Method for performing fluorocarbon chamber cleaning to eliminate fluorine memory effect

• US 7,097,716 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2002
• Issued: 08/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Barnes, Michael, Nguyen, Huong Thanh
• Primary Examiner(s): BOYER, CHARLES I
• Application Number:
  US10/274,093
• Publication Number:
  US 20040077511A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,412 Days
• Field of Search: 134/1.1, 134/22.1, 134/26, 134/30, 438/905
• US Class Current: 134/26
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 11/00 Special methods for preparing compositions containing mixtures of detergents
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 2111/20 Industrial or commercial equipment, e.g. reactors, tubes or engines
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 438/905 Cleaning of reaction chamber

Abstract

A method of cleaning a plasma etching reactor is provided. The method of cleaning a plasma etching reactor includes generating one or more plasmas from oxygen gas and a hydrogen-containing gas, and exposing interior surfaces of the reactor to the plasma(s) from the oxygen-gas and the hydrogen-containing gas. The cleaning method is used to remove deposited material, such as deposits containing fluorine, carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen from interior surfaces of the reactor. The hydrogen-containing gas may contribute to the cleaning method by providing a source of hydrogen that removes fluorine from the surfaces of the reactor.

Claims

1. A method of cleaning a plasma etching reactor, comprising:

generating a first plasma from both oxygen gas and a hydrogen-containing gas;

exposing one or more interior surfaces of the reactor to the first plasma to remove material deposited on the interior surfaces of the reactor.

generating a second plasma from the oxygen gas; and

exposing the one or more interior surfaces of the reactor to the second plasma to remove material deposited on the interior surfaces of the reactor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrogen-containing gas is selected from the group consisting of H₂, H₂O, H₂O₂, NH₃, CH₃F, and combinations thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more plasmas are generated within the plasma etching reactor.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more plasmas are generated within a remote plasma source connected to the plasma etching reactor.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the oxygen gas of the first plasma is introduced into the reactor at about 100 sccm to about 2000 sccm, the oxygen gas of the second plasma is introduced into the reactor at about 100 sccm to about 2000 sccm, and the hydrogen-containing gas is introduced into the reactor at about 10% to about 20% by volume of a combined flow of the oxygen gas of the first plasma and the hydrogen-containing gas into the reactor.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the hydrogen-containing gas is H₂.

7. A method of cleaning a plasma etching reactor, comprising:

generating a first plasma from both a hydrogen-containing gas and H₂O gas wherein the hydrogen-containing gas is selected from the group consisting of H₂, H₂O₂, NH₃, CH₃F, and combinations thereof;

exposing one or more interior surfaces of the reactor to the first plasma to remove material deposited on the interior surfaces of the reactor;

generating a second plasma from oxygen gas; and

exposing the one or more interior surfaces of the reactor to the second plasma to remove material deposited on the interior surfaces of the reactor.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the hydrogen-containing gas is introduced into the reactor at about 500 sccm to about 3000 sccm, the H₂O gas is introduced into the reactor at about 50 sccm to about 1000 sccm, and the oxygen gas is introduced into the reactor at about 100 sccm to about 2000 sccm.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the hydrogen-containing gas is H₂.

10. A method of cleaning a plasma etching reactor, comprising:

generating a first plasma from oxygen gas;

exposing one or more interior surfaces of the reactor to the second plasma to remove material deposited on the interior surfaces of the reactor;

generating a second plasma from both hydrogen-containing gas and H₂O gas, wherein the hydrogen-containing gas is selected from the group consisting of H₂, H₂O₂, NH₃, CH₃F, and combinations thereof; and

exposing the one or more interior surfaces of the reactor to the second plasma to remove material deposited on the interior surfaces of the reactor.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the oxygen gas is introduced into the reactor at about 100 sccm to about 2000 sccm, the hydrogen-containing gas is introduced into the reactor at about 500 sccm to about 3000 sccm, and the H₂O gas is introduced into the reactor at about 50 sccm to about 1000 sccm.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the hydrogen-containing gas is H₂.

13. A method of cleaning a plasma etching reactor, comprising:

exposing one or more interior surfaces of the reactor to a first plasma from both oxygen gas and a hydrogen-containing gas;

exposing the one or more interior surfaces of the reactor to a second plasma from oxygen gas; and

removing material deposited on the interior surfaces of the reactor.

14. A method of cleaning a plasma etching reactor, comprising:

exposing one or more interior surfaces of the reactor to a first plasma from both H₂O gas and a hydrogen-containing gas selected from the group consisting of H₂, H₂O₂, NH₃, CH₃F, and combinations thereof;

exposing the one or more interior surfaces of the reactor to a second plasma from oxygen gas; and

removing material deposited on the interior surfaces of the reactor.

15. A method of cleaning a plasma etching reactor, comprising:

exposing one or more interior surfaces of the reactor to a first plasma from oxygen gas;

exposing the one or more interior surfaces of the reactor to a second plasma from H₂O gas and a hydrogen-containing gas selected from the group consisting of H₂, H₂O₂, NH₃, CH₃F, and combinations thereof; and

removing material deposited on the interior surfaces of the reactor.