Aluminum fluoride mitigation by plasma treatment
US10688538B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 19, 2017 |
| Grant date | Jun 23, 2020 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 19, 2037 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01J37/32862
- WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
Implementations described herein generally relate to methods and apparatus for in-situ removal of unwanted deposition buildup from one or more interior surfaces of a semiconductor substrate-processing chamber. In one implementation, the method comprises forming a reactive fluorine species from a fluorine-containing cleaning gas mixture. The method further comprises delivering the reactive fluorine species into a processing volume of a substrate-processing chamber. The processing volume includes one or more aluminum-containing interior surfaces having unwanted deposits formed thereon. The method further comprises permitting the reactive fluorine species to react with the unwanted deposits and aluminum-containing interior surfaces of the substrate-processing chamber to form aluminum fluoride. The method further comprises exposing nitrogen-containing cleaning gas mixture to in-situ plasma to form reactive nitrogen species in the processing volume. The method further comprises permitting the reactive nitrogen species to react with the ammonium fluoride to convert the aluminum fluoride to aluminum nitride.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.