Cleaning process for removal of deposits from the susceptor of a chemical vapor deposition apparatus

Claim 2

An improved process for removing deposits of tungsten and/or tungsten silicide from a vacuum deposition chamber after processing of a semiconductor wafer therein which comprises: (a) flowing into said vacuum deposition chamber a gaseous source of fluorine capable of reacting with said deposits of tungsten or tungsten silicide; (b) igniting a plasma in said chamber while said gaseous source of fluorine is flowing therein and reacting with said deposits of tungsten or tungsten silicide; (e) stopping said flow of said gaseous source of fluorine into said chamber and extinguishing said plasma; (d) then flowing a gaseous source of hydrogen into said chamber to remove fluorine residues remaining from said reaction of said gaseous source of fluorine with said deposits of tungsten or tungsten silicide; and (e) maintaining a plasma in said chamber during said flow of said gaseous source of hydrogen therein.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 wherein said gaseous source of fluorine flows through said chamber at a rate within a range of from about 20 to about 200 sccm.

Claim 4

The process of claim 2 wherein the power of said plasma varies within a range of from about 50 to about 400 watts as said gaseous source of fluorine flows through said chamber.

Claim 5

The process of claim 1 wherein said gaseous source of hydrogen flows through said chamber at a rate within a range of from about 100 to about 500 sccm.

Claim 6

The process of claim 4 wherein the power of said plasma varies within a range of from about 50 to about 400 watts as said gaseous source of hydrogen flows through said chamber.

Claim 7

The process of claim 1 wherein said vacuum chamber is maintained within a pressure range of from about 0.2 to about 1 Torr during said cleaning process.

Claim 8

The process of claim 1 wherein said susceptor is maintained within a temperature range of from about 150° C. to about 525° C. during said cleaning process.

Claim 9

An improved process for removing from a susceptor deposits of tungsten or tungsten silicide remaining from the process of a semiconductor wafer in a vacuum deposition chamber maintained within a pressure range of from about 0.2 to about 1 Torr during said cleaning process which consists essentially of: (a) heating said susceptor and maintaining it within a temperature range of from about 150° C. to about 525° C. during said cleaning process; (b) flowing into said vacuum deposition chamber at a rate within a range of from about 20 to about 200 sccm a gaseous source of fluorine capable of reacting with said deposits of tungsten or tungsten silicide; (c) igniting a plasma in said chamber at a power level within a range of from about 50 to about 400 watts while said gaseous source of fluorine is flowing therein and reacting with said deposits of tungsten or tungsten silicide; (d) stopping said flow of said gaseous source of fluorine into said chamber and extinguishing said plasma; (e) then flowing a gaseous source of hydrogen into said chamber at a rate within a range of from about 100 to about 500 sccm to remove fluorine residues remaining from said step of flowing said gaseous source of fluorine into said chamber for reaction with said deposits of tungsten or tungsten silicide; and (f) igniting a plasma in said chamber at a power level within a range of from about 50 to about 400 watts while said gaseous source of hydrogen is flowing therein.

Claim 10

An improved process for removing from a susceptor deposits of tungsten or tungsten silicide remaining from the process of a semiconductor wafer in a vacuum deposition chamber maintained within a pressure range of from about 0.2 to about 1 Torr during said cleaning process which consists essentially of: (a) heating said susceptor and maintaining it within a temperature range of from about 150° C. to about 525° C. during said cleaning process; (b) flowing into said vacuum deposition chamber at a rate within a range of from about 20 to about 200 sccm a gaseous source of fluorine capable of reacting with said deposits of tungsten or tungsten silicide; (c) igniting a plasma in said chamber at a power level within a range of from about 50 to about 400 watts while said gaseous source of fluorine is flowing therein and reacting with said deposits of tungsten or tungsten silicide; (d) stopping said flow of said gaseous source of fluorine into said chamber and extinguishing said plasma; (e) then flowing a gaseous source of hydrogen into said chamber at a rate within a range of from about 100 to about 500 sccm to remove fluorine residues remaining from said step of flowing said gaseous source of fluorine into said chamber for reaction with said deposits of tungsten or tungsten silicide; and (f) igniting a plasma in said chamber at a power level within a range of from about 50 to about 400 watts while said gaseous source of hydrogen is flowing therein.

Claim 11

The process of claim 8 wherein said susceptor is maintained within a temperature range of from about 450° C. to about 475° C. during said cleaning process.

Claim 12

The process of claim 8 wherein said susceptor is maintained within a temperature range of from about 250° C. to about 400° C. during said cleaning process.

Claim 13

The process of claim 8 wherein said gaseous source of hydrogen is selected from the class consisting of H 2 , B 2 H 6 , PH 3 and a 1-2 carbon hydrocarbon.

Claim 14

The process of claim 8 wherein said gaseous source of hydrogen comprises H 2 .

Claim 15

The process of claim 8 wherein said gaseous source of fluorine is selected from the class consisting of SF 6 , CF 4 , C 2 F 6 , and NF 3 .

Claim 16

An improved process for removing from a susceptor deposits of tungsten or tungsten silicide in a vacuum deposition chamber without leaving fluorine residues therein which consists essentially of: (a) first removing said deposits of tungsten or tungsten silicide from the susceptor by: (i) flowing a gaseous source of fluorine at a flow rate within a range of from about 20 to about 200 sccm through said vacuum deposition chamber while maintaining said vacuum chamber within a pressure range of from about 0.2 to about 1 Torr and said susceptor at a temperature with in a range of from about 150° to about 525° C., to react said gaseous source of fluorine with said deposits of tungsten or tungsten silicide; and (ii) igniting a plasma at a power level within a range of from about 50 to about 400 watts in said chamber while said gaseous source of fluorine is flowing therein and reacting with said deposits of tungsten or tungsten silicide; (b) stopping said flow of said gaseous source of fluorine into said chamber and extinguishing said plasma; and (c) then removing the resultant fluorine residues from said reaction with said deposits of tungsten or tungsten silicide by: (i) flowing a gaseous source of hydrogen into said chamber at a flow rate within a range of from about 100 to about 500 sccm while maintaining the pressure in said chamber within a range of from about 0.2 to about 1 Torr and said susceptor at a temperature within a range of from about 150° to about 525° C.; and (ii) igniting a plasma at a power level within a range of from about 50 to about 400 watts in said chamber during said flow of said gaseous source of hydrogen therein.

Claim 17

An improved process for removing from a susceptor deposits of tungsten or tungsten silicide in a vacuum deposition chamber without leaving fluorine residues therein which consists essentially of: (a) first removing said deposits of tungsten or tungsten silicide from the susceptor by: (i) flowing a gaseous source of fluorine at a flow rate within a range of from about 20 to about 200 sccm through said vacuum deposition chamber while maintaining said vacuum chamber within a pressure range of from about 0.2 to about 1 Torr and said susceptor at a temperature with in a range of from about 150° to about 525° C., to react said gaseous source of fluorine with said deposits of tungsten or tungsten silicide; and (ii) igniting a plasma at a power level within a range of from about 50 to about 400 watts in said chamber while said gaseous source of fluorine is flowing therein and reacting with said deposits of tungsten or tungsten silicide; (b) stopping said flow of said gaseous source of fluorine into said chamber and extinguishing said plasma; and (c) then removing the resultant fluorine residues from said reaction with said deposits of tungsten or tungsten silicide by: (i) flowing a gaseous source of hydrogen into said chamber at a flow rate within a range of from about 100 to about 500 sccm while maintaining the pressure in said chamber within a range of from about 0.2 to about 1 Torr and said susceptor at a temperature within a range of from about 150° to about 525° C.; and (ii) igniting a plasma at a power level within a range of from about 50 to about 400 watts in said chamber during said flow of said gaseous source of hydrogen therein.

Claim 18

The process of claim 14 wherein said gaseous source of hydrogen is selected from the class consisting of H 2 , B 2 H 6 , PH 3 , and 1-2 carbon hydrocarbons.

Claim 19

The process of claim 14 wherein said gaseous source of hydrogen comprises H 2 .

Claim 20

The process of claim 14 wherein said gaseous source of fluorine is selected from the class consisting of SF 6 , CF 4 , C 2 F 6 , and N 3 F.

Claim 21

The process of claim 14 wherein said gaseous source of fluorine comprises NF 3 .

Claim 22

An improved process for removing from a susceptor deposits of tungsten or tungsten silicide remaining from the process of a semiconductor wafer in a vacuum deposition chamber without leaving fluorine residues therein which consists essentially of: (a) first removing said deposits of tungsten or tungsten silicide from the susceptor by: (i) flowing a gaseous source of fluorine selected from the class consisting of SF 6 , CF 4 , C 2 F 6 , and NF 3 at a flow rate within a range of from about 20 to about 200 sccm into said vacuum deposition chamber while maintaining said chamber within a pressure range of from about 0.2 to about 1 Torr and said susceptor at a temperature within a range of from about 150° to about 525° C. to cause reaction between said gaseous source of fluorine and said deposits of tungsten or tungsten silicide; and (ii) igniting a plasma at a power level with a range of from about 50 to about 400 watts in said chamber while said gaseous source of fluorine is flowing therein and reacting with said deposits of tungsten or tungsten silicide; (b) stopping said flow of said gaseous source of fluorine into said chamber and extinguishing said plasma; and (c) then removing the resultant fluorine residues in said chamber from said reaction between said gaseous source of fluorine and said deposits of tungsten or tungsten silicide by: (i) flowing into said chamber a gaseous source of hydrogen selected from the class consisting of H 2 , B 2 H 6 , PH 3 and 1-2 carbon hydrocarbons at a flow rate within a range of from about 100 to about 500 sccm while maintaining the pressure in said chamber within a range of from about 0.2 to about 1 Torr and said susceptor at a temperature within a range of from about 150° to about 525° C.; and (ii) igniting a plasma at a power level within a range of from about 50 to about 400 watts in said chamber during said flow of hydrogen therein.

Claim 23

An improved process for removing from a susceptor deposits of tungsten or tungsten silicide remaining from the process of a semiconductor wafer in a vacuum deposition chamber without leaving fluorine residues therein which consists essentially of: (a) first removing said deposits of tungsten or tungsten silicide from the susceptor by: (i) flowing a gaseous source of fluorine selected from the class consisting of SF 6 , CF 4 , C 2 F 6 , and NF 3 at a flow rate within a range of from about 20 to about 200 sccm into said vacuum deposition chamber while maintaining said chamber within a pressure range of from about 0.2 to about 1 Torr and said susceptor at a temperature within a range of from about 150° to about 525° C. to cause reaction between said gaseous source of fluorine and said deposits of tungsten or tungsten silicide; and (ii) igniting a plasma at a power level with a range of from about 50 to about 400 watts in said chamber while said gaseous source of fluorine is flowing therein and reacting with said deposits of tungsten or tungsten silicide; (b) stopping said flow of said gaseous source of fluorine into said chamber and extinguishing said plasma; and (c) then removing the resultant fluorine residues in said chamber from said reaction between said gaseous source of fluorine and said deposits of tungsten or tungsten silicide by: (i) flowing into said chamber a gaseous source of hydrogen selected from the class consisting of H 2 , B 2 H 6 , PH 3 and 1-2 carbon hydrocarbons at a flow rate within a range of from about 100 to about 500 sccm while maintaining the pressure in said chamber within a range of from about 0.2 to about 1 Torr and said susceptor at a temperature within a range of from about 150° to about 525° C.; and (ii) igniting a plasma at a power level within a range of from about 50 to about 400 watts in said chamber during said flow of hydrogen therein.

Claim 24

An improved process for removing from a susceptor deposits of tungsten or tungsten silicide remaining from the process of a semiconductor wafer in a vacuum deposition chamber maintained within a pressure range of from about 0.2 to about 1 Torr during said cleaning process which consists essentially of: (a) heating said susceptor and maintaining it within a temperature range of from about 150° C. to about 525° C. during said cleaning process; (b) flowing into said vacuum deposition chamber at a rate within a range of from about 20 to about 200 sccm a gaseous source of NF 3 capable of reacting with said deposits of tungsten or tungsten silicide; (c) igniting a plasma in said chamber at a power level within a range of from about 50 to about 400 watts while said gaseous source of NF 3 is flowing therein and reacting with said deposits of tungsten or tungsten silicide; (d) stopping said flow of said gaseous source of NF 3 into said chamber and extinguishing said plasma; (e) then flowing a gaseous source of hydrogen into said chamber at a rate within a range of from about 100 to about 500 sccm to remove fluorine residues remaining from said step of flowing said gaseous source of NF 3 into said chamber for reaction with said deposits of tungsten or tungsten silicide; and (f) igniting a plasma in said chamber at a power level within a range of from about 50 to about 400 watts while said gaseous source of hydrogen is flowing therein.

Claim 25

An improved process for removing from a susceptor deposits of tungsten or tungsten silicide remaining from the process of a semiconductor wafer in a vacuum deposition chamber maintained within a pressure range of from about 0.2 to about 1 Torr during said cleaning process which consists essentially of: (a) heating said susceptor and maintaining it within a temperature range of from about 150° C. to about 525° C. during said cleaning process; (b) flowing into said vacuum deposition chamber at a rate within a range of from about 20 to about 200 sccm a gaseous source of NF 3 capable of reacting with said deposits of tungsten or tungsten silicide; (c) igniting a plasma in said chamber at a power level within a range of from about 50 to about 400 watts while said gaseous source of NF 3 is flowing therein and reacting with said deposits of tungsten or tungsten silicide; (d) stopping said flow of said gaseous source of NF 3 into said chamber and extinguishing said plasma; (e) then flowing a gaseous source of hydrogen into said chamber at a rate within a range of from about 100 to about 500 sccm to remove fluorine residues remaining from said step of flowing said gaseous source of NF 3 into said chamber for reaction with said deposits of tungsten or tungsten silicide; and (f) igniting a plasma in said chamber at a power level within a range of from about 50 to about 400 watts while said gaseous source of hydrogen is flowing therein.