Electrochemical removal of tantalum-containing materials
AssigneeQuantum Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsHong Wang, Kenneth Tsai
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Abstract
A method of cleaning metal-containing deposits from a metal surface of a process chamber component includes immersing the metal surface in an electrochemical cleaning bath solution. A negative electrical bias is applied to the metal surface to electrochemically clean the metal-containing deposits from the metal surface. The cleaning method is capable of removing metal-containing deposits such as tantalum-containing deposits from the metal surface substantially without eroding the surface, and may be especially advantageous in the cleaning of components having textured surfaces.
Claims11
A method of cleaning and recovering tantalum-containing deposits from a metal surface, the method comprising:
- (a) immersing the metal surface having the tantalum-containing deposits thereon in an electrochemical cleaning bath solution selected from the group consisting of an acid that is substantially non-reactive with the metal surface, H2SO4 having a concentration of from about 0.36 M to about 0.54 M, and an electrochemical cleaning bath solution comprising a pH of from about 1.1 to about 1.4;
- (b) applying a negative electrical bias to the metal surface to electrochemically remove the tantalum-containing deposits from the metal surface;
- and
- (c) collecting the tantalum-containing deposits from the solution.
A method of cleaning and recovering tantalum-containing deposits from a metal surface, the method comprising:
- (a) immersing the metal surface in an electrochemical cleaning bath solution selected from the group consisting of an acid that is substantially non-reactive with the metal surface, H2SO4 having a concentration of from about 0.36 M to about 0.54 M, and an electrochemical cleaning bath solution comprising a pH of from about 1.1 to about 1.4, wherein the electrochemical cleaning bath solution is maintained at a temperature below about 75° C.;
- (b) applying a negative electrical bias to the metal surface while passing a current through the metal surface, thereby electrochemically removing the tantalum-containing deposits from the metal surface;
- (c) ultrasonically agitating the metal surface to loosen tantalum-containing deposits on the metal surface;
- (d) propelling blasting beads towards the metal surface with a pressurized gas to remove tantalum-containing deposits from the metal surface;
- and (e) collecting the tantalum-containing deposits from the solution.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.