Dilute remote plasma clean
US6329297A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 21, 2000 |
| Grant date | Dec 11, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 21, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S156/916
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus for enhancing the etch characteristics of a plasma formed in a remote plasma generator. A plasma formed in a remote plasma generator (27) is flown through a tube (62) to a plenum (60) where it is diluted to form a plasma mixture before flowing the plasma mixture into a processing chamber (15). The plasma mixture is used to clean deposits from the interior surfaces of the processing chamber, or can be used to perform an etch step on a process wafer within the processing chamber. In one embodiment, a plasma formed from NF.sub.3 is diluted with N.sub.2 to etch residue from the surfaces of a processing chamber used to deposit silicon oxide glass. Diluting the plasma increased the etching rate and made the etching rate more uniform across the diameter of the processing chamber.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.