Method of operating a PVD apparatus

A method of operating a PVD apparatus to perform a cleaning step and a deposition step on an electrically conductive feature formed on a semiconductor substrate comprising the steps of:

• providing a PVD apparatus comprising a chamber having a substrate support, a target, an RF bias signal supply for applying an RF bias to the substrate support and an electrical signal supply for supplying an electrical signal to the target;
• positioning the semiconductor substrate with the electrically conductive feature thereon on the substrate support;
• performing a cleaning step by introducing at least one inert gas into the chamber, applying an RF bias to the substrate support and supplying an electrical signal having an associated electrical power to the target, wherein the RF bias and electrical power are sufficient to remove material from the electrically conductive feature predominantly by etching with ions of the inert gas while the target is simultaneously sputtered;
• and
• performing a deposition step by applying no RF bias to the substrate support or applying an RF bias which is less than the RF bias applied to the substrate support during the cleaning step and supplying an electrical signal having an associated electrical power to the target, wherein the RF bias, if present, and electrical power are sufficient to deposit an electrically conductive deposition material onto the electrically conductive feature by PVD, wherein the substrate support is at a first position during the cleaning step and at a second position during the deposition step, and wherein the second position is closer to the target than the first position.