EP0777258A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Self-cleaning plasma processing reactor
Assignee: Applied Materials Inc
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Filing: 1996-11-15
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2016-11-15
Abstract
Abstract The disclosure relates to a method for simultaneously processing a workpiece (130) using a plasma and cleaning the reactor (10) in which processing takes place. The plasma generated in the reactor by RF power source (170) and coil (150) performs simultaneous workpiece processing and reactor cleaning. Reactor cleaning may be accomplished by directing a portion of the plasma at an inner surface of the reactor such as by a power supplied to a conducting strip (200) extending over a part of the outer side of the reaction vessel. An apparatus for carrying out a method for simultaneously processing a workpiece with a plasma and cleaning a reactor of etch residues generated from processing is disclosed.
Inventors
- 👤 Avi Tepman
- 👤 Yan Ye
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 03:05
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/32; H01J37/32431; H01J37/32798; H01J37/32853; H01J37/32862; H01J37/32009; H01J37/32082; H01J37/321; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S156/00; Y10S156/916; Y10S438/00; Y10S438/905; Y10S977/00; Y10S977/70
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
81 words
An apparatus for processing a workpiece using a plasma, comprising: a reactor vessel having an inner surface; means for producing and sustaining the plasma in the reactor vessel; and means for directing at the inner surface of the reactor vessel a portion of the plasma, wherein the portion of the plasma is capable of cleaning the inner surface of the reactor vessel, the cleaning occurs simultaneously with the processing of the workpiece and without substantially diminishing the processing of the workpiece.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for producing and sustaining the plasma is an inductive means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the RF coil is arranged outside of the reactor vessel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
69 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inner surface of the reactor vessel has an area, a portion of the plasma is directed at a section of the inner surface of the reactor vessel and the section has an area that is smaller than the area of the inner surface of the reactor vessel and has a time-varying spatial position on the inner surface of the reactor vessel.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
91 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for directing a portion of the plasma at the inner surface of the reactor vessel comprises: a conducting strip being arranged outside of the reactor vessel, having an area that is smaller than the area of the inner surface of the reactor vessel and an axis about which it is pivotally mounted, and being electrically connected to the means for producing and sustaining the plasma; and wherein the apparatus further comprises means for rotating the conducting strip connected to the conducting strip.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
132 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for directing a portion of the plasma at the inner surface of the reactor vessel comprises: a number of conducting strips arranged outside of the reactor vessel and electrically insulated from each other; and wherein the apparatus further comprises a coupling device for electrically connecting the conducting strips to the means for producing and sustaining the plasma, the electrical coupling device being such that at any one time a subset of some but not all of the conducting strips are connected to the means for producing and sustaining the plasma, the subset having a total area that is smaller than the area of the inner surface of the reactor vessel, and the conducting strips that are members of the subset varies in time.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
96 words
An apparatus for processing a workpiece using a plasma, comprising: a reactor vessel within which the plasma is sustained and processing is carried out; a conducting strip pivotally mounted outside of the reactor vessel; means for rotating the conducting strip about an axis, the means for rotating the conducting strip being connected to the conducting strip; and an RF coil for maintaining the plasma, the coil arranged outside of the reactor vessel and electrically connected to the conducting strip, wherein the conducting strip directs a portion of the plasma toward a section of the reactor vessel.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the conducting strip conforms with an outer surface of the reactor vessel but is free to move independently of the outer surface of the reactor vessel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the conducting strip has an area that is smaller than the area of the outer surface of the reactor vessel.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the RF coil conforms with the outer surface of the reactor vessel.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the RF coil is arranged so that the conducting strip is positioned between the outer surface of the reactor vessel and the RF coil.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the reactor vessel is dome shaped and has an axis about which it is substantially rotationally invariant; and the axis of the conducting strip is collinear with the reactor vessel axis.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
152 words
An apparatus for processing a workpiece using a plasma, comprising: a reactor vessel within which the plasma is sustained and processing is carried out; an RF coil arranged outside of the reactor vessel, the coil providing power and producing and sustaining the plasma about the workpiece; a number of conducting strips being arranged outside of the reactor vessel and being electrically insulated from each other; and a coupling device for electrically connecting the conducting strips to the RF coil, the electrical coupling device being such that at any one time a subset of some but not all of the conducting strips are connected to RF coil, wherein the subset directs a portion of the plasma at an inner surface of the reactor vessel and has a total area that is smaller than the area of the inner surface, and whereby the conducting strips that are members of the subset varies in time.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the reactor vessel has an outer surface, the outer surface having an area; and the subset of connected conducting strips has a total area that is smaller than the area of the outer surface of the reactor vessel.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the reactor vessel has an outer surface; and the conducting strips conform with the outer surface of the reactor vessel.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
48 words
The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the RF coil conforms with, but does not contact, the outer surface of the reactor vessel; and the RF coil is arranged so that the conducting strips are positioned between the outer surface of the reactor vessel and the RF coil.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
104 words
A self-cleaning apparatus for processing a workpiece using a plasma, comprising: a reactor vessel having an inner surface; an RF coil arranged outside of the reactor vessel, the RF coil supplying power with an inductive component and a capacitive component; the inductive component of the power being capable of producing and sustaining the plasma in the reactor vessel; the capacitive component of the power directing at the inner surface of the reactor vessel a portion of the plasma capable of cleaning the inner surface, wherein the cleaning occurs simultaneously with the processing of the workpiece and without substantially diminishing the processing of the workpiece.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the inductive component of the electromagnetic field is capable of directing a portion of the plasma at a section of the inner surface of the reactor vessel.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
79 words
The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the inner surface of the reactor vessel has an area; and the section of the inner surface at which the portion of the plasma is directed has an area that is smaller than the area of the inner surface of the reactor vessel; and the section of the inner surface at which the portion of the plasma is directed has a time-varying spatial position on the inner surface of the reactor vessel.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the RF coil has an axis about which it is pivotally supported; and the apparatus further comprises a means for rotating the RF coil about its axis, the means for rotating the RF coil being connected to the RF coil.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the reactor vessel has an outer surface; and the RF coil conforms with the outer surface of the reactor vessel but is free to move independently of the outer surface.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the reactor vessel is dome shaped, the reactor vessel having an axis about which it is substantially rotationally invariant; and the axis of the RF coil is collinear with the reactor vessel axis.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
120 words
A method for processing a workpiece in a reactor vessel and simultaneously cleaning the reactor vessel, the reactor vessel having an inner surface that has an area, the method comprising the steps of: introducing into the reactor vessel at least one gas capable of sustaining a plasma; producing and maintaining a plasma; using the plasma to carry out processing on the workpiece; directing a portion of the plasma at the inner surface of the reactor vessel that is capable of cleaning the inner surface of the reactor vessel without substantially effecting the processing of the workpiece, the directing of the portion of the plasma at the inner surface of the reactor vessel occurring simultaneously with the processing of the workpiece.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method according to claim 23, wherein the gas is selected from the group consisting of Cl 2 , BCl 3 , and mixtures thereof.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method according to claim 22, wherein one or more carrier gasses is introduced into the reactor vessel.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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