US5176791A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for forming carbonaceous films
Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co Ltd
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Filing: 1991-07-15
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Granted: 1993-01-05
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Expires: 2011-07-15
Abstract
Abstract Cleaning a device to make a film made from carbon or containing carbon as a main ingredient is carried out by etching the interior of a deposition chamber where the film is formed, with an etching gas in a plasma state selected from the group of hydrogen, oxygen, and a gaseous fluoride, and then cleaning the interior of the deposition chamber with a cleaning gas selected from the group of argon and hydrogen in a plasma state.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenji Itoh
- 👤 Osamu Aoyagi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 20:31
CPC Classifications
B; B08; B08B; B08B7/00; B08B7/0035; C; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/44; C23C16/4401; C23C16/4405; C23G; C23G5/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
173 words
A method for eliminating a carbonaceous substance deposited on inner walls of a reaction chamber, said method comprising the steps of: providing said reaction chamber with said inner walls; evacuating said reaction chamber; inputting an oxygen containing gas to said reaction chamber; inputting an electric energy to said reaction chamber to convert said oxygen containing gas to plasma so that said carbonaceous substance is removed from said inner walls of the reaction chamber; removing said oxygen containing gas and said carbonaceous substance from said reaction chamber where some of the oxygen containing gas may remain on the inner walls of the reaction chamber; inputting a hydrogen or an inactive gas to said reaction chamber after said oxygen containing gas and said carbonaceous substance are removed from the reaction chamber; and inputting an electric energy to said reaction chamber to convert said hydrogen or inactive gas to plasma so that at least oxygen from said oxygen containing gas remaining on the inner walls of the reaction chamber is eliminated from inside the reaction chamber.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
173 words
A method for eliminating a carbonaceous substance deposited on inner walls of a reaction chamber, said method comprising the steps of: providing said reaction chamber with said inner walls; evacuating said reaction chamber; inputting an oxygen containing gas to said reaction chamber; inputting an electric energy to said reaction chamber to convert said oxygen containing gas to plasma so that said carbonaceous substance is removed from said inner walls of the reaction chamber; removing said oxygen containing gas and said carbonaceous substance from said reaction chamber where some of the oxygen containing gas may remain on the inner walls of the reaction chamber; inputting a hydrogen or an inactive gas to said reaction chamber after said oxygen containing gas and said carbonaceous substance are removed from the reaction chamber; and inputting an electric energy to said reaction chamber to convert said hydrogen or inactive gas to plasma so that at least oxygen from said oxygen containing gas remaining on the inner walls of the reaction chamber is eliminated from inside the reaction chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the inactive gas is an argon gas.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
103 words
The method of claim 1 where a first processing step is performed in said reaction chamber to form a coating of said carbonaceous substance on a first substrate disposed within the reaction chamber and then the coated substrate is removed from the reaction chamber before said evacuating step and where the next processing step performed in said reaction chamber after the first processing step comprises forming said carbonaceous substance on a second substance disposed within the reaction chamber, said next processing step being performed after said oxygen from said oxygen containing gas remaining on the inner walls of the reaction chamber is eliminated.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 3 where said first processing step and said next processing step are each a chemical vapor deposition step for respectively forming the carbonaceous substance on the first and second substrate.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
173 words
A method for eliminating a carbonaceous substance deposited on inner walls of a reaction chamber, said method comprising the steps of: providing said reaction chamber with said inner walls; evacuating said reaction chamber; inputting a fluorine containing gas to said reaction chamber; inputting an electric energy to said reaction chamber to convert said fluorine containing gas to plasma so that said carbonaceous substance is removed from said inner walls of the reaction chamber; removing said fluorine containing gas and said carbonaceous substance from said reaction chamber where some of the fluorine containing gas may remain on the inner walls of the reaction chamber; inputting a hydrogen or an inactive gas to said reaction chamber after said fluorine containing gas and said carbonaceous substance are removed from the reaction chamber; and inputting an electric energy to said reaction chamber to convert said hydrogen or inactive gas to plasma so that at least fluorine from said fluorine containing gas remaining on the inner walls of the reaction chamber is eliminated from inside the reaction chamber.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
173 words
A method for eliminating a carbonaceous substance deposited on inner walls of a reaction chamber, said method comprising the steps of: providing said reaction chamber with said inner walls; evacuating said reaction chamber; inputting a fluorine containing gas to said reaction chamber; inputting an electric energy to said reaction chamber to convert said fluorine containing gas to plasma so that said carbonaceous substance is removed from said inner walls of the reaction chamber; removing said fluorine containing gas and said carbonaceous substance from said reaction chamber where some of the fluorine containing gas may remain on the inner walls of the reaction chamber; inputting a hydrogen or an inactive gas to said reaction chamber after said fluorine containing gas and said carbonaceous substance are removed from the reaction chamber; and inputting an electric energy to said reaction chamber to convert said hydrogen or inactive gas to plasma so that at least fluorine from said fluorine containing gas remaining on the inner walls of the reaction chamber is eliminated from inside the reaction chamber.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 5 wherein said fluorine containing gas is NF 3 .
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 5 wherein said inactive; gas to an argon 6.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
102 words
The method of claim 5 where a first processing step is performed in said reaction chamber to form a coating of said carbonaceous substance on a first substrate disposed within the reaction chamber and then the coated substrate is removed from the reaction chamber before said evacuating step and where the next processing step performed in said reaction chamber after the first processing step comprises forming said carbonaceous substance on a second substrate disposed within the reaction chamber, said next processing step being performed after said fluorine from said fluorine gas remaining on the inner walls of the reaction chamber is eliminated.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 8 where said first processing step and said next processing step are each a chemical vapor deposition step for respectively forming the carbonaceous substance on the first and second substrates.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-01-05 | 1996-07-06 | 1997-01-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-01-05 | 2000-07-06 | 2001-01-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-01-05 | 2004-07-06 | 2005-01-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |