Patent · US Expired

Apparatus and method for removing silicon dioxide residues from CVD reactors

US6209483A · kind A · utility

5Cited by
6References
1Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMay 5, 1999
Grant dateApr 3, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 5, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
  • CPC primaryC23C16/4405
  • WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

CVD reactors can be cleaned at surprisingly high rates using Non-Green House gases by employing the Non-Green House gases at high temperatures and with relatively high fluorine free radical concentrations so long as high concentrations of oxygen are also used to compensate for the detrimental effects of the high temperatures and free fluorine radical concentrations. Net oxide residue etch rates approximately 2,800 times greater than etch rates achieved with controlled Green House gases can be achieved. This is done by employing a pre-ionization module upstream of the reactor to be cleaned to generate the requisite high density plasma.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.