Method and apparatus for cleaning a vacuum line in a CVD system

A method of minimizing deposition within an exhaust line connected to a semiconductor processing chamber, said method comprising;

• passing gases exhausted from said processing chamber through a vessel chamber defining a gas passageway that is fluidly coupled to said exhaust line;
• trapping particulate matter present in said exhausted gases within said gas passageway with an electrostatic collector;
• and
• striking a plasma in said gas passageway to remove particulate matter deposited or trapped within said vessel chamber.

In a processing chamber in which silicon nitride is deposited by chemical vapor deposition onto a substrate, a method of minimizing residue build-up from said silicon nitride deposition in an exhaust line coupled to said processing chamber, said method comprising the steps of:

• pumping gases exhausted from said processing chamber through a vessel defining a fluid conduit having an inlet and an outlet;
• collecting particulate matter present in said exhausted gases in a collection area between the inlet and outlet of said vessel;
• forming a plasma in said collection area to react said collected particulate matter into gaseous products;
• and
• pumping said gaseous products from said vessel.

In a substrate processing chamber in which a layer is deposited by chemical vapor deposition onto a substrate, a method of minimizing build-up of residue from said chemical vapor deposition step in an exhaust line coupled to said processing chamber, said method comprising:

• pumping gases exhausted from said processing chamber during said chemical vapor deposition step through a vessel defining a fluid conduit having an inlet and an outlet;
• collecting particulate matter present in said exhausted gases in a collection area between the inlet and outlet of said vessel during said chemical vapor deposition step;
• forming a plasma in said collection area during a clean operation in said substrate processing chamber to convert said particulate matter collected in said collection area into gaseous products;
• and
• pumping said gaseous products from said vessel.

A method of minimizing residue build-up within an exhaust line connected to a substrate processing chamber, said method comprising:

• exhausting gases from said substrate processing chamber through a collection chamber fluidly coupled to an outlet of said substrate processing chamber;
• collecting particulate matter from said exhausted gases in said collection chamber;
• forming a plasma in said collection chamber to react said collected particulate matter into gaseous products;
• and
• pumping said gaseous products from said collection chamber.