Reducing particulate contamination during semiconductor device processing
US5328555A · kind A · utility
39Cited by
4References
7Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 24, 1992 |
| Grant date | Jul 12, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 24, 2012 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S438/906
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A process of removing particles from the surface of a substrate to be processed in a vacuum chamber comprising forming a plasma from an inert plasma precursor gas in said chamber, thereby lifting loosely adhered particles from the surface of the substrate, and increasing the flow of said inert gas without increasing the pressure in the vacuum chamber, thereby sweeping the particles beyond the surface of the substrate, where they can be removed by the vacuum chamber exhaust system. Particles having a particle size of about 0.1 micron or larger can be removed in this fashion.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.