Cleaning of hydrogen plasma down-stream apparatus
US5885361A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 4, 1995 |
| Grant date | Mar 23, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 4, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB08B7/0035
- WIPO fieldChemical engineering
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A method of cleaning a hydrogen plasma down-stream apparatus for processing a material in a process chamber by guiding a down-stream of hydrogen plasma generated in a plasma generating space onto the material via a gas flow path with an inner main portion thereof being made of quartz, wherein plasma of a gas containing hydrogen, preferably containing hydrogen and water vapor, is generated in the plasma generating space, nitrogen fluoride is added at a down-stream position from the plasma, and a down-stream of the plasma is directed to the process chamber to clean the gas flow path. Amount of hydrogen radicals can be monitored by a metal sheath thermocouple. A hydrogen plasma down-stream apparatus suitable for removing a native oxide film or a resist film on the surface of silicon can be efficiently cleaned without disassembling it.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.