Components and systems for cleaning a tool for forming a semiconductor device, and related methods
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorsKen Tokashiki, Gurtej S. Sandhu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of cleaning a tool for forming a semiconductor device includes heating a wafer comprising a ceramic material to heat at least the ceramic material, positioning the heated wafer on an electrostatic chuck of a tool for forming a semiconductor device such that deposits located proximate the heated wafer are heated to vaporize at least some of the deposits, and removing the vaporized deposits from the tool. Related methods of forming semiconductor devices, related systems, and related cleaning wafers are disclosed.
Claims27
A method of cleaning a tool for forming a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
- heating a wafer comprising a first material comprising a ceramic material and a second material comprising a thermally insulative material having a different composition than the first material, the first material surrounding an outer circumference of the second material;
- positioning the heated wafer on an electrostatic chuck of a tool for forming a semiconductor device such that deposits located proximate the heated wafer are heated to vaporize at least some of the deposits, positioning the heated wafer on the electrostatic chuck comprising contacting a major surface of the electrostatic chuck with the second material and with the first material;
- and
- removing the vaporized deposits from the tool.
A system for cleaning a tool for forming a semiconductor device, the system comprising:
- a wafer comprising a first material exhibiting a specific heat capacity greater than about 400 J/kgK at about 20° C. and a second material comprising a thermally insulative material, the first material surrounding an entire circumference of the second material and directly overlying and contacting an upper surface of the second material;
- a heating chamber configured to heat the wafer;
- and
- a tool comprising:
- an electrostatic chuck configured to receive the wafer;
- an edge ring disposed around a portion of the electrostatic chuck;
- and
- a pocket region between the edge ring and the electrostatic chuck, the wafer elevated relative to the edge ring, the pocket region at least partially defined by a space between the wafer and the edge ring, wherein a lower surface of the second material directly contacts the electrostatic chuck, the first material not contacting the electrostatic chuck.
A method of forming a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
- patterning a semiconductor wafer in a chamber of a tool;
- removing the semiconductor wafer from the tool;
- heating a cleaning wafer comprising a first material having a specific heat capacity greater than about 400 J/kg·K at about 20° C. and a second material comprising a thermally insulative material having a lower thermal conductivity than the first material, the first material surrounding only a circumference of the second material;
- disposing the heated cleaning wafer on an electrostatic chuck of the tool, the first material proximate deposits located in a pocket region of the tool defined between the electrostatic chuck and an edge ring such that the deposits proximate the first material are heated, disposing the heated cleaning wafer on the electrostatic chuck comprising contacting a central portion of the electrostatic chuck with the second material and an outer portion of the electrostatic chuck with the first material;
- and
- removing the deposits from the tool.
A cleaning wafer for cleaning a tool used for fabricating a semiconductor device, the cleaning wafer comprising:
- a thermally insulative material;
- and
- a high specific heat capacity material selected from the group consisting of boron nitride, boron carbide, aluminum carbide, tungsten nitride, beryllium oxide, polyimide, graphite, and graphene surrounding at least a portion of the thermally insulative material and configured to be disposed on an electrostatic chuck of a tool used for fabricating a semiconductor device, the high specific heat capacity material configured to overlie a pocket defined between the electrostatic chuck and an edge ring of the tool.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.