Cleaning step in supercritical processing
OwnerRichard Brown, Joseph Hillmaninventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for removing a residue from a surface of an object located on a support region within a processing chamber is disclosed. The apparatus comprises means for performing a dual-pressure cleaning process and means for performing a rinsing process. The means for performing a dual-pressure cleaning process comprises: means for pressurizing the processing chamber to a first pressure; means for introducing a cleaning chemistry into the processing chamber; means for recirculating the cleaning chemistry within the processing chamber for a first period of time; means for increasing a pressure of the processing chamber to a second pressure; and means for recirculating the cleaning chemistry within the processing chamber for a second period of time.
Claims43
A method of processing a substrate comprising the steps of:
- positioning the substrate on a substrate holder in a processing chamber;
- pressurizing the processing chamber to a first pressure;
- introducing a cleaning chemistry into the processing chamber;
- recirculating the cleaning chemistry within the processing chamber for a first period of time to remove a first portion of residue from the substrate;
- increasing the processing chamber pressure to a second pressure;
- and
- recirculating the cleaning chemistry within the processing chamber for a second period of time to remove a second portion of residue from the substrate.
An apparatus for removing a residue from a surface of a substrate located on a substrate holder within a processing chamber, comprising:
- means for pressurizing the processing chamber to a first pressure using a high-pressure fluid;
- means for introducing a cleaning chemistry into the processing chamber, the cleaning chemistry comprising a cleaning agent in the high-pressure fluid;
- means for recirculating the cleaning chemistry within the processing chamber for a first period of time to remove a first portion of residue from the substrate, wherein the cleaning agent is partially soluble in the high-pressure fluid during the first period of time;
- means for increasing the processing chamber pressure to a second pressure;
- and
- means for recirculating the cleaning chemistry within the processing chamber for a second period of time to remove a second portion of residue from the substrate, wherein the cleaning agent is substantially completely soluble in the high-pressure fluid during the second period of time.
A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions for:
- pressurizing a processing chamber to a first pressure using a high-pressure fluid;
- introducing a cleaning chemistry into the processing chamber, the cleaning chemistry comprising a cleaning agent in the high-pressure fluid;
- recirculating the cleaning chemistry within the processing chamber for a first period of time to remove a first portion of residue from the substrate, wherein the cleaning agent is partially soluble in the high-pressure fluid during the first period of time;
- increasing the processing chamber pressure to a second pressure;
- and
- recirculating the cleaning chemistry within the processing chamber for a second period of time to remove a second portion of residue from the substrate, wherein the cleaning agent is substantially completely soluble in the high-pressure fluid during the second period of time.
A method of operating a controller in a processing system configured to process a substrate, the method comprising the steps of:
- instructing a high-pressure fluid supply system to pressurize the processing chamber to a first pressure using a high-pressure fluid;
- instructing a process chemistry supply system to introduce a cleaning chemistry into the processing chamber, the cleaning chemistry comprising a cleaning agent in the high-pressure fluid;
- instructing a recirculation system to recirculate the cleaning chemistry within the processing chamber for a first period of time to remove a first portion of residue from the substrate, wherein the cleaning agent is partially soluble in the high-pressure fluid during the first period of time;
- instructing the high-pressure fluid supply system to increase the processing chamber pressure to a second pressure;
- and
- instructing the recirculation system to recirculate the cleaning chemistry within the processing chamber for a second period of time to remove a second portion of residue from the substrate, wherein the cleaning agent is substantially completely soluble in the high-pressure fluid during the second period of time.
Computer-executable instructions for operating a controller in a processing system configured to process a substrate, the method comprising the steps of:
- computer-executable instructions for instructing a high-pressure fluid supply system to pressurize the processing chamber to a first pressure using a high-pressure fluid;
- computer-executable instructions for instructing a process chemistry supply system to introduce a cleaning chemistry into the processing chamber, the cleaning chemistry comprising a cleaning agent in the high-pressure fluid;
- computer-executable instructions for instructing a recirculation system to recirculate the cleaning chemistry within the processing chamber for a first period of time to remove a first portion of residue from the substrate, wherein the rinsing agent is partially soluble in the high-pressure fluid during the first period of time;
- computer-executable instructions for instructing the high-pressure fluid supply system to increase the processing chamber pressure to a second pressure;
- and
- computer-executable instructions for instructing the recirculation system to recirculate the cleaning chemistry within the processing chamber for a second period of time to remove a second portion of residue from the substrate, wherein the cleaning agent is substantially completely soluble in the high-pressure fluid during the second period of time.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.