# US 12,014,902 B2 · System and method of cleaning process chamber components > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,014,902 B2 - Document ID: US12014902B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/887,992 - Filed: 2022-08-15 - Published: 2024-02-15 - Granted: 2024-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2022-08-15 - Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc. - Applicants: Applied Materials, Inc. - Inventors: Jong Yun Kim; Kim Seong Sim; Roman M. Mostovoy; Won Ho Sung; Pei-Chia Chen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12014902B2 ## CPC - H01J 37/3244: {Gas supply means} - B08B 7/0035: {by radiant energy, e.g. UV, laser, light beam or the like} - C23C 16/4405: {Cleaning of reactor or parts inside the reactor by using reactive gases} - C23C 16/45563: {Gas nozzles} - C23C 16/4583: {the substrate being supported substantially horizontally} - C23C 16/52: Controlling or regulating the coating process {(C23C16/45557, C23C16/279 take precedence)} - H01J 37/32357: {Generation remote from the workpiece, e.g. down-stream} - H01J 37/32449: {Gas control, e.g. control of the gas flow} - H01J 37/32862: {In situ cleaning of vessels and/or internal parts} - H01J 37/32477: {characterised by the means for protecting vessels or internal parts, e.g. coatings} - H01J 2237/24507: Intensity, dose or other characteristics of particle beams or electromagnetic radiation - H01J 2237/3321: CVD [Chemical Vapor Deposition] - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) - B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) ## Abstract Embodiments described herein relate to process systems for cleaning semiconductor process chamber components. The process systems include a process chamber having process chamber components. The process chamber components include a substrate support disposed within a chamber volume of the process chamber. A gas distribution assembly faces the substrate support. A gas baffle is fluidly coupled to the gas distribution assembly. A sensor system is coupled to the process chamber and is configured to monitor at least one characteristic of the volume of the process chamber. A dynamic gas assist is fluidly coupled to the gas baffle and is communicatively coupled to the sensor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system, comprising: a process chamber comprising a substrate support disposed within a chamber volume of the process chamber; a gas distribution assembly facing the substrate support; a gas baffle fluidly coupled to the gas distribution assembly; a sensor coupled to the process chamber and configured to monitor at least one characteristic of the volume of the process chamber; and a dynamic gas assist fluidly coupled to the gas baffle and communicatively coupled to the sensor, the dynamic gas assist comprising: a movable body disposed within a housing, the housing concentric with the movable body; a split wing bisecting the movable body and movable along an axis perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the movable body; and a barrier plate coupled to the movable body and disposed adjacent to the split wing. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the dynamic gas assist is configured to be coupled to a cleaning gas source. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the dynamic gas assist comprises a plurality of assemblies, each assembly coupled to the process chamber at different locations, each assembly in fluid communication with one or more remote plasma sources. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the movable body is rotatable about a center longitudinal axis of the movable body. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a plurality of sensors, each sensor positioned and oriented to monitor a zone of the chamber volume. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein a first sensor of the plurality of sensors is configured to monitor a first zone of the chamber volume and a second sensor of the plurality of sensors is configured to monitor a second zone of the chamber volume, wherein the first and second zones partially overlap with one another. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the split wing is coupled to the movable body, the split wing configured to tilt about an axis perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the movable body. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the dynamic gas assist further comprises a first motor configured to actuate the movable body and a second motor configured to actuate the split wing. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the gas baffle comprises: a backing plate having a central bore formed therethrough; and an integrated cross structure formed in the central bore, the cross structure forming a plurality of openings. ### Claim 10 An apparatus for distributing cleaning gases to a process volume of a semiconductor process chamber, the apparatus comprising: a movable body disposed within a housing, the housing concentric with the movable body; a split wing bisecting the movable body and movable along an axis perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the movable body; and a barrier plate coupled to the movable body and disposed adjacent to the split wing. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the housing comprises: a first major surface having a one or more apertures for fastening the first major surface to a lid of a process chamber; and a second major surface opposing the first major surface and configured to be coupled to a remote plasma source. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the barrier plate comprises a first edge adjacent to the first major surface of the housing and a second edge adjacent substantially parallel to an edge of the split wing. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first edge forms an apex, wherein the barrier plate has a maximum height at a center of the barrier plate. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a first motor coupled to the movable body and a second motor coupled to the split wing. ### Claim 15 A method of cleaning semiconductor deposition chamber components, the method comprising: providing a cleaning gas to a process volume of a process chamber using a first operating condition, the process chamber comprising: a movable body disposed within a housing, the housing concentric with the movable body; a split wing bisecting the movable body and movable along an axis perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the movable body; and a barrier plate coupled to the movable body and disposed adjacent to the split wing; detecting a characteristic indicative of reaction between the cleaning gas and a composition disposed on one or more chamber components; and adjusting the first operating condition based on the characteristic, the first operating condition comprising a gas flow distribution of the cleaning gas within one or more zones of the process volume, the adjusting includes adjusting at least one of the movable body, the barrier plate, or the split wing. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the characteristic is a light intensity emitted during reaction of the cleaning gas and the composition. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein detecting the characteristic comprises: detecting a first light intensity at a first zone of the process volume; and detecting a second light intensity at a second zone of the process volume. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising diverting a gas flow direction of the cleaning gas from the first zone to the second zone, wherein the first light intensity is lower than the second light intensity. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein providing the cleaning gas comprises energizing nitrogen trifluoride to form fluorine radicals and reacting the fluorine radicals with the composition to remove the composition from one or more of the chamber components.