Plasma cleaning method for removing residues in a plasma treatment chamber
US5356478A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 3, 1994 |
| Grant date | Oct 18, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 3, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01J37/32862
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A plasma cleaning method for removing residues previously formed in a plasma treatment chamber by dry etching layers such as photoresist, barriers, etc., on a wafer. The method includes introducing a cleaning gas mixture of an oxidizing gas and a chlorine containing gas into the chamber followed by performing a plasma cleaning step. The plasma cleaning step is performed by activating the cleaning gas mixture and forming a plasma cleaning gas, contacting interior surfaces of the chamber with the plasma cleaning gas and removing residues on the interior surfaces. The cleaning gas mixture can also include a fluorine-based gas. For instance, the cleaning gas can include Cl.sub.2 and O.sub.2 and optionally CF.sub.4. An advantage of the cleaning method is that it is not necessary to open the plasma treatment chamber. Also, it is possible to completely remove all residues and prevent by-products formed during the cleaning step from remaining after the cleaning step.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.