Patent · US Expired

Processing method and apparatus for removing oxide film

US6776874B2 · kind B2 · utility

35Cited by
23References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 15, 2000
Grant dateAug 17, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 15, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L21/67115
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A processing method and apparatus for removing a native oxide film from the surface of a subject to be treated, wherein plasma is generated from N2 and H2 gases and then activated to form an activated gas species, NF3 gas is added to the activated gas species to generate an activated gas of these three gases, the subject is cooled to not higher than a predetermined temperature by a cooling means, gas generated from the N2, H2 and NF3 gases is reacted with the surface of the subject to degenerate the native oxide film into a reactive film, the reactive film is sublimated and thus the native oxide film is removed if the subject is heated to a given temperature; a cluster system which includes the above apparatus and other apparatuses and which is capable of carrying a subject to be treated in an unreactive atmosphere.

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