Cleaning method and processing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12383936-B2
Application number	US-202318315722-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 11, 2023
Priority date	Jun 3, 2022
Publication date	Aug 12, 2025
Grant date	Aug 12, 2025

Abstract

A cleaning method for removing a deposit in a processing chamber is provided. The cleaning method includes adjusting a temperature in the processing chamber to a first temperature; supplying a first gas including a hydrogen fluoride gas into the processing chamber in which the temperature is adjusted to the first temperature; adjusting the temperature in the processing chamber to a second temperature that is higher than the first temperature; and supplying a second gas including the hydrogen fluoride gas and an ammonia gas into the processing chamber in which the temperature is adjusted to the second temperature.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cleaning method for removing a deposit including silicon oxide in a processing chamber, the cleaning method comprising:
adjusting a temperature in the processing chamber to a first temperature;
supplying a first gas including a hydrogen fluoride gas that is heated to a third temperature, into the processing chamber in which the temperature is adjusted to the first temperature, such that the deposit is removed from the processing chamber when reaching the first temperature, wherein the third temperature is higher than the first temperature;
adjusting the temperature in the processing chamber to a second temperature that is higher than the first temperature;
supplying a second gas including the hydrogen fluoride gas and an ammonia gas into the processing chamber in which the temperature is adjusted to the second temperature;
reacting the hydrogen fluoride gas and the ammonia gas with the silicon oxide to produce ammonium silicofluoride; and
sublimating the ammonium silicofluoride by heating, such that a portion of the deposit that remains unetched after supplying the first gas is removed from the processing chamber when reaching the second temperature.

2. The cleaning method according to claim 1 , wherein the first temperature is a room temperature, and the second temperature is 65° C. or higher and 100° C. or lower.

3. The cleaning method according to claim 1 , wherein the supplying of the second gas includes repeating a cycle including:
simultaneously supplying the hydrogen fluoride gas and the ammonia gas into the processing chamber, and
supplying an inert gas into the processing chamber without supplying the hydrogen fluoride gas and the ammonia gas.

4. A processing apparatus comprising:
a processing chamber;
a gas supply configured to supply a processing gas into the processing chamber;
a heater configured to heat the processing chamber; and
a controller configured to control the gas supply and the heater to perform a process including:
adjusting a temperature in the processing chamber to a first temperature;
supplying a first gas including a hydrogen fluoride gas that is heated to a third temperature, into the processing chamber in which the temperature is adjusted to the first temperature, such that a deposit is removed from the processing chamber when reaching the first temperature, wherein the third temperature is higher than the first temperature and the deposit includes silicon oxide;
raising the temperature in the processing chamber to a second temperature that is higher than the first temperature;
supplying a second gas including the hydrogen fluoride gas and an ammonia gas into the processing chamber in which the temperature is adjusted to the second temperature;
reacting the hydrogen fluoride gas and the ammonia gas with the silicon oxide to produce ammonium silicofluoride; and
sublimating the ammonium silicofluoride by heating, such that a portion of the deposit that remains unetched after supplying the first gas is removed from the processing chamber when reaching the second temperature.

Assignees

• Tokyo Electron Ltd

Inventors

• Hasegawa Tomoya
• Sasaki Koji

Classifications

• B08B7/0064

  by temperature changes · CPC title

• C23C16/52

  Controlling or regulating the coating process {(C23C16/45557, C23C16/279 take precedence)} · CPC title

• C23C16/4412

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

• B08B5/00 Primary

  Cleaning by methods involving the use of air flow or gas flow (cleaning hollow articles by methods or apparatus specially adapted thereto B08B9/00) · CPC title

• C23C16/4405 Primary

  Cleaning of reactor or parts inside the reactor by using reactive gases · CPC title