₃), carbon monoxide (CO), and carbon dioxide (CO₂).

64. The method of claim 62, further comprising treating interior surfaces of the process chamber with a fluorine-based plasma generated by providing a nitrogen trifluoride (NF₃) gas to the process chamber and applying an electric field to the nitrogen trifluoride to increase the removal of the silicon carbide and/or organosilicates layers formed on interior surfaces of the process chamber.

65. A method of cleaning a process chamber to remove silicon carbide and/or organosilicates layers formed on interior surfaces of the process chamber, comprising:

treating interior surfaces of the process chamber with an oxygen-based plasma generated by providing a gas mixture, having an oxygen source, to the process chamber, and applying an electric field to the gas mixture; and

then

treating interior surfaces of the process chamber with a hydrogen/fluorine-based plasma generated by providing a gas mixture, having a hydrogen source and a fluorine source, to the process chamber, and applying an electric field to the gas mixture, wherein the oxygen-based plasma and the hydrogen/fluorine-based plasma are used to react with the silicon carbide and/or organosilicates layers formed on interior surfaces of the process chamber so as to remove such layers therefrom; and

then

treating interior surfaces of the process chamber with a fluorine-based plasma generated by providing a nitrogen trifluoride (NF₃) gas to the process chamber and applying an electric field to the nitrogen trifluoride to increase the removal of the silicon carbide and/or organosilicates layers formed on interior surfaces of the process chamber.

66. The method of claim 65, wherein the oxygen source comprises one or more gases selected from the group consisting of oxygen (O₂), nitrous oxide (N₂O), ozone (O₃), carbon monoxide (CO), and carbon dioxide (CO₂).

67. The method of claim 65, wherein the hydrogen source and the fluorine source comprise one or more gases selected from the group consisting of hydrogen (H₂), fluoromethane (CH₃F), carbon tetrafluoride (CF₄), ammonia (NH₃), methane (CH₄), sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆), and fluoroethane (C₂F₆).