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US 10,500,614 B2Granted
Temperature controlled remote plasma clean for exhaust deposit removal
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsMartin A. Hilkene, David K. Carlson, Matthew D. Scotney-Castle
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a methods and apparatuses for cleaning exhaust systems, such as exhaust systems used with process chambers for the formation of epitaxial silicon. The exhaust system includes a remote plasma source for supplying ionized gas through the exhaust system, and one or more temperature sensors positioned downstream of the remote plasma source.
Claims9
A processing system, comprising:
- a process chamber in which substrates are processed;
- and
- an exhaust system coupled to the process chamber, the exhaust system comprising:
- a remote plasma source for supplying an ionized cleaning gas to the exhaust system downstream of the process chamber, wherein the remote plasma source comprises an input through which cleaning gas flows into the remote plasma source;
- a first isolation valve downstream of the process chamber;
- a second isolation valve downstream of the remote plasma source;
- a pressure control valve downstream of the first isolation valve and the second isolation valve;
- a first sensor configured to measure a temperature of the exhaust system downstream of the first isolation valve and the second isolation valve and upstream of the pressure control valve;
- a second sensor configured to measure a temperature of the exhaust system downstream of the pressure control valve;
- and
- a controller configured to receive temperature data from the first and second sensors and decrease a flow rate of ionized cleaning gas exiting the remote plasma source when a temperature in the exhaust system is determined by the controller to be above a predetermined limit.
8 more elements
A processing system, comprising:
- a process chamber in which substrates are processed;
- and
- an exhaust system coupled to the process chamber, the exhaust system comprising:
- a remote plasma source for supplying an ionized cleaning gas to the exhaust system downstream of the process chamber, wherein the remote plasma source comprises an input through which cleaning gas flows into the remote plasma source;
- a first isolation valve downstream of the process chamber;
- a second isolation valve downstream of the remote plasma source;
- a pressure control valve downstream of the first isolation valve and the second isolation valve;
- a first sensor configured to measure a temperature of the exhaust system downstream of the first isolation valve and the second isolation valve and upstream of the pressure control valve;
- a second sensor configured to measure a temperature of the exhaust system downstream of the pressure control valve;
- a controller configured to receive temperature data from the first and second sensors and decrease a flow rate of ionized cleaning gas exiting the remote plasma source when a temperature in the exhaust system is determined by the controller to be above a predetermined limit;
- an endpoint detection system downstream of the pressure control valve;
- and
- a vacuum pump downstream of the endpoint detection system.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.