Cleaning method
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsChristopher S. Olsen, Peter Stone, Teng-fang Kuo, Ping Han Hsieh, Manoj Vellaikal
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Abstract
Implementations of the present disclosure generally relate to methods and apparatuses for epitaxial deposition on substrate surfaces. More particularly, implementations of the present disclosure generally relate to methods and apparatuses for surface preparation prior to epitaxial deposition. In one implementation, a method of processing a substrate is provided. The method comprises etching a surface of a silicon-containing substrate by use of a plasma etch process, where at least one etching process gas comprising chlorine gas and an inert gas is used during the plasma etch process and forming an epitaxial layer on the surface of the silicon-containing substrate.
Claims20
A method of processing a substrate, comprising:
- etching a surface of a silicon-containing substrate positioned in a substrate-processing region by use of a plasma etch process, wherein at least one etching process gas comprising chlorine gas, hydrogen gas, and an inert gas is used during the plasma etch process;
- and
- forming an epitaxial layer on the surface of the silicon-containing substrate, wherein the inert gas is selected from argon, helium, or both.
A method of processing a substrate, comprising:
- removing oxides from a surface of a silicon-containing substrate positioned in a first substrate-processing region by a cleaning process, wherein the cleaning process is selected from a wet etch process, a first plasma etch process, and a sputter etch process;
- etching the surface of the silicon-containing substrate positioned in a second substrate-processing region by use of a second plasma etch process, wherein at least one etching process gas comprising chlorine gas, hydrogen gas, and an inert gas is used during the second plasma etch process;
- and
- forming an epitaxial layer on the surface of the silicon-containing substrate, wherein the inert gas is selected from argon, helium, or both.
A method of processing a substrate, comprising:
- etching a surface of a silicon-containing substrate positioned in a substrate-processing region of a first processing chamber by use of a plasma etch process, wherein at least one etching process gas comprising chlorine gas, hydrogen gas, and an inert gas is used during the plasma etch process;
- transferring the silicon-containing substrate from the first processing chamber to a second processing chamber after the plasma etch process without exposing the silicon-containing substrate to atmosphere;
- and
- forming an epitaxial layer on the surface of the silicon-containing substrate in the second processing chamber, wherein the inert gas is selected from argon, helium, or both.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.