Method and apparatus for cleaning a substrate surface
First Claim
1. A method of forming an epitaxial layer on a semiconductor substrate, comprising:
- depositing a gettering layer on a surface of a chamber component that is disposed in a processing region of a processing chamber, wherein the gettering layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of silicon and germanium;
oxidizing a surface of a substrate;
positioning the substrate on a substrate support disposed in the processing chamber after depositing the gettering layer on the chamber component;
removing at least a portion of the oxidized surface from the substrate positioned on the substrate support to expose a non-oxidized surface; and
depositing an epitaxial layer on at least a portion of the non-oxidized surface.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention generally provides apparatus and method for forming a clean and damage free surface on a semiconductor substrate. One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that contains a cleaning chamber that is adapted to expose a surface of substrate to a plasma cleaning process prior to forming an epitaxial layer thereon. In one embodiment, a method is employed to reduce the contamination of a substrate processed in the cleaning chamber by depositing a gettering material on the inner surfaces of the cleaning chamber prior to performing a cleaning process on a substrate. In one embodiment, oxidation and etching steps are repeatedly performed on a substrate in the cleaning chamber to expose or create a clean surface on a substrate that can then have an epitaxial placed thereon. In one embodiment, a low energy plasma is used during the cleaning step.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of forming an epitaxial layer on a semiconductor substrate, comprising:
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depositing a gettering layer on a surface of a chamber component that is disposed in a processing region of a processing chamber, wherein the gettering layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of silicon and germanium; oxidizing a surface of a substrate; positioning the substrate on a substrate support disposed in the processing chamber after depositing the gettering layer on the chamber component; removing at least a portion of the oxidized surface from the substrate positioned on the substrate support to expose a non-oxidized surface; and depositing an epitaxial layer on at least a portion of the non-oxidized surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for forming an epitaxial layer on a semiconductor substrate, comprising:
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a.) transferring a first substrate to a processing region of a processing chamber; b.) depositing a gettering layer on a surface of a chamber component that is disposed in the processing region of the processing chamber; c.) transferring the first substrate out of the processing region and transferring a second substrate to the processing region; d.) oxidizing a surface of the second substrate; e.) removing at least a portion of the oxidized surface from the second substrate to expose a non-oxidized surface; and f.) depositing an epitaxial layer on at least a portion of the non-oxidized surface. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for forming an epitaxial layer on a semiconductor substrate, comprising:
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transferring a first substrate to a substrate support disposed in a processing chamber; depositing a gettering layer on a surface of a chamber component that is disposed in a processing region of the processing chamber adjacent the substrate support, wherein the gettering layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of silicon and germanium; transferring the first substrate out of the processing chamber and transferring a second substrate to the processing chamber; oxidizing a surface of the second substrate; removing at least a portion of the oxidized surface from the second substrate to expose a non-oxidized surface; and depositing an epitaxial layer on at least a portion of the non-oxidized surface of the second substrate.
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Specification