Apparatus for in-situ chamber cleaning

An apparatus for the in-situ cleaning of the interior surface of the wall therein and/or the tooling or substrates to be disposed therein comprising:

• a processing chamber including a chamber wall that is composed substantially of dielectric material;
• at least one powered electrode formed from a thin film of conductive material deposited directly on the exterior surface of said chamber wall;
• at least one grounded electrode formed from a thin film of conductive material deposited directly on the exterior surface of said chamber wall;
• a means for introducing gas into said chamber;
• a means for supplying a gas to said gas introducing means;
• a means for establishing and maintaining a reduced pressure environment within said chamber;
• a means for supplying radio frequency electric power;
• said powered electrode, said grounded electrode and said RF power supply means forming an electrical network;
• said electrical network formed to create a radio frequency electrical field between said powered electrode and said grounded electrode, whereby a plasma is created in the interior of said chamber by the interaction of said gas and said RF electrical field under sub-atmospheric pressure conditions, said plasma acting to clean unwanted deposits and/or contaminants from the inner surface of the wall of said chamber and/or the tooling or substrates to be disposed within said chamber.