Method of removing PECVD residues of fluorinated plasma using in-situ H2 plasma

Abstract

In a method of affecting cleaning or chamber process control to remove residues of fluorinated discharges from internal PECVD chamber hardware during manufacture of a semiconductor or integrated circuit, the improvement of removing the fluorinated discharges without opening the chamber and without causing chamber downtime, comprising: a) maximizing H-atom concentration in a gas mix of a plasma containing H 2 through the use of high rf power and low pressure to obtain an in-situ H 2 plasma; and b) subjecting a reactor chamber containing build-up residues from previous chamber treatment with a fluorinated plasma, with the in-situ H 2 plasma from step a) without opening the chamber and without shutting down the chamber to remove the build-up residues of the fluorinated plasma.

We claim:  
     
         1 . In a method of affecting cleaning or chamber process control to remove residues of fluorinated discharges from chamber walls from PECVD during manufacture of a semiconductor or integrated circuit, the improvement of removing said fluorinated discharge residues without opening said chamber and without causing chamber downtime, comprising: 
 a) maximizing H-atom concentration in a gas mix of a plasma containing H 2  through the use of high rf power and low pressure to obtain an in-situ H 2  plasma; and    b) subjecting a reactor chamber, containing build-up residues from previous chamber treatment with a fluorinated plasma, with the in-situ H 2  plasma from step a) without opening said chamber and without shutting down said chamber to remove said build-up residues of said fluorinated plasma.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said fluorinated discharge residue is AlF 3 .  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said plasma contains a mixture of H 2  and Ar.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said fluorinated plasma is a mixture of CF 4 +N 2 O.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said gas mix of said plasma is a mixture of He/H 2 .  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said gas is comprised only of H 2 -7. The process of claim  4 - 6  wherein said mixture of He/H 2  is first administered at a flow rate and ratio of about 1,000/200 sccm at an rf power of about 750W and a pressure of about 0.8 Torr, and then administered so that the H 2  or Ar/H 2  flow rate is about 500 sccm at an rf power of about 500W at about 0.5 Torr.