EP0638923A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Low temperature etching in cold-wall CVD systems
Assignee: Applied Materials Inc
•
Filing: 1994-07-05
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2014-07-05
Abstract
Abstract An improved method of etching or cleaning a cold-wall chemical vapor deposition chamber (14) that is substantially moisture-free at a low chamber temperature and a low chamber pressure while maintaining a satisfactory etch rate by using at least one etchant gas selected from the group consisting of nitrogen trifluoride, chlorine trifluoride, sulfur hexafluoride, carbon tetrafluoride or the like and mixtures thereof.
Inventors
- 👤 David Carlson
- 👤 H. Peter W. Hey
- 👤 James C. Hann
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 02:22
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/44; C23C16/4401; C23C16/4405
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
54 words
A method of cleaning a deposited film in a substantially moisture-free chemical vapor deposition chamber at a predetermined chamber pressure and a predetermined chamber temperature comprising the step of applying at least one reactive gas selected from the group consisting of nitrogen trifluoride, chlorine trifluoride, sulfur hexafluoride and carbon tetrafluoride to said deposited film.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said deposited film is formed of a semiconductor material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method according to claim 2 wherein said deposited film is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of silicon nitride, silicon oxide, polysilicon, epitaxial silicon, titanium, tungsten, titanium silicide and tungsten silicide.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
19 words
A method according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein said predetermined chamber temperature is at least 550°C.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
20 words
A method according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein said predetermined chamber is preferably no more than 775°C.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
20 words
A method according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein said predetermined chamber pressure is less than 150 Torr.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
26 words
A method according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein said substantially moisture-free chamber has a water content of less than 10 PPM by volume.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
20 words
A method according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein said at least one reactive gas is nitrogen trifluoride.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
20 words
A method according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein said at least one reactive gas is chlorine trifluoride.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
20 words
A method according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein said at least one reactive gas is sulfur hexafluoride.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
20 words
A method according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein said at least one reactive gas is carbon tetrafluoride.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method according to claim 8 wherein said at least one reactive gas is nitrogen trifluoride applied at a chamber temperature in the range between 650 to 775°C, a chamber pressure in the range between 12 to 100 Torr, and a preferred chamber water content of less than 2 PPM by volume.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method according to claim 9 wherein said at least one reactive gas is chlorine trifluoride applied at a chamber temperature in the range between 550 to 650°C, a chamber pressure in the range between 5 to 50 Torr, and a preferred chamber water content of less than 2 PPM by volume.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
21 words
A method according to any of claims 1 to 13, wherein said chemical vapor deposition chamber is a cold-wall CVD chamber.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
103 words
A method of cleaning a deposited film from a substantially moisture-free chemical vapor deposition chamber comprising the steps of: heating said chamber to a temperature of at least 550°C, filling said chamber to a pressure of less than 150 Torr by a mixture of gases containing at least one reactive gas and at least one inert gas, said at least one reactive gas being selected from the group consisting of nitrogen trifluoride, chlorine trifluoride, sulfur hexafluoride and carbon tetrafluoride, and contacting said deposited film with said mixture of gases for a period of time sufficient to clean the deposited film from said chamber.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to claim 15 wherein the volume percent of said at least one reactive gas in said mixture of gases is at least 0.1.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method according to claim 15 or claim 16, wherein said deposited film is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of silicon nitride, silicon oxide, polysilicon, epitaxial silicon, titanium, tungsten, titanium silicide and tungsten silicide.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
26 words
A method according to any of claims 15 to 17, wherein said substantially moisture-free chamber has a water content of less than 10 PPM by volume.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
32 words
A method according to any of claims 15 to 18, wherein said period of time sufficient to clean the deposited film from said chamber is less than or equal to 4 minutes.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
56 words
A method according to any of claims 15 to 19, wherein said at least one reactive gas is nitrogen trifluoride applied at a chamber temperature in the range between 650 to 775°C, a chamber pressure in the range between 12 to 100 Torr, and a preferred chamber water content of less than 2 PPM by volume.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
56 words
A method according to any of claims 15 to 19, wherein said at least one reactive gas is chlorine trifluoride applied at a chamber temperature in the range between 550 to 650°C, a chamber pressure in the range between 5 to 50 Torr, and a preferred chamber water content of less than 2 PPM by volume.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
34 words
A method according to any of claims 5 to 19, wherein said at least one reactive gas is sulfur hexafluoride applied at a preferred chamber water content of less than 2 PPM by volume.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
34 words
A method according to any of claims 15 to 19, wherein said at least one reactive gas is carbon tetrafluoride applied at a preferred chamber water content of less than 2 PPM by volume.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
21 words
A method according to any of claims 15 to 23, wherein said chemical vapor deposition chamber is a cold-wall CVD chamber.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
60 words
An etchant system for cleaning a deposited film in a chemical vapor deposition chamber which has an environment that is substantially moisture-free for a period of time sufficient to clean said deposited film from said chamber, said etchant system comprising at least one reactive gas selected from the group consisting of nitrogen trifluoride, chlorine trifluoride, sulfur hexafluoride and carbon tetrafluoride.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
17 words
An etchant system according to claim 25 wherein said deposited film is formed of a semiconductor material.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
39 words
An etchant system according to claims 25 or claim 26, wherein said deposited film is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of silicon nitride, silicon oxide, polysilicon, epitaxial silicon, titanium, tungsten, titanium silicide and tungsten silicide.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
27 words
An etchant system according to any of claims 25 to 27, wherein said substantially moisture-free chamber has a water content of less than 10 PPM by volume.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
33 words
An etchant system according to any of claims 25 to 28, wherein said period of time sufficient to clean the deposited film from said chamber is less than or equal to 4 minutes.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
25 words
An etchant system according to any of claims 25 to 29, wherein said at least one reactive gas for said etchant system comprises nitrogen trifluoride.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
25 words
An etchant system according to any of claims 25 to 29, wherein said at least one reactive gas for said etchant system comprises chlorine trifluoride.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
25 words
An etchant system according to any of claims 25 to 28, wherein said at least one reactive gas for said etchant system comprises sulfur hexafluoride.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
25 words
An etchant system according to any of claims 25 to 28, wherein said at least one reactive gas for said etchant system comprises carbon tetrafluoride.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
22 words
An etchant system according to any of claims 25 to 33, wherein said chemical vapor deposition chamber is a cold-wall CVD chamber.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.