Methods and apparatus for cleaning deposition reactors
US8262800B1 · kind B1 · utility
16Cited by
21References
23Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 12, 2008 |
| Grant date | Sep 11, 2012 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 16, 2030 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01J37/32862
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Improved methods of removing tungsten film from the interior reactor and reactor component surfaces between tungsten deposition operations are provided. The methods involve increasing the availability of molecular fluorine to remove tungsten from the reactor while maintaining fast removal rates. Certain embodiments involve a multi-stage process including a stage in which atomic fluorine is introduced at a low pressure (e.g., about 8 Torr or less) and a stage in which molecular fluorine is introduced or allowed to form in the chamber at high pressure (e.g., about 8 Torr or higher).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.