Fluorine process for cleaning semiconductor process chamber
US6880561B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 5, 2003 |
| Grant date | Apr 19, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 5, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S438/905
- WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A process for removing residue from the interior of a semiconductor process chamber using molecular fluorine gas (F2) as the principal precursor reagent. In one embodiment a portion of the molecular fluorine is decomposed in a plasma to produce atomic fluorine, and the resulting mixture of atomic fluorine and molecular fluorine is supplied to the chamber whose interior is to be cleaned. In another embodiment the molecular fluorine gas cleans the semiconductor process chamber without any plasma excitation. Molecular fluorine gas has the advantage of not being a global warming gas, unlike fluorine-containing gas compounds conventionally used for chamber cleaning such as NF3, C2F6 and SF6.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.