System for in-situ generation of fluorine radicals and/or fluorine-containing interhalogen (XFn) compounds for use in cleaning semiconductor processing chambers

Abstract

A system for in-situ generation of fluorine radicals and/or fluorine-containing interhalogen compounds XF n (wherein X is Cl, Br, or I, and n is an odd integer). Such system comprises a fluorine source, a halogen source for supplying halogen species other than fluorine, a chamber for mixing fluorine with halogen species other than fluorine, and an energy source to supply energy to such chamber to facilitate reaction between fluorine and the halogen species other than fluorine. The chamber may be a semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the in situ generated fluorine radicals and/or fluorine-containing interhalogens are employed for cleaning the processing chamber.

1 . An in-situ generation system of fluorine radicals and/or fluorine-containing interhalogen compounds for use in cleaning a processing chamber, said system comprising: 
 a fluorine source for supplying fluorine gas;    a halogen source for supplying at least one halogen species selected from the group consisting of Cl 2 , Br 2 , and I 2 ;    a processing chamber communicatively connected with the fluorine source and the halogen source; and    an energy source for supplying external energy to facilitate generation of fluorine radicals and/or fluorine-containing interhalogen compounds.    
   
   
       2 . The in-situ generation system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluorine-containing interhalogen compounds have a general formula XF n , and wherein X=Cl, Br, or I, and n=1, 3, 5, or 7.  
   
   
       3 . The in-situ generation system of  claim 1 , wherein the energy source supplies photoenergy.  
   
   
       4 . The in-situ generation system of  claim 3 , wherein the energy source supplies ultraviolet light.  
   
   
       5 . The in-situ generation system of  claim 4 , wherein the ultraviolet light has a wavelength in a range of from about 100 nm to about 400 nm.  
   
   
       6 . The in-situ generation system of  claim 4 , wherein the energy source is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen lamps, deuterium lamps, xenon discharge lamps, electric arcs, discharge tubes, incandescent devices, flash tubes, and pulsed lasers.  
   
   
       7 . The in-situ generation system of  claim 1 , wherein the energy source supplies thermal energy.  
   
   
       8 . The in-situ generation system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluorine gas and the halogen species are separately transported into the processing chamber and mixed therein to form fluorine radicals and/or fluorine-containing interhalogen compounds.  
   
   
       9 . The in-situ generation system of  claim 8 , wherein the processing chamber is equipped with temperature monitoring and controlling devices.  
   
   
       10 . The in-situ generation system of  claim 8 , wherein temperature in the processing chamber is in a range of from about room temperature to about 350° C.  
   
   
       11 . The in-situ generation system of  claim 8 , wherein temperature in the processing chamber is in a range of from about room temperature to about 100° C.  
   
   
       12 . The in-situ generation system of  claim 8 , wherein temperature within the processing chamber is in a range of from about 280° C. to about 350° C.  
   
   
       13 . The in-situ generation system of  claim 8 , wherein the processing chamber is equipped with pressure monitoring and controlling devices.  
   
   
       14 . The in-situ generation system of  claim 8 , wherein pressure within the processing chamber is in a range of from about 1 Torr to about 1000 Torr.  
   
   
       15 . The in-situ generation system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluorine gas and the halogen species are mixed before entering the processing chamber.  
   
   
       16 . The in-situ generation system of  claim 15 , further comprising a mixing chamber upstream of said processing chamber, wherein the fluorine gas and halogen species are mixed in said mixing chamber to form fluorine radicals and/or fluorine-containing interhalogen compounds.  
   
   
       17 . The in-situ generation system of  claim 15 , wherein the mixing chamber is equipped with temperature monitoring and controlling devices.  
   
   
       18 . The in-situ generation system of  claim 15 , wherein temperature in the mixing chamber is in a range of from about room temperature to about 350° C.  
   
   
       19 . The in-situ generation system of  claim 15 , wherein temperature in the mixing chamber is in a range of from about room temperature to about 100° C.  
   
   
       20 . The in-situ generation system of  claim 15 , wherein temperature in the mixing chamber is in a range of from about 280° C. to about 350° C.  
   
   
       21 . The in-situ generation system of  claim 15 , wherein the mixing chamber is equipped with pressure monitoring and controlling devices.  
   
   
       22 . The in-situ generation system of  claim 15 , wherein pressure in the mixing chamber is in a range of from about 1 Torr to about 1000 Torr.  
   
   
       23 . The in-situ generation system of  claim 15 , further comprising a holding chamber positioned between said mixing chamber and said processing chamber.  
   
   
       24 . The in-situ generation system of  claim 23 , further comprising a flow regulating device for monitoring and controlling flow rate of the generated fluorine radicals and/or fluorine-containing interhalogen compounds into the processing chamber.  
   
   
       25 . The in-situ generation system of  claim 24 , wherein said flow regulating device comprises a mass flow controller.  
   
   
       26 . The in-situ generation system of  claim 1 , further comprising an exhaust/abatement system downstream of said processing chamber for receiving effluent gas stream discharged by said processing chamber.  
   
   
       27 . The in-situ generation system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one bypassing line for flowing the fluorine gas and halogen species, either separately or in mixture, without passing through the processing chamber.  
   
   
       28 . The in-situ generation system of  claim 1 , further comprising a diluent gas source connected with the processing chamber for supplying an relatively inert gas to dilute the generated fluorine radicals and/or fluorine-containing interhalogen compounds.  
   
   
       29 . The in-situ generation system of  claim 28 , wherein the relatively inert gas supplied by said diluent gas source comprises at least one gas species selected from the group consisting of Ar, He, and N 2 .  
   
   
       30 . An apparatus for generating chlorine trifluoride for cleaning of a processing chamber, comprising: 
 (a) a fluorine gas source;    (b) a chlorine gas source;    (c) a mixing chamber communicatively connected with said fluorine gas source and said chlorine gas source, for mixing fluorine and chlorine gases;    (d) a photoenergy source for supplying photoenergy to said mixing chamber to generate chlorine trifluoride therein; and    (e) said processing chamber connected with said mixing chamber.    
   
   
       31 . An apparatus for generating chlorine trifluoride, comprising: 
 (a) a fluorine gas source;    (b) a chlorine gas source;    (c) a processing chamber communicatively connected with said fluorine gas source and said chlorine gas source; and    (d) a photoenergy source for supplying photoenergy to said processing chamber to facilitate generation of chlorine trifluoride therein.    
   
   
       32 - 62 . (canceled)  
   
   
       63 . A system for generating fluorine radicals and/or fluorine-containing interhalogen compounds, comprising a fluorine source, a halogen source for supplying at least one halogen species other than fluorine, an enclosure for mixing fluorine with said halogen species other than fluorine, and a photoenergy source for supplying photoenergy to said enclosure.  
   
   
       64 . The system of  claim 63 , wherein the fluorine-containing interhalogen compounds have a general formula XF n , and wherein X=Cl, Br, or I, and n=1, 3, 5, or 7.  
   
   
       65 . The system of  claim 63 , wherein the photoenergy supplied by said photoenergy source comprises ultraviolet light.