US5454903A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Plasma cleaning of a CVD or etch reactor using helium for plasma stabilization
Assignee: Applied Materials Inc
•
Filing: 1993-10-29
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Granted: 1995-10-03
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Expires: 2013-10-29
Abstract
Abstract A method of cleaning the interior of a vacuum chamber of an RF plasma reactor having RF plasma excitation apparatus and gas injection ports includes introducing etchant gases of the type tending to destabilize a plasma, such as NF 3 for example, into the vacuum chamber, applying RF power to the RF plasma excitation apparatus so as to ignite a plasma in the chamber and introducing an electron-donor gas into the chamber.
Inventors
- 👤 Fred C. Redeker
- 👤 Charles Dornfest
- 👤 John Y. Leong
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 03:34
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/32; H01J37/32431; H01J37/32798; H01J37/32853; H01J37/32862; C; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/44; C23C16/4401; C23C16/4405; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S438/00; Y10S438/905
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
112 words
A method of cleaning the interior of a vacuum chamber of either an etch reactor or a CVD reactor, said reactor having RF plasma excitation apparatus and gas inlet ports, comprising: introducing an etchant gas through said inlet ports into said vacuum chamber; applying RF power to said RF plasma excitation apparatus so as to ignite and maintain a plasma in said chamber; and introducing an electron-donor gas into said chamber while the plasma is being maintained within said chamber, said electron donor gas having a sufficiently low atomic mass to avoid introducing appreciable sputtering effects by said plasma, and wherein, said chamber is at a pressure in excess of 1.0 Torr.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
112 words
A method of cleaning the interior of a vacuum chamber of either an etch reactor or a CVD reactor, said reactor having RF plasma excitation apparatus and gas inlet ports, comprising: introducing an etchant gas through said inlet ports into said vacuum chamber; applying RF power to said RF plasma excitation apparatus so as to ignite and maintain a plasma in said chamber; and introducing an electron-donor gas into said chamber while the plasma is being maintained within said chamber, said electron donor gas having a sufficiently low atomic mass to avoid introducing appreciable sputtering effects by said plasma, and wherein, said chamber is at a pressure in excess of 1.0 Torr.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said etchant gas is of the type tending to destabilize a plasma.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said etchant gas comprises a fluorine compound.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said fluorine compound comprises a nitrogen-fluorine compounds.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 4 wherein said nitrogen-fluorine compound comprises NF 3 .
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said fluorine compound comprises a carbon-fluorine compound.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said etchant gas comprises an electronegative gas.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said electronegative gas comprises and nitrogen-fluorine compound.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said nitrogen-fluorine compound comprises NF 3 .
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 8 wherein said electronegative gas comprises a carbon-fluorine compound.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said electron-donor gas comprises a Noble gas.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said Noble gas comprises Helium.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
95 words
In a RF plasma chamber apparatus for processing substrates, a method of cleaning the processing chamber, comprising the steps of: introducing into a chamber environment a gas comprising fluorine; operating the apparatus at a megaHertz RF frequency to establish and maintain a plasma within said chamber; and providing an electron-donor gas into said chamber while the plasma is being maintained within said chamber, said electron donor gas having a sufficiently low molecular weight to avoid introducing appreciable sputtering effects by said plasma, and wherein, said chamber is at a pressure in excess of 1.0 Torr.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
95 words
In a RF plasma chamber apparatus for processing substrates, a method of cleaning the processing chamber, comprising the steps of: introducing into a chamber environment a gas comprising fluorine; operating the apparatus at a megaHertz RF frequency to establish and maintain a plasma within said chamber; and providing an electron-donor gas into said chamber while the plasma is being maintained within said chamber, said electron donor gas having a sufficiently low molecular weight to avoid introducing appreciable sputtering effects by said plasma, and wherein, said chamber is at a pressure in excess of 1.0 Torr.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 13, in which said electron-donor gas is Helium.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 13, in which said chamber environment is heated to substrate processing temperatures.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 13, in which said chamber environment is maintained in an evacuated state comparable to that suitable for processing of substrates.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
99 words
A method of cleaning the interior of a vacuum chamber for processing substrates, comprising: in the absence of a substrate, establishing an evacuated environment within said chamber which includes a cleaning gas comprising fluorine and nitrogen; establishing an RF plasma within said chamber to generate fluorine radicals for consuming unwanted depositions with said chamber; and stabilizing said plasma by introducing an electron donor gas into said environment, said electron donor gas having a sufficiently low molecular weight to avoid introducing appreciable sputtering effects by said plasma, and wherein, said chamber is at a pressure in excess of 1.0 Torr.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
99 words
A method of cleaning the interior of a vacuum chamber for processing substrates, comprising: in the absence of a substrate, establishing an evacuated environment within said chamber which includes a cleaning gas comprising fluorine and nitrogen; establishing an RF plasma within said chamber to generate fluorine radicals for consuming unwanted depositions with said chamber; and stabilizing said plasma by introducing an electron donor gas into said environment, said electron donor gas having a sufficiently low molecular weight to avoid introducing appreciable sputtering effects by said plasma, and wherein, said chamber is at a pressure in excess of 1.0 Torr.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as in claim 17 wherein said cleaning gas comprises NF 3 .
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method as in claim 17 wherein said electron-donor gas comprises Helium.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as in claim 17 in which said evacuated environment is heated to temperatures below about 1000 degrees C.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as in claim 17 in which said plasma is excited by an RF electric field in the megaHertz frequency range.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1998-10-02 | 1999-04-03 | 1999-10-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-10-02 | 2003-04-03 | 2003-10-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-10-02 | 2007-04-03 | 2007-10-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |