Process and method for in-situ dry cleaning of thin film deposition reactors and thin film layers
US10240230B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 18, 2012 |
| Grant date | Mar 26, 2019 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 15, 2034 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L21/02046
- WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
The invention relates to the use of thionyl chloride and related materials for dry etching of internal surfaces of metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) reactors to remove deposits. The method is also useful for the dry etching of process substrates within such reactors for cleaning and processing of those substrates. The invention may be particularly adaptable to chemical vapor deposition reactors used in the manufacture of high brightness LED's based on III-V semiconductors such as GaN and related materials. Features of the process include thermal, UV, and plasma activated dry cleaning, and the use of etchant gases such as COCl2, COBr2, COl2, SOl2, SOCl2, SOBr2, SO2Cl2, SO2Br2, NOCI, NOBr, NOl, S2Cl2, S2Br2, SCI2, SBr2, SOClBr, SOClF and SOFBr, either formed from neat materials or combinations of constituent gases such as CO, SO, SO2 or NO with halogens, to achieve the desired effect.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.