Method and apparatus for enhanced chamber cleaning

Abstract

A system for processing substrates within a chamber and for cleaning accumulated material from chamber components is provided. The system includes a reactive species generator adapted to generate a reactive gas species for chemically etching accumulated material from chamber components, and a processing chamber having at least one fluoropolymer coated component which is exposed to the reactive species. Preferably to have the greatest impact on chamber cleaning efficiency, the fluoropolymer coated component(s) are large components such as a gas distribution plate or a backing plate, and/or a plurality of smaller components (e.g., a shadow frame, chamber wall liners, a susceptor, a gas conductance line) so as to constitute a large percentage of the surface area exposed to the reactive species. Most preferably all surfaces which the reactive species contacts are coated with fluoropolymer.

The invention claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of cleaning a processing chamber using a reactive species, the method comprising: 
 flowing an amount of fluoropolymer precursor gas into the processing chamber;    generating a plasma within the processing chamber so as to form fluoropolymer on chamber components;    heating the processing chamber so as to melt the fluoropolymer and form a fluoropolymer coating on the chamber components, wherein the amount of fluoropolymer precursor gas is controlled so as to form a uniform fluoropolymer coating of approximately 0.5-10 μm on the chamber components;    thereafter processing one or more substrates within the processing chamber; and    thereafter flowing reactive species into the processing chamber and thereby cleaning accumulated material from the chamber components.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the fluoropolymer coating is continuously formed.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the fluoropolymer precursor gas is CHF 3 .  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the fluoropolymer coating comprises PTFE.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the fluoropolymer coating comprises FEP.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the fluoropolymer coating comprises PFA.  
     
     
         7 . A method of comprising: 
 flowing an amount of fluoropolymer precursor gas into the processing chamber;    generating a plasma within the processing chamber so as to form fluoropolymer on chamber components; and    heating the processing chamber so as to melt the fluoropolymer and form a fluoropolymer coating on the chamber components, wherein the amount of fluoropolymer precursor gas is controlled so as to form a uniform fluoropolymer coating of approximately 0.5-10 μm on the chamber components.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the fluoropolymer coating is continuously formed.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the fluoropolymer precursor gas is CHF 3 .  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the fluoropolymer coating comprises PTFE.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the fluoropolymer coating comprises FEP.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the fluoropolymer coating comprises PFA.