Remote plasma clean process with cycled high and low pressure clean steps
First Claim
1. A process for removing unwanted deposition build-up from one or more interior surfaces of a substrate processing chamber after processing a substrate disposed in the substrate processing chamber, the process comprising:
- transferring the substrate out of the substrate processing chamber;
removing the unwanted deposition build-up by;
(a) flowing a fluorine-containing etchant gas into a remote plasma source fluidly coupled to the substrate processing chamber, forming reactive species from the fluorine-containing etchant gas and transporting the reactive species into the substrate processing chamber; and
(b) cycling pressure within the substrate processing chamber between a high pressure within a first range and a low pressure within a second range for at least two cycles of both high pressure and low pressure while continuously flowing the fluorine-containing etchant gas into the remote plasma source and continuously transporting the reactive species into the substrate processing chamber, wherein the high pressure is higher than the low pressure, a flow rate of the fluorine-containing etchant gas into the remote plasma source is 3000 sccms or more during the high pressure cycles and a duration of the low pressure cycles is between 4-8 seconds.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A remote plasma process for removing unwanted deposition build-up from one or more interior surfaces of a substrate processing chamber after processing a substrate disposed in the substrate processing chamber. In one embodiment, the substrate is transferred out of the substrate processing chamber and a flow of a fluorine-containing etchant gas is introduced into a remote plasma source where reactive species are formed. A continuous flow of the reactive species from the remote plasmas source to the substrate processing chamber is generated while a cycle of high and low pressure clean steps is repeated. During the high pressure clean step, reactive species are flown into the substrate processing chamber while pressure within the substrate processing chamber is maintained between 4-15 Torr. During the low pressure clean step, reactive species are flown into the substrate processing chamber while reducing the pressure of the substrate processing chamber by at least 50 percent of a high pressure reached in the high pressure clean step.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A process for removing unwanted deposition build-up from one or more interior surfaces of a substrate processing chamber after processing a substrate disposed in the substrate processing chamber, the process comprising:
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transferring the substrate out of the substrate processing chamber; removing the unwanted deposition build-up by; (a) flowing a fluorine-containing etchant gas into a remote plasma source fluidly coupled to the substrate processing chamber, forming reactive species from the fluorine-containing etchant gas and transporting the reactive species into the substrate processing chamber; and (b) cycling pressure within the substrate processing chamber between a high pressure within a first range and a low pressure within a second range for at least two cycles of both high pressure and low pressure while continuously flowing the fluorine-containing etchant gas into the remote plasma source and continuously transporting the reactive species into the substrate processing chamber, wherein the high pressure is higher than the low pressure, a flow rate of the fluorine-containing etchant gas into the remote plasma source is 3000 sccms or more during the high pressure cycles and a duration of the low pressure cycles is between 4-8 seconds. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A process for removing unwanted deposition build-up from one or more interior surfaces of a substrate processing chamber after processing a substrate disposed in the substrate processing chamber, the process comprising:
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transferring the substrate out of the substrate processing chamber; removing the unwanted deposition build-up by; (a) flowing a fluorine-containing etchant gas into a remote plasma source fluidly coupled to the substrate processing chamber and forming reactive species from the fluorine-containing etchant gas; (b) maintaining a continuous flow of the reactive species from the remote plasma source to the substrate processing chamber while repeating a plurality of times a cycle of; (i) a high pressure clean step in which the reactive species are flown into the substrate processing chamber while pressure within the substrate processing chamber is maintained between 4-15 Torr, and (ii) a low pressure clean step in which the reactive species are flown into the substrate processing chamber while reducing the pressure of the substrate processing chamber by at least 50 percent of a high pressure reached in the high pressure clean step, wherein a flow rate of the fluorine-containing etchant gas into the remote plasma source is 3000 sccms or more during the high pressure clean steps and a duration of the low pressure clean steps is between 4-8 seconds. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification