CVD chamber cleaning using mixed PFCs from capture/recycle
AssigneeAir Products and Chemicals, Inc.
InventorsJohn Giles Langan, Andrew David Johnson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of using PFCs recovered from the effluent of a CVD chamber cleaning process as an influent for the cleaning process is provided which includes the steps of selecting a first PFC gas mixture having a first ratio of C2F6 to CF4, providing the first PFC gas mixture as the influent gas to the CVD chamber to create a CVD chamber effluent gas of a second PFC gas mixture having a second ratio of C2F6 to CF4, adding virgin C2F6 or CF4 to the CVD chamber effluent gas in sufficient quantity to create a third PFC gas mixture having the first ratio of C2F6 to CF4, and using the third PFC gas mixture as the influent gas to the CVD chamber.
Claims15
A method of using PFCs recovered from the effluent of a CVD chamber cleaning process as an influent for the CVD chamber cleaning process, comprising the steps of:
- (a) selecting a first PFC gas mixture having a first ratio of C2F6 to CF4;
- (b) providing the first PFC gas mixture as the influent gas to the CVD chamber, wherein the influent gas reacts during the cleaning process to create a CVD chamber effluent gas comprising a second PFC gas mixture having a second ratio of C2F6 to CF4;
- (c) adding virgin C2F6 or CF4 to the CVD chamber effluent gas in sufficient quantity to create a third PFC gas mixture having the first ratio of C2F6 to CF4;
- (d) using the third PFC gas mixture as the influent gas to the CVD chamber;
- and
- (e) continuing to add virgin C2F6 or CF4 to the CVD chamber effluent gas to create the third PFC mixture and continuing to use the third PFC gas mixture as the influent gas to the CVD chamber.
A method of using PFCs recovered from the effluent of a CVD chamber cleaning process as an influent for the CVD chamber cleaning process, comprising the steps of:
- (a) selecting a first PFC gas mixture having a first ratio of C2F6 to CF4 greater than or equal to 1;
- (b) providing the first PFC gas mixture as the influent gas to the CVD chamber, wherein the influent gas reacts during the cleaning process to create a CVD chamber effluent gas comprising a second PFC gas mixture having a second ratio of C2F6 to CF4;
- (c) adding virgin C2F6 or CF4 to the CVD chamber effluent gas in sufficient quantity to create a third PFC gas mixture having the first ratio of C2F6 to CF4;
- (d) using the third PFC gas mixture as the influent gas to the CVD chamber;
- and
- (e) continuing to add virgin C2F6 or CF4 to the CVD chamber effluent gas to create the third PFC mixture and continuing to use the third PFC gas mixture as the influent gas to the CVD chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.