Generation of compact alumina passivation layers on aluminum plasma equipment components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9903020-B2
Application number	US-201414486105-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 15, 2014
Priority date	Mar 31, 2014
Publication date	Feb 27, 2018
Grant date	Feb 27, 2018

Abstract

A process for generating a compact alumina passivation layer on an aluminum component includes rinsing the component in deionized water for at least one minute, drying it for at least one minute, and exposing it to concentrated nitric acid, at a temperature below 10° C., for one to 30 minutes. The process also includes rinsing the component in deionized water for at least one minute, drying it for at least one minute, and exposing it to NH 4 OH for one second to one minute. The process further includes rinsing the component in deionized water for at least one minute and drying it for at least one minute. A component for use in a plasma processing system includes an aluminum component coated with an Al x O y film having a thickness of 4 to 8 nm and a surface roughness less than 0.05 μm greater than a surface roughness of the component without the Al x O y film.

First claim

We claim:

1. A process for generating a compact alumina passivation layer on an aluminum component, comprising:
rinsing the aluminum component in deionized water for at least one minute;
drying the aluminum component for at least one minute;
exposing the aluminum component to nitric acid (HNO3) having a concentration of at least 30 percent, at a temperature below 10° C., for between one and 30 minutes;
rinsing the aluminum component in deionized water for at least one minute;
drying the aluminum component for at least one minute;
exposing the aluminum component to NH4OH for between one second and one minute;
rinsing the aluminum component in deionized water for at least one minute; and
drying the aluminum component for at least one minute.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein the HNO3 has a concentration of at least 60%.

3. The process of claim 1 , wherein the HNO3 has a temperature of 5° C. or below.

4. The process of claim 1 , wherein exposing comprises soaking the aluminum component in the HNO3 for between one minute and 15 minutes.

5. The process of claim 1 , wherein exposing the aluminum component to the NH4OH comprises dipping the aluminum component in the NH4OH for between one and ten seconds.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Kim Sung Je
• Kalita Laksheswar
• Pareek Yogita
• Kadam Ankur
• Goradia Prerna Sonthalia
• Thakur Bipin
• Lubomirsky Dmitry

Classifications

• H10P72/0604

  Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring · CPC title

• H10P72/0602

  Temperature monitoring · CPC title

• H10P72/0421

  for drying etching · CPC title

• H10P72/123

  characterised by a material, a roughness, a coating or the like · CPC title

• C23F1/32

  Alkaline compositions (C23F1/42 takes precedence) · CPC title