US 6,584,987 B1 · Method for improved cleaning in HDP-CVD process with reduced NF3 usage

Abstract

A method for cleaning residual material from a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) apparatus in situ employing dry etching. There is first employed a high density plasma chemical vapor deposition (HDP-CVD) method to deposit layers of silicon oxide material upon substrates within a chemical vapor deposition reactor apparatus. After removal of substrates, the reactor chamber is closed off. The interior of the reactor is then filled with a gas and a plasma formed therewithin, to which oxygen is added and the reactor allowed to come to an increased temperature and bake for a period of time. The reactor power is then turned off and the reactor evacuated. There is then carried out a normal cleaning step within the reactor chamber employing a reactive gas such as NF3, with greater cleaning efficiency due to the increased temperature caused by the baking step.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A method for cleaning a chamber comprising the sequential steps of:

providing a chamber employed in chemical vapor deposition;
said chamber having a first temperature;
evacuating said chamber;
admitting to said chamber a gas or gases comprising Argon, perfluorinated hydrocarbons or mixtures thereof;
sustaining a plasma in said gas in said chamber;
admitting oxygen gas to said chamber;
maintaining said plasma in said chamber to elevate the first temperature of said chamber to a second temperature;
baking said chamber containing said plasma at said second temperature for a period of time;
turning off the power and causing a cessation of said plasma;
evacuating said chamber;
and
admitting a reactive cleaning gas including NF3 to clean said chamber.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method for improved cleaning in HDP-CVD process with reduced NF3 usage

Life of this patent

Method for improved cleaning in HDP-CVD process with reduced NF3 usage

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims9