FLUORINE BASED CLEANING FOR PLASMA DOPING APPLICATIONS

• Main Authors: Deno, Vincent, Mittal, Deven Matthew Raj, Cai, Meng, Bhosle, Vikram M
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 01.02.2024
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; CHEMISTRY; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATIONOR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY IONIMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS; ELECTRICITY; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION INGENERAL; METALLURGY; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THESURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION

A method of cleaning a plasma chamber is disclosed. Periodically, a cleaning process is performed. The cleaning process comprises introducing a mixture of fluoride molecules and argon into the plasma chamber and creating a plasma. The fluoride molecules are ionized and interact with the deposited material on the chamber walls. This causes the fluorine ions to bond to the deposited material, which typically results in a gas that can be exhausted from the plasma chamber. When the deposited material has been removed, the amount of free fluorine within the plasma chamber increases. This increase in fluorine may be used to determine when the plasma chamber is cleaned.