# US 7,464,717 B2 · Method for cleaning a CVD chamber

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- Number: US 7,464,717 B2
- Document ID: US7464717B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/424,959
- Filed: 2006-06-19
- Published: 2006-10-12
- Granted: 2008-12-16
- Earliest claimed: 2003-01-27
- Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc.
- Inventors: Maosheng Zhao; Juan Carlos Rocha-Alvarez; Inna Shmurun; Soova Sen; Mao D. Lim; Shankar Venkataraman; Ju-Hyung Lee
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7464717B2

## CPC

- C23C 16/4405: {Cleaning of reactor or parts inside the reactor by using reactive gases}
- C23C 16/458: characterised by the method used for supporting substrates in the reaction chamber
- C23C 16/46: characterised by the method used for heating the substrate (C23C16/48, C23C16/50 take precedence)
- H01J 37/32082: {Radio frequency generated discharge (H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394 and H01J37/32403 take precedence)}
- H01J 37/32862: {In situ cleaning of vessels and/or internal parts}
- H10P 72/0432: {mainly by conduction}
- 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)
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

The present invention is a method and apparatus for cleaning a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber using cleaning gas energized to a plasma in a gas mixing volume separated by an electrode from a reaction volume of the chamber. In one embodiment, a source of RF power is coupled to a lid of the chamber, while a switch is used to couple a showerhead to ground terminals or the source of RF power.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for plasma cleaning a chamber after processing a substrate, comprising:
providing said substrate to the chamber, said chamber having a first portion comprising a substrate support pedestal, a second portion comprising a lid having a source of radio-frequency power, and a blocking plate electrode and a gas distribution plate electrode defining a first volume, wherein the gas distribution plate electrode is electrically isolated from the first portion and disposed between the first portion and the lid, and the gas distribution plate electrode and the substrate support pedestal defining a second volume;
grounding the substrate pedestal through a switch in a first position;
supplying a processing gas into the chamber and second volume;
applying a radio-freguency power from said source to the second portion;
energizing the processing gas to a plasma in the second volume; and
performing a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition process in the second volume;
removing the substrate from the processing chamber;
grounding the gas distribution plate electrode through a switch in a second position;
supplying a cleaning gas into the chamber and the first volume;
applying radio-frequency power from said source to the lid and blocking plate electrode; and
energizing the cleaning gas to a plasma in the first volume.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the cleaning gas is supplied while applying the radio-frequency power.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the supplying a cleaning gas into the chamber and the applying radio-frequency power from said source to the second portion and the gas distribution plate electrode are performed in a plurality of cycles, and each cycle comprises supplying the cleaning gas and applying the radio-frequency power for a first period of time and providing a vacuum for a second period of time.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the first period of time has a duration of about 2 to 6 minutes and the second period of time has a duration of about 6minutes or less.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition process comprises energizing a plasma between the gas distribution plate electrode and the substrate support by providing a short-circuit between the lid and the gas distribution plate electrode through a switch.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the supplying the cleaning gas comprises:
providing NF3 and He at a flow ratio NF3:He in a range from 1:0 to 1:6, and
maintaining a total chamber pressure between 1 and 6 torr.

### Claim 7

A method for plasma cleaning a chamber and processing a substrate, comprising:
providing said substrate to the chamber, said chamber having a first portion comprising a substrate support pedestal, a second portion comprising a lid having a source of radio-frequency power, a blocking plate electrode and a gas distribution plate electrode defining a first volume, and a ground reference, wherein the gas distribution plate electrode is electrically isolated from the first portion and within the second portion and disposed between the first portion and the lid, and the gas distribution plate electrode and the substrate support pedestal defining a second volume;
coupling the substrate pedestal to the around reference through a switch in a first position;
supplying a processing gas into the chamber and second volume;
applying a radio-frequency power from said source to the second portion;
energizing the processing gas to a plasma in the second volume; and
performing a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition process in the second volume;
removing the substrate from the processing chamber;
coupling the gas distribution plate electrode to the ground reference;
supplying a cleaning gas into the chamber and the first volume;
applying radio-frequency power from said source of at least 500 W and between about 50 kHz and about 13.56 MHz to the lid and blocking plate electrode; and
energizing the cleaning gas to a plasma in the first volume.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the supplying a cleaning gas into the chamber and the applying radio-frequency power from said source to the second portion and the gas distribution plate electrode are performed in a plurality of cycles, and each cycle comprises supplying the cleaning gas and applying the radio-frequency power for a first period of time and providing a vacuum for a second period of time.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the first period has a duration of about 2 to 6 minutes and the second period has a duration about 6 minutes or less.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the cleaning gas comprises at least one gas selected from the group consisting of NF3, F2, SF6, C2F6, C2F4, CCl4, and C2Cl6.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the supplying the cleaning gas further comprises:
providing NF3 and He at a flow ratio NF3:He in a range from about 1:0 to about 1:6, and
maintaining a total chamber pressure of between about 1 and 6 torr.