Method and apparatus for determining the endpoint in a plasma cl

Details Method and apparatus for determining the endpoint in a plasma cl Method and apparatus for determining the endpoint in a plasma cl

1997-07-02

2000-06-27

Powell, William

Cleaning and liquid contact with solids

Processes

Including application of electrical radiant or wave energy...

156345, 216 59, 216 61, 216 79, B08B 600, G01L 2130

Patent

active

060794267

ABSTRACT:
Apparatus and methods are disclosed for utilizing a plasma cleaning operation of a CVD system incorporating cleaning process endpoint detection. In one embodiment, the cleaning process is performed at a constant exhaust capacity and the endpoint detection is in response to a specified rate of change of chamber pressure. In another embodiment, a servo-controlled exhaust system maintains a controlled chamber pressure and the endpoint detection is in response to a specified control signal. In a preferred embodiment, nitrogen trifluoride is converted into a plasma containing free fluorine radicals in a magnetron-powered remote microwave plasma generator. The remotely produced free fluorine radicals are used to remove silicon nitride deposits from a substrate processing chamber. The use of such a remote plasma system provides an efficient cleaning process that takes as little as half the time compared to similar in situ plasma cleaning processes. The incorporation of endpoint detection provides optimal cleaning time for the remote plasma cleaning process.

REFERENCES:
patent: 5211825 (1993-05-01), Saito et al.
patent: 5252178 (1993-10-01), Moslehi
patent: 5413670 (1995-05-01), Langam et al.
"Hydrogen Plasma Cleaning of the Si(100) Surface: Removal of Oxygen and Carbon and The Etching of Si"; Kinosky et al.
Abstract Only, Surface Chemical Cleaning and Passivation for Semiconductor Processing Symposium, (Higashi et al.--Editors), 1993.

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