Patent US6125859A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6125859A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method for improved cleaning of substrate processing systems
Assignee: Applied Materials Inc
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Filing: 1997-07-11
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Granted: 2000-10-03
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Expires: 2017-07-11
Abstract
Abstract A method for a multiple-stage microwave plasma cleaning technique for efficiently cleaning a substrate processing chamber. In a specific embodiment, a two-stage cleaning process is described. The first stage begins by flowing a reactive gas from a gas source into a processing chamber where microwaves ignite and maintain a plasma from the reactive gas. Reactive radicals generated which react with residues on the interior surfaces of the processing chamber. In the second stage, an inert gas is flowed into the processing chamber in addition to the reactive gas. Microwaves then ignite and maintain a plasma from the reactive gas and optionally, the inert gas as well. Optionally, an inert gas can be flowed into the processing chamber prior to the first stage to remove loose particles from the processing chamber. The reactive gas in such embodiments is preferably NF 3 , but other fluorine-containing gases such as carbon tetrafluoride (CF 4 ) or sulfur hexafluoride (SF 6 ) may also be used. Moreover, chlorine- or other halogen-containing gases may also be used as the reactive gas in other embodiments in place of fluorine-containing gases.
Inventors
- 👤 Chien-Teh Kao
- 👤 Karl Anthony Littau
- 👤 Anand Vasudev
- 👤 Dong Won Koo
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 01:53
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/32; H01J37/32431; H01J37/32798; H01J37/32853; H01J37/32862; H10; H10P; H10P52/00; C; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/44; C23C16/50; C23C16/511; C23C16/52; H01J37/32009; H01J37/32192; H01J37/32357; H01J9/00; H01J9/38; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S156/00; Y10S156/916; Y10S438/00; Y10S438/905
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
142 words
A method for removing residue from an interior surface of a substrate processing chamber, said method comprising: performing a plurality of cleaning stages, each one of said plurality of cleaning stages comprising: generating reactive halogen radicals by dissociating a halogen-containing gas using microwave energy, forming a gaseous cleaning mixture by mixing said reactive halogen radicals with an inert gas in a mixing ratio, and reacting a portion of said reactive halogen radicals with a portion of a residue accumulated on an interior surface of the substrate processing chamber to remove said portion of said residue, wherein said mixing ratio is equal to a first mixing ratio during one of said plurality of cleaning stages and said mixing ratio is equal to a second mixing ratio during another of said plurality of cleaning stages, said first and said second mixing ratios being different.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
142 words
A method for removing residue from an interior surface of a substrate processing chamber, said method comprising: performing a plurality of cleaning stages, each one of said plurality of cleaning stages comprising: generating reactive halogen radicals by dissociating a halogen-containing gas using microwave energy, forming a gaseous cleaning mixture by mixing said reactive halogen radicals with an inert gas in a mixing ratio, and reacting a portion of said reactive halogen radicals with a portion of a residue accumulated on an interior surface of the substrate processing chamber to remove said portion of said residue, wherein said mixing ratio is equal to a first mixing ratio during one of said plurality of cleaning stages and said mixing ratio is equal to a second mixing ratio during another of said plurality of cleaning stages, said first and said second mixing ratios being different.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said mixing ratio decreases monotonically with said each one of said plurality of cleaning stages.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said halogen-containing gas is a first halogen-containing gas during a first one of said cleaning stages and a second halogen-containing gas during a subsequent one of said cleaning stages.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said cleaning step is performed at a temperature of between about 400° C. and 700° C.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said cleaning step is performed at a cleaning temperature, said cleaning temperature being substantially equal to a temperature at which a substrate is processed in the substrate processing chamber.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said microwave energy creates a plasma from said halogen-containing gas.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 6, wherein said forming step is performed by introducing said inert gas into said plasma, such that said inert gas becomes part of said plasma.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said forming a gaseous cleaning mixture is performed by introducing said inert gas into said plasma, such that said inert gas becomes part of said plasma.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said forming a gaseous cleaning mixture is performed by introducing said inert gas into said reactive halogen radicals prior to introducing said gaseous cleaning mixture into the substrate processing chamber.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said forming a gaseous cleaning mixture is performed by introducing said inert gas into said reactive halogen radicals within the substrate processing chamber.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said microwave energy is at a frequency of about 2450 MHz.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said halogen-containing gas is a fluorine-containing gas.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said microwave energy is applied for a period of time between about 10 seconds and 1000 seconds during each one of said cleaning stages.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said microwave energy is between about 300 W and 3000 W.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said mixing ratio is a ratio of a flow rate of said inert gas to a flow rate of said halogen-containing gas.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 15, wherein said first mixing ratio is such that said flow rate of said inert gas is zero.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 15, wherein said flow rate of said halogen-containing gas is between about 50 sccm and 1000 sccm.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 15, wherein said flow rate of said inert gas is between about 0 sccm and 5000 sccm during a first one of said plurality of cleaning stages, and is between about 50 sccm and 5000 sccm during a second one of said plurality of cleaning stages.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 15, wherein said mixing ratio is between about 0:1 and 100:1 during a first one of said plurality of cleaning stages, and is between about 0.05:1 and 10:1 during a second one of said plurality of cleaning stages.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
247 words
A substrate processing system comprising: a housing forming a chamber; a remote microwave plasma system fluidly coupled to said chamber; a gas distribution system fluidly coupled to said chamber; a controller for controlling said gas distribution system and said remote microwave energy application system; and a memory coupled to said controller comprising a computer readable medium having a computer readable program embodied therein for directing operation of said substrate processing system to perform a cleaning process to clean an interior surface of said chamber, said computer readable program comprising computer instructions to control said substrate processing system to perform a chamber clean process including a plurality of clean stages, wherein for each of said plurality of clean stages said computer readable program includes: computer instructions for controlling said gas distribution system to flow a halogen-containing gas into said remote microwave plasma system; computer instructions for controlling said remote microwave plasma system to form a plasma from said halogen-containing gas, said plasma including reactive halogen radicals; and computer instructions for controlling said gas distribution system to form a gaseous cleaning mixture within said chamber by combining a flow of an inert gas with said reactive halogen radicals in a mixing ratio, wherein said mixing ratio is equal to a first mixing ratio during one of said plurality of cleaning stages and said mixing ratio is equal to a second mixing ratio during another of said plurality of cleaning stages, said first and said second mixing ratios being different.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
247 words
A substrate processing system comprising: a housing forming a chamber; a remote microwave plasma system fluidly coupled to said chamber; a gas distribution system fluidly coupled to said chamber; a controller for controlling said gas distribution system and said remote microwave energy application system; and a memory coupled to said controller comprising a computer readable medium having a computer readable program embodied therein for directing operation of said substrate processing system to perform a cleaning process to clean an interior surface of said chamber, said computer readable program comprising computer instructions to control said substrate processing system to perform a chamber clean process including a plurality of clean stages, wherein for each of said plurality of clean stages said computer readable program includes: computer instructions for controlling said gas distribution system to flow a halogen-containing gas into said remote microwave plasma system; computer instructions for controlling said remote microwave plasma system to form a plasma from said halogen-containing gas, said plasma including reactive halogen radicals; and computer instructions for controlling said gas distribution system to form a gaseous cleaning mixture within said chamber by combining a flow of an inert gas with said reactive halogen radicals in a mixing ratio, wherein said mixing ratio is equal to a first mixing ratio during one of said plurality of cleaning stages and said mixing ratio is equal to a second mixing ratio during another of said plurality of cleaning stages, said first and said second mixing ratios being different.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
40 words
The system of claim 20 wherein said computer instructions for controlling said gas distribution system form said gaseous cleaning mixture form said mixture so that said mixing ratio decreases monotonically with said each one of said plurality of cleaning stages.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
52 words
The system of claim 20 wherein said computer instructions for controlling said gas distribution system to flow said halogen-containing gas into said remote microwave plasma system flow a first halogen-containing gas during a first one of said cleaning stages and a second halogen-containing gas during a subsequent one of said cleaning stages.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
220 words
A substrate processing system comprising: a housing forming a chamber; a microwave energy application system coupled to said chamber; a gas distribution system fluidly coupled to said chamber; a controller for controlling said gas distribution system and said remote microwave energy application system; and a memory coupled to said controller comprising a computer readable medium having a computer readable program embodied therein for directing operation of said substrate processing system to perform a cleaning process to clean an interior surface of said chamber, said computer readable program comprising computer instructions to control said substrate processing system to perform a chamber clean process including a plurality of clean stages, wherein for each of said plurality of clean stages said computer readable program includes: computer instructions for controlling said gas distribution system to flow, during a first cleaning stage, a cleaning gas comprising a halogen-containing gas and an inert gas into said chamber, at a first mixing ratio; computer instructions for controlling said gas distribution system to flow said cleaning gas into said chamber in a second mixing ratio during a second cleaning stage, said first and said second mixing ratios being different; and computer instructions for controlling said microwave system to form a plasma from said cleaning gas during said first and second cleaning stages, said plasma including reactive halogen radicals.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
220 words
A substrate processing system comprising: a housing forming a chamber; a microwave energy application system coupled to said chamber; a gas distribution system fluidly coupled to said chamber; a controller for controlling said gas distribution system and said remote microwave energy application system; and a memory coupled to said controller comprising a computer readable medium having a computer readable program embodied therein for directing operation of said substrate processing system to perform a cleaning process to clean an interior surface of said chamber, said computer readable program comprising computer instructions to control said substrate processing system to perform a chamber clean process including a plurality of clean stages, wherein for each of said plurality of clean stages said computer readable program includes: computer instructions for controlling said gas distribution system to flow, during a first cleaning stage, a cleaning gas comprising a halogen-containing gas and an inert gas into said chamber, at a first mixing ratio; computer instructions for controlling said gas distribution system to flow said cleaning gas into said chamber in a second mixing ratio during a second cleaning stage, said first and said second mixing ratios being different; and computer instructions for controlling said microwave system to form a plasma from said cleaning gas during said first and second cleaning stages, said plasma including reactive halogen radicals.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
40 words
The system of claim 23 wherein said computer instructions for controlling said gas distribution system form said gaseous cleaning mixture form said mixture so that said mixing ratio decreases monotonically with said each one of said plurality of cleaning stages.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said reactive halogen radicals are generated in a microwave cavity remote from said substrate processing chamber.
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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) | 2003-10-03 | 2004-04-03 | 2004-10-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-10-03 | 2008-04-03 | 2008-10-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-10-03 | 2012-04-03 | 2012-10-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |