Patent · US Expired

Multiple stage process for cleaning process chambers

US6872322B1 · kind B1 · utility

30Cited by
78References
40Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 27, 1999
Grant dateMar 29, 2005
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 27, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L21/32137
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A process for etching multiple layers on a substrate 25 in an etching chamber 30 and cleaning a multilayer etchant residue formed on the surfaces of the walls 45 and components of the etching chamber 30. In multiple etching steps, process gas comprising different compositions of etchant gas is used to etch layers on the substrate 25 thereby depositing a compositionally variant etchant residue inside the chamber 30. In one cleaning step, a first cleaning gas is added to the process gas to clean a first residue or to suppress deposition of the first residue onto the chamber surfaces. In a second cleaning step, another residue composition is cleaned off the chamber surfaces using a second cleaning gas composition.

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