Cleaning assemblies for substrate processing chambers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12012653-B2
Application number	US-202117210018-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 23, 2021
Priority date	Mar 23, 2021
Publication date	Jun 18, 2024
Grant date	Jun 18, 2024

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a cleaning assemblies, components thereof, and methods associated therewith for substrate processing chambers. In one example, a cleaning assembly for a substrate processing chamber includes a distribution ring. The distribution ring comprises a body with an inlet and an outlet. The outlet is fluidly coupled to an internal volume of the substrate processing chamber via a sidewall of the substrate processing chamber. The cleaning assembly includes a cleaning conduit configured to fluidly couple a gas manifold to the distribution ring for diverting a first portion of cleaning fluid from the gas manifold to the distribution ring.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cleaning assembly for a substrate processing chamber, the cleaning assembly comprising:
a gas manifold fluidly coupled to a lid of the substrate processing chamber and a distribution ring located below and adjacent to a pumping ring, the gas manifold configured to provide a first portion of cleaning fluid to a lower portion of an internal volume of the substrate processing chamber through the distribution ring and a second portion of cleaning fluid into a processing region of the internal volume of the substrate processing chamber through the lid,
the distribution ring comprising:
a body with an inlet and
an outlet fluidly coupled to the lower portion of the internal volume of the substrate processing chamber via a sidewall of the substrate processing chamber; and

a cleaning conduit configured to fluidly couple the gas manifold to the distribution ring.

2. The cleaning assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an isolation valve fluidly coupled to the cleaning conduit between the gas manifold and the distribution ring for regulating flow of the first portion of the cleaning fluid to the distribution ring.

3. The cleaning assembly of claim 1 , wherein the outlet of the distribution ring comprises one or more openings in the sidewall of the substrate processing chamber for introducing the first portion of the cleaning fluid to the internal volume.

4. The cleaning assembly of claim 3 , wherein the distribution ring comprises a baffle disposed between the inlet and the one or more openings for improving uniform distribution of the first portion of the cleaning fluid through the one or more openings.

5. The cleaning assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the cleaning fluid comprises about 40% to about 60% of a total flow of cleaning fluid through the gas manifold.

6. The cleaning assembly of claim 1 , wherein the gas manifold is configured for coupling to a remote plasma source.

7. The cleaning assembly of claim 1 , wherein the distribution ring further comprises one or more quartz liners.

8. The cleaning assembly of claim 1 , wherein the distribution ring is configured to deliver the first portion of the cleaning fluid directly to a portion of the internal volume below a faceplate of the substrate processing chamber to improve cleaning of at least one of a bottom neck, pedestal edge, chamber sidewall, or the pumping ring.

9. The cleaning assembly of claim 1 , wherein the gas manifold comprises:
an inlet configured to fluidly couple to a cleaning fluid source;
a first outlet fluidly coupled to the internal volume via a lid of the substrate processing chamber; and
a second outlet fluidly coupled to the cleaning conduit.

10. A substrate processing assembly, comprising:
a chamber body and a lid defining an internal volume;
a faceplate disposed in the internal volume; and
a cleaning assembly, comprising:
a manifold comprising:
an inlet configured to fluidly couple to a cleaning fluid source;
a first outlet fluidly coupled to the internal volume above the faceplate through the lid; and
a second outlet; and

a distribution ring located below and adjacent to a pumping ring, the distribution ring having an inlet fluidly coupled to the second outlet of the manifold and an outlet fluidly coupled to the internal volume via one or more openings in a sidewall of the chamber body below the faceplate, wherein the cleaning assembly is configured to introduce a first portion of cleaning fluid to the internal volume below the faceplate through the distribution ring and a second portion of cleaning fluid to the internal volume above the faceplate through the lid.

11. The substrate processing assembly of claim 10 , further comprising an isolation valve fluidly coupled between the second outlet of the manifold and the distribution ring, wherein the isolation valve is configured to divert a first portion of cleaning fluid to the internal volume through the distribution ring.

12. The substrate processing assembly of claim 10 , further comprising:
a pedestal disposed in the chamber body, wherein
the pumping ring is disposed around the pedestal and comprises an exhaust port fluidly coupled to the internal volume.

13. A substrate processing system, comprising:
a chamber defining an internal volume;
a faceplate disposed in the internal volume;
a pedestal disposed in the chamber;
a cleaning assembly, comprising:
a cleaning fluid source;
a distribution ring located below and adjacent to a pumping ring, the distribution ring having an inlet fluidly coupled to the cleaning fluid source and an outlet fluidly coupled to the internal volume via one or more openings in a sidewall of the chamber; and
an isolation valve fluidly coupled between the cleaning fluid source and the distribution ring; and

a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions for a cleaning process, that, when executed by a processor of the system, cause the system to sequentially:
position the pedestal in a first vertical position;
direct cleaning fluid to the internal volume entirely above the faceplate through a lid of the chamber; and
open the isolation valve to divert a first portion of the cleaning fluid to the distribution ring and into the internal volume below the faceplate.

14. The substrate processing system of claim 13 , wherein the computer readable medium stores instructions further causing the system to:
position the pedestal in a second vertical position below the first vertical position to improve cleaning of at least one of a bottom neck, pedestal edge, or chamber sidewall.

15. The substrate processing system of claim 14 , a wherein the pumping ring is disposed around the pedestal and comprises an exhaust port fluidly coupled to the internal volume.

16. The substrate processing system of claim 15 , wherein the computer readable medium stores instructions further causing the system to:
position the pedestal in a third vertical position below the second vertical position to improve cleaning of the pumping ring.

17. The substrate processing system of claim 13 , wherein a total time for the cleaning process is about 200 seconds or less.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Zhang Yuxing
• Nguyen Tuan Anh
• Bansal Amit Kumar
• Pathak Nitin
• Rathi Saket
• Rubio Thomas
• Kotagi Udit S
• Ramamurthi Badri N
• Srichurnam Dharma Ratnam

Classifications

• C23C16/45563

  Gas nozzles · CPC title

• C23C16/45591

  Fixed means, e.g. wings, baffles · CPC title

• C23C16/4412

  Details relating to the exhausts, e.g. pumps, filters, scrubbers, particle traps · CPC title

• C23C16/4585

  Devices at or outside the perimeter of the substrate support, e.g. clamping rings, shrouds · CPC title

• C23C16/45561

  Gas plumbing upstream of the reaction chamber · CPC title