Enhanced remote plasma cleaning

US6868856B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Applied Materials, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Thomas Nowak · Cupertino, US
• Ian Latchford · Palo Alto, US
• Tsutomu Tanaka · Nishinomiya, JP
• Bok Heon Kim · San Jose, US
• Ping Xu · Osaka, JP
• Jason K. Foster · San Jose, US
• Heath B. DeShong · Livermore, US
• Martin Jay Seamons · San Jose, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 13, 2001
• Grant date: Mar 22, 2005
• Expiry date: Nov 7, 2022

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S134/902
• WIPO field: Surface technology, coating
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for cleaning semiconductor processing equipment. The apparatus include both local and remote gas dissociators coupled to a semiconductor processing chamber to be cleaned. The methods include introducing a precursor gas into the remote dissociator where the gas is dissociated and introducing a portion of the dissociated gas into the chamber. Another portion of the dissociated gas which re-associates before introduction into the chamber is also introduced into the chamber where it is again dissociated. The dissociated gas combines with contaminants in the chamber and is exhausted from the chamber along with the contaminants.