# US 5,707,451 A · Method and apparatus for cleaning a throttle valve

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- Number: US 5,707,451 A
- Document ID: US5707451A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/450,833
- Filed: 1995-05-25
- Granted: 1998-01-13
- Earliest claimed: 1994-02-03
- Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc.
- Inventors: Stuardo A. Robles; Thanh Pham; Bang C. Nguyen
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5707451A

## CPC

- H01J 37/32834: {Exhausting}
- 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 16/4412: {Details relating to the exhausts, e.g. pumps, filters, scrubbers, particle traps}
- H01J 37/32862: {In situ cleaning of vessels and/or internal parts}
- Y10S 438/905: Cleaning of reaction chamber
- 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)
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

An improved method of in-situ cleaning a throttle valve in a CVD device and exhaust flow control apparatus for facilitating such cleaning. The throttle valve is repositioned such that it is juxtaposed in close proximity to the exhaust gas port of the reaction chamber. A plasma is then ignited in a cleaning gas mixture of nitrogen trifluoride, hexafluoroethane and oxygen.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An exhaust flow control apparatus attached to a vacuum chamber for controlling a flow passage and regulating gas pressure in said chamber wherein said apparatus has the tendency of accumulating unwanted film deposits after repeated deposition processes being conducted in said chamber, comprising:
a throttle valve mounted adjacent to said vacuum chamber for regulating the gas pressure in said chamber;
a shut-off valve mounted downstream from and in fluid communication with said throttle valve for opening or closing said flow passage; and
a pump mounted downstream from said shut-off valve for evacuating gas from said vacuum chamber.

### Claim 2

A chemical vapor deposition device for depositing films on substrates comprising:
a vacuum chamber for conducting said film deposition process;
a throttle valve mounted not more than between 1.about.3 inches away from said vacuum chamber for regulating gas pressure in said chamber; and
a gas evacuating device downstream from and in fluid communication with said throttle valve.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

A device according to claim 2, wherein said device further includes a shut-off valve mounted downstream from and in fluid communication with said throttle valve.

### Claim 4

An exhaust flow control apparatus attached to a vacuum chamber for controlling a flow passage and regulating gas pressure in said chamber wherein said apparatus has the tendency of accumulating unwanted film deposits after repeated deposition processes being conducted in said chamber, comprising:
a throttle valve mounted not more than between 1.about.3 inches away from said vacuum chamber for regulating the gas pressure in said chamber; and
a pump mounted downstream from said shut-off valve for evacuating gas from said vacuum chamber.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

A device according to claim 4, wherein said device further includes a shut-off valve mounted downstream from and in fluid communication with said throttle valve.