Cleaning method and etching equipment

Abstract

A method for cleaning debris and contaminants from an etching apparatus is provided. The etching apparatus includes a processing chamber, a radio frequency power source, an electrostatic chuck in the processing chamber, a chuck electrode, and a DC power source connected to the chuck electrode. The cleaning method includes placing a substrate on a surface of the electrostatic chuck; applying a plasma to the substrate, thereby generating a positively charged surface on the surface of the substrate; applying a negative voltage or a radio frequency pulse to the electrostatic chuck, thereby causing debris particles and / or contaminants from the surface of the electrostatic chuck to be negatively charged and causing the debris particles and / or contaminants to attach to the positively charged substrate surface; and removing the substrate from the etching apparatus, thereby removing the debris particles and / or contaminants from the etching apparatus.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a cleaning method, and more particularly to a method for cleaning etching equipment. Background Art

[0002] In the manufacture of semiconductor devices, various types of plasma processes are used to deposit layers of conductive and dielectric materials on semiconductor substrates, and also to blanket etch and selectively etch material from the substrate. During these processes, the substrate is secured to a substrate chuck in a processing chamber, and a plasma is generated adjacent to the substrate surface. Various techniques have been developed to secure the substrate to the substrate chuck. For example, an electrostatic chuck (ESC) may be used to hold the substrate during the plasma process. The use of an electrostatic chuck eliminates the need for a mechanical clamping ring and significantly reduces the likelihood of particle formation by wear and tear, which can lead to yield issues and the need for frequent equipment cleaning.

[0003] Even though the use of an electrostatic chuck reduces particle contamination, the formation of small debris particles and other contaminants generated within the processing chamber cannot be avoided. When these particles and contaminants are deposited or formed on the substrate chuck surface of the electrostatic chuck, leakage of heat transfer gas (e.g., helium) at the chuck surface and substrate interface is increased. This leakage reduces the efficiency of the substrate temperature control and substrate cooling techniques. As a result, the processing chamber and substrate chuck must be cleaned frequently. This results in equipment downtime and requires expensive and time-consuming manual equipment cleaning operations. Therefore, there is a need for improved cleaning processes without substantial equipment downtime. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present disclosure provides a cleaning method, comprising: placing a substrate on a surface of an electrostatic chuck in an etching device, the electrostatic chuck comprising a plurality of pins disposed in the electrostatic chuck, wherein the etching device comprises a processing chamber, a radio frequency power source, a chuck electrode, and a direct current power source connected to the chuck electrode; moving the plurality of pins to remove the substrate from the surface of the electrostatic chuck; applying a plasma to the substrate to generate a positively charged surface on the surface of the substrate; attaching debris particles and / or contaminants to the substrate by applying a negative voltage or a radio frequency pulse to the electrostatic chuck; and removing the substrate from the etching device to remove the debris particles and / or contaminants from the etching device.

[0005] The present disclosure provides a cleaning method, comprising: placing a substrate on a surface of an electrostatic chuck, the substrate having a thin film disposed on the back side of the substrate, wherein the thin film adheres to debris particles and / or contaminants; heating the substrate to a high temperature by applying a plasma and / or an electric current to the electrostatic chuck, thereby melting and / or chemically activating the thin film on the back side of the substrate; covering the debris particles and / or contaminants on the surface of the electrostatic chuck with the thin film by transferring the thin film from the substrate to the surface of the electrostatic chuck; removing the substrate from the surface of the electrostatic chuck; and further applying plasma to etch away the thin film and the covered debris particles and / or contaminants.

[0006] The present disclosure provides an etching apparatus, comprising: a processing chamber, a radio frequency power source, an electrostatic chuck in the processing chamber, a chuck electrode, a DC power source connected to the chuck electrode, and a spectrum and / or charge monitoring system. The electrostatic chuck is configured to receive a substrate. The spectrum and / or charge monitoring system is configured to monitor the surface charge level, the composition of debris particles, and / or the composition of contaminants on the surface of the electrostatic chuck. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] The following detailed description and accompanying drawings provide a complete disclosure. It should be emphasized that, according to common practices in the industry, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In fact, the size of the components may be arbitrarily enlarged or reduced to make the description clear.

[0008] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of an etching device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0009] Figure 2 The present invention is a flowchart of a method for cleaning an etching device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0010] Figure 3A , Figure 3B , Figure 3C , Figure 3D , Figure 3E , Figure 3F Various schematic diagrams of an electrostatic chuck during a cleaning operation of the electrostatic chuck are illustrated according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0011] Figure 4 Another flow chart of a method for cleaning an etching device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0012] Figure 5 Another flow chart of a method for cleaning an etching device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0013] The reference numerals are described as follows:

[0014] 100: Etching equipment

[0015] 105: Substrate

[0016] 108: Coating

[0017] 110: Processing chamber

[0018] 112: Upper part

[0019] 113: Upper electrode

[0020] 114: Lower part

[0021] 116: Insulation ceramic frame

[0022] 120: RF power source

[0023] 125: Plasma

[0024] 130: Electrostatic suction seat

[0025] 135: Suction seat electrode

[0026] 140: DC power source

[0027] 150: Pin

[0028] 155: Insulation cover

[0029] 160: Pump

[0030] 180: Spectral and / or charge monitoring system

[0031] 190: Debris particles and / or contaminants

[0032] 200, 400, 500: Method

[0033] S202, S204, S206, S208, S210, S212, S214: Operation

[0034] 305: Substrate

[0035] 308: coating (film)

[0036] 325: Plasma

[0037] 330: Electrostatic suction seat

[0038] 335: Suction seat electrode

[0039] 345: Hot

[0040] 390: Debris particles and / or contaminants

[0041] S402, S404, S406, S408, S410, S412, S414, S416, S418: Operation

[0042] S502, S504, S506, S508, S510, S512, S514, S516, S518, S520, S522: Operation DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] The following disclosure provides many different embodiments or examples to implement the different features of the present invention. The following disclosure describes specific examples of various components and their arrangement to simplify the description. Of course, these specific examples are not intended to be limiting. For example, the size of the component is not limited to the disclosed range or value, but may depend on the process conditions and / or desired properties of the device. In addition, if the present disclosure describes a first feature formed on or above a second feature, it means that it may include an embodiment in which the first feature and the second feature are in direct contact, and may also include an embodiment in which an additional feature is formed between the first feature and the second feature, so that the first feature and the second feature may not be in direct contact. Various features can be arbitrarily drawn in different proportions for the purpose of simplicity and clarity.

[0044] In addition, spatially relative terms, such as "below," "below," "lower," "above," "upper," and the like, are used to facilitate description of the relationship between one element or feature and another element or feature in the drawings. These spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the drawings. The device may be turned to different orientations (rotated 90 degrees or other orientations), and the spatially relative terms used herein may be interpreted accordingly. In addition, the term "made of" may be interpreted as "including" or "consisting of."

[0045] The technology disclosed herein relates to an etching device and a method for cleaning an etching device. The technology described herein also relates to a plasma etching device that can be configured to self-clean. The devices and methods described in various embodiments disclosed herein improve conventional equipment cleaning operations and reduce equipment downtime. For example, the devices and methods described herein help clean small debris particles formed during operation of a semiconductor processing chamber, as well as various other contaminants generated in the processing chamber. For example, foreign particles and contaminants deposited or formed on the surface of a substrate holder can negatively affect the temperature control of the substrate and the efficiency of substrate cooling technology. The disclosed devices and methods help remove foreign particles and contaminants, which helps maintain proper substrate temperature control and substrate cooling efficiency. According to various embodiments disclosed herein, the removal of foreign particles and contaminants is processed by applying a negative voltage or radio frequency (RF) pulse, for example to an electrostatic holder. In some embodiments, applying a negative voltage or radio frequency pulse causes the debris particles and / or contaminants to be negatively charged, causing the debris particles and / or contaminants to attach to the positively charged surface of a substrate disposed nearby. In some embodiments, the backside of a dummy substrate may be treated with an adhesive coating, and debris particles and / or contaminants may be physically attached to the adhesive coating.

[0046] Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an etching device 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 1 As shown, the etching apparatus 100 includes a processing chamber 110 and a radio frequency (RF) power source 120, and the RF power source 120 is configured to provide RF power in the processing chamber 110. The etching apparatus 100 also includes an electrostatic chuck 130 in the processing chamber 110, and the electrostatic chuck 130 is configured to receive a substrate 105. According to various embodiments, the substrate 105 includes a wafer, a silicon substrate, or any other wafer or substrate. The etching apparatus 100 also includes a chuck electrode 135, and a direct current (DC) power source 140 connected to the chuck electrode 135. The DC power source 140 is configured to provide power to the chuck electrode 135.

[0047] In some embodiments, the etching apparatus 100 is a plasma etching apparatus. In some embodiments, the etching apparatus 100 is any plasma etching or dry etching tool that generates plasma from a process gas (typically oxygen, chlorine-containing gas, or fluorine-containing gas) and uses a radio frequency electric field. In some embodiments, the etching apparatus 100 is an ion beam etcher, a reactive ion etcher, etc. In other embodiments, a plasma deposition apparatus is used instead of an etching apparatus.

[0048] In some embodiments, the substrate 105 is a semiconductor substrate. In some embodiments, the substrate 105 is a dummy substrate, for example, for cleaning or removing debris particles and / or contaminants from the etching apparatus 100. In some embodiments, the debris particles and / or contaminants include, for example but not limited to: copper, aluminum, nickel, titanium, oxygen, fluorine, silicon, germanium, tungsten, xenon, molybdenum, iron, lead, bismuth, indium, silicon oxide (Si x O y ), aluminum oxide (Al x O y ), titanium oxide (Ti x O y In some embodiments, the back side of the substrate 105 includes a coating (or a film) 108 to adhere to debris particles and / or contaminants. In some embodiments, the coating 108 includes an oxide film, an organic film, or a metal film, wherein the metal film includes silicon oxide or titanium nitride, including (for example but not limited to): silicon oxide (Si x O y ) and titanium nitride (Ti x N y ).

[0049] In some embodiments, substrate 105 includes a single crystal semiconductor layer on at least its surface. In some embodiments, substrate 105 includes a single crystal semiconductor material, such as but not limited to silicon, germanium, silicon germanium, gallium arsenide, indium antimonide, gallium phosphide, gallium antimonide, indium aluminum arsenide, gallium indium arsenide, gallium antimony phosphide (GaSbP), gallium arsenic antimonide (GaAsSb), and indium phosphide. In some embodiments, substrate 105 is made of silicon. In some embodiments, substrate 105 is a silicon substrate. In some embodiments, substrate 105 is a semiconductor substrate on an insulating layer, which is manufactured using separation by implantation of oxygen (SIMOX), substrate bonding, and / or other suitable methods, such as a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate, a silicon germanium-on-insulator (SGOI) substrate, or a germanium-on-insulator (GOI) substrate. In some embodiments, substrate 105 is a silicon substrate with a mirror-polished surface on one or both sides.

[0050] In some embodiments, the processing chamber 110 includes an upper portion 112 and a lower portion 114, which are made of a conductive material, such as aluminum. In some embodiments, the upper portion 112 includes an upper electrode 113. In some embodiments, the lower portion 114 includes an insulating ceramic frame 116, and includes an electrostatic chuck 130 in the insulating ceramic frame 116. For example, Figure 1As shown, the electrostatic chuck 130 is disposed in an insulating ceramic frame 116 in the lower portion 114 of the processing chamber 110. In some embodiments, the electrostatic chuck 130 includes a conductive sheet that functions as a chuck electrode 135. Figure 1 As shown, the chuck electrode 135 is connected to a DC power source 140. When a DC voltage from the DC power source 140 is applied to the chuck electrode 135 of the electrostatic chuck 130 having the substrate 105 disposed thereon, a Coulomb force is generated between the substrate 105 and the chuck electrode 135. The Coulomb force attracts and holds the substrate 105 on the electrostatic chuck 130 until the DC voltage from the DC power source 140 is interrupted.

[0051] In some embodiments, to improve heat transfer between the substrate 105 and the electrostatic chuck 130, one or more gases (e.g., helium or argon) are introduced between the substrate 105 and the electrostatic chuck 130. In some embodiments, the gas dissipates heat generated between the substrate 105 and the electrostatic chuck 130 during application of the DC voltage.

[0052] like Figure 1 As shown, the etching apparatus 100 also includes a pump 160 connected to the processing chamber 110. The pump 160 is configured to provide a vacuum or maintain a specific gas pressure within the processing chamber 110. In some embodiments, the pressure within the processing chamber 110 is maintained by a combination of one or more gases introduced and a degree of pumping performed by the pump 160. In some embodiments, the pressure within the processing chamber 110 is maintained by the pumping of the pump 160 alone.

[0053] In some embodiments, the electrostatic chuck 130 of the etching apparatus 100 also includes a plurality of pins 150 disposed in the electrostatic chuck 130. In some embodiments, each of the plurality of pins 150 includes an electrically insulating cap 155 to electrically insulate a sample (e.g., substrate 105) from a main rod of the pin 150. In some embodiments, the plurality of pins 150 are configured to move the substrate 105 upward from the surface of the electrostatic chuck 130 by a distance of about 1 mm to about 10 mm, and move downward to place the substrate on the electrostatic chuck 130. In some embodiments, the distance of about 1 mm to about 10 mm provides effective cleaning of the electrostatic chuck 130.

[0054] In some embodiments, the RF power source 120 is turned on to apply the plasma 125 for the plasma etching operation. In some embodiments, the RF power source 120 (e.g., 13.56 MHz, 2.45 GHz, etc.) is turned on to produce a positively charged surface on the surface of the substrate 105. In some embodiments, the RF pulses applied from the RF power source 120 in the processing chamber 110 negatively charge the debris particles and / or contaminants 190 on and / or near the surface of the electrostatic chuck 130. In some embodiments, during the cleaning operation, the RF power source 120 is configured to apply RF pulses of about 10% to about 90% of the power applied during the normal etching operation. In some embodiments, the RF power source 120 is configured to apply RF pulses of about 20% to about 80%, about 30% to about 70%, or about 30% to about 50% of the power applied during the normal etching operation. In some embodiments, operating at a power greater than about 80% of the normal etching power causes the electrostatic chuck to be etched. In some embodiments, operating at a power lower than about 20% of the normal etching power may result in insufficient removal of foreign particles and / or contaminants. In some embodiments, the power applied during the etching operation ranges from about 200 watts to about 700 watts. The application of RF power produces a positively charged surface on the surface of the substrate 105. In some embodiments, the application of RF pulses occurs for a duration of about 10 seconds to about 60 seconds, about 10 seconds to about 50 seconds, about 20 seconds to about 40 seconds, or about 20 seconds to about 30 seconds, including any duration therebetween. In some embodiments, applying RF pulses for less than 10 seconds is not enough to produce negative charges. In some embodiments, applying RF pulses for more than 60 seconds results in charge saturation.

[0055] In some embodiments, a DC voltage (e.g., a negative voltage) is applied from the DC power source 140 to the electrostatic chuck 130 to negatively charge debris particles and / or contaminants 190 on and / or near the surface of the electrostatic chuck 130. In some embodiments, the DC power source 140 is configured to apply a DC voltage of about 10% to about 90% of the power applied during a normal etching operation using DC. In some embodiments, the DC power source 140 is configured to apply a DC voltage of about 20% to about 80%, about 30% to about 70%, or about 30% to about 50% of the power applied during a normal etching operation using DC. In some embodiments, the applied DC voltage ranges from about 2000 watts to about 2500 watts. The application of DC power produces a positively charged surface on the surface of the substrate 105. In some embodiments, the application of the DC voltage occurs for a period of about 10 seconds to about 60 seconds, about 10 seconds to about 50 seconds, about 20 seconds to about 40 seconds, or about 20 seconds to about 30 seconds, including any period of time therebetween. By applying one of a DC (negative) voltage or an RF pulse, negatively charged debris particles and / or contaminants 190 are attached to the positively charged substrate 105 surface.

[0056] like Figure 1 As shown, the etching apparatus 100 also includes a spectral and / or charge monitoring system 180. The spectral and / or charge monitoring system 180 is configured to monitor the surface charge level, debris particles, and / or the composition of contaminants 190 on the surface of the electrostatic chuck 130. The spectral and / or charge monitoring system 180 uses X-rays or ion beams to charge the debris particles and / or contaminants 190 (including any byproducts). For example, during a cleaning operation of the etching apparatus 100, the spectral and / or charge monitoring system 180 is configured to continuously or periodically monitor the surface charge level, debris particles, and / or the composition of contaminants 190. In some embodiments, the continuous or periodic monitoring by the spectral and / or charge monitoring system 180 provides a user with a contamination history or data chart of the etching apparatus 100 throughout the lifetime of the etching apparatus, or in some cases, at any time during the lifetime of the etching apparatus.

[0057] Figure 2 A flow chart of a method 200 for cleaning an etching device is shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. It should be understood that additional operations may be provided in Figure 2 The etching apparatus includes a processing chamber, a radio frequency power source, an electrostatic chuck in the processing chamber, a chuck electrode, and a DC power source connected to the chuck electrode. In some embodiments, the etching apparatus is Figure 1 Shown and referenced Figure 1 The etching apparatus 100 is depicted. In some embodiments, cleaning includes removing debris particles and / or contaminants.

[0058] like Figure 2 As shown, the method 200 includes placing a substrate on a surface of an electrostatic chuck at operation S202. In some embodiments, the substrate is a reference Figure 1 The substrate 105 is described. In some embodiments, the back side of the substrate includes a coating that adheres to debris particles and / or contaminants. The coating is the same or substantially similar to the reference Figure 1 The coating (or film) 108 described. The electrostatic suction seat includes a plurality of pins disposed therein. In some embodiments, the electrostatic suction seat is a reference Figure 1 The electrostatic chuck 130 is described, and the plurality of pins are referenced Figure 1 A plurality of pins 150 are depicted.

[0059] In operation S204, the method 200 includes moving the plurality of pins 150 to move the substrate 105 away from the surface of the electrostatic chuck 130. In some embodiments, each of the plurality of pins 150 includes an electrically insulating cap 155 to electrically insulate the substrate 105 from the electrostatic chuck 130. In some embodiments, moving the plurality of pins 150 includes moving the substrate 105 away from the surface of the electrostatic chuck 130 by about 1 mm to about 10 mm.

[0060] In some embodiments, instead of operations S202 and S204, the plurality of pins 150 are moved upward from the electrostatic chuck 130 before placing the substrate 105 on the electrostatic chuck 130. After the plurality of pins 150 are moved upward from the electrostatic chuck 130 to a position, the substrate 105 is placed on the plurality of pins 150. In some embodiments, the positioning of the plurality of pins 150 is different from the highest position at which a substrate handler operates.

[0061] In operation S206, the method 200 includes applying plasma to the substrate 105. The applied plasma creates a positively charged surface on the substrate surface.

[0062] In operation S208, the method 200 includes applying a negative voltage or a radio frequency pulse to the electrostatic chuck 130. Applying a negative voltage or a radio frequency pulse to the electrostatic chuck 130 causes debris particles and / or contaminants on and / or near the surface of the electrostatic chuck 130 to be negatively charged. The negative charge on the debris particles and / or contaminants is attracted by the positively charged surface of the substrate 105 (e.g., the back side of the substrate) and then attaches to the positively charged surface of the substrate. In some embodiments, the application of the negative (DC) voltage or radio frequency pulse is about 30% to about 50% of the power applied during a normal etching process of the etching equipment. In some embodiments, the application of the negative voltage or radio frequency pulse occurs for a period of about 10 seconds to about 60 seconds.

[0063] In operation S210, the method 200 includes removing the substrate 105 from the etching apparatus 100. Since the substrate currently includes debris particles and / or contaminants adhered from the etching apparatus, removing the substrate removes the debris particles and / or contaminants from the etching apparatus.

[0064] In some embodiments, the etching apparatus includes a spectral and / or charge monitoring system. In operation S212, the method 200 optionally includes monitoring the surface charge saturation of the substrate, the composition of the debris particles, and / or the composition of the contaminants via the spectral and / or charge monitoring system 180. In some embodiments, the spectral and / or charge monitoring system 180 uses X-rays or ion beams to charge the debris particles and / or contaminants 190 (including any byproducts), and uses a detector (e.g., a residual gas analyzer or any related chemical analyzer) to analyze the composition of the debris particles and / or contaminants 190 (including any byproducts).

[0065] At operation 214, the method 200 optionally includes, based on the surface charge saturation of the substrate, the composition of the debris particles, and / or the composition of the contaminants, stopping the plasma and discontinuing the negative voltage or RF pulse applied to the electrostatic chuck 130. In some embodiments, the method 200 optionally includes, after applying the plasma, venting the etching apparatus to a pressure of about greater than 400 mTorr, and after venting, applying a vacuum to further remove debris particles and / or contaminants from the electrostatic chuck.

[0066] Figure 3A , Figure 3B , Figure 3C , Figure 3D , Figure 3E , Figure 3F Various schematic diagrams of another embodiment of an electrostatic chuck during a cleaning operation of the electrostatic chuck are illustrated according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3A The electrostatic chuck 330 is shown, which is substantially similar to the reference Figure 1 The electrostatic suction seat 130 described. Figure 3A As shown, the electrostatic chuck 330 includes a conductive sheet that functions as a chuck electrode 335. The electrostatic chuck 330 includes debris particles and / or contaminants 390 on its surface to be removed from the electrostatic chuck 330. Figure 3A A substrate 305 is shown, including a coating 308 disposed on the surface of the substrate 305. Figure 3A The substrate 305 and the coating 308 are respectively similar to the reference Figure 1 The substrate 105 and coating 108 are described as being the same or substantially similar. In some embodiments, the coating 308 comprises a photoresist film.

[0067] Figure 3B FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a substrate 305 placed on an electrostatic chuck 330. Figure 3B As shown, coating 308 of substrate 305 is in contact with electrostatic chuck 330. Coating 308 thus covers or substantially contacts debris particles and / or contaminants 390.

[0068] Figure 3C FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating applying plasma 325 to heat the substrate 305 . Figure 3C Also shown is heating of substrate 305 by applying heat 345 in electrostatic chuck 330. In some embodiments, heating by either plasma 325 or heat 345 melts or chemically activates coating 308. In some embodiments, the heat melts or softens coating 308, and then after the heat is removed, coating 308 cures or hardens.

[0069] Figure 3DSchematic diagram of the transfer of coating 308 from substrate 305 to electrostatic chuck 330 having debris particles and / or contaminants 390 is shown. Due to the heating, coating 308 dissociates from substrate 305 and attaches to electrostatic chuck 330, thereby substantially sealing debris particles and / or contaminants 390 between coating 308 and electrostatic chuck 330.

[0070] Figure 3E FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of coating 308 attached to electrostatic chuck 330 after substrate 305 is removed.

[0071] Figure 3F Schematic diagram of additionally applying plasma 325 to remove coating 308, debris particles and / or contaminants 390 from electrostatic chuck 330. In some embodiments, plasma 325 includes oxygen plasma to remove organic materials. When coating 308 and debris particles and / or contaminants 390 are organic, oxygen plasma can remove both coating 308 and debris particles. In some embodiments, plasma gas is used to remove metal contaminants by recombination of metal contaminants with other debris particles or byproducts. For example, metal recombination can be performed using Al 3+ +3NH3.H2O→Al(OH)3↓+3NH 4+ To represent, aluminum ions (Al 3+ ) is converted into aluminum hydroxide (Al(OH)3) and deposited.

[0072] In other embodiments, after the coating 308 is cured or hardened, the substrate 305 and the coating 308 attached thereto are removed, thereby removing debris or contaminants from the surface of the electrostatic chuck.

[0073] Figure 4 Another flowchart of a method 400 for cleaning an etching device having an electrostatic chuck 330 is shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the etching device is Figure 1 Shown and referenced Figure 1 The etching apparatus 100 described herein. In some embodiments, the etching apparatus includes a spectral monitoring system. The method 400 includes placing a substrate 305 having a thin film (or coating) disposed on the back side on a surface of an electrostatic chuck 330 at operation S402. In some embodiments, the substrate 305 is a reference Figure 1 Described substrate 105. In some embodiments, the film adheres to debris particles and / or contaminants.

[0074] In operation S404, method 400 includes heating substrate 305 to a high temperature by applying a plasma and / or a current to electrostatic chuck 330. Heat generated by the plasma or current (eg, direct current) melts and / or chemically activates thin film 308 on the back side of the substrate.

[0075] At operation S406, the method 400 includes transferring the thin film 308 from the substrate 305 to the surface of the electrostatic chuck 330. The transfer of the thin film to the surface of the electrostatic chuck 330 covers the debris particles and / or contaminants on the surface of the electrostatic chuck.

[0076] At operation S408 , the method 400 includes removing the substrate 305 from the surface of the electrostatic chuck 330 .

[0077] In operation S410, after removing the substrate from the surface of the electrostatic chuck 330, in some embodiments, the method 400 includes applying plasma to etch away the thin film and the covered debris particles and / or contaminants without damaging the electrostatic chuck 330. The application of plasma substantially or completely removes the thin film and / or the covered debris particles and / or contaminants. In some embodiments, the density of the plasma used to heat the substrate is lower than the density of the plasma used to etch away the thin film and / or the covered debris particles and / or contaminants. In some embodiments, the temperature of the electrostatic chuck 330 is higher than the temperature of the thin film during the heating of the backside processed substrate.

[0078] In operation S412 , method 400 optionally includes applying a voltage of reverse polarity to the electrostatic chuck during the further application of the plasma. In some embodiments, the application of the reverse polarity voltage enhances the transfer and removal of contaminant particles from electrostatic chuck 330 .

[0079] At operation S414, method 400 optionally includes venting the etching apparatus to a pressure greater than about 400 mTorr. In some embodiments, venting to a pressure greater than about 400 mTorr occurs after operation S410, for example, after further applying the plasma.

[0080] After venting the etching apparatus to a pressure greater than about 400 mTorr, at operation S416 , the method 400 optionally includes applying a vacuum to further remove the remaining portions of the film and coated debris particles and / or contaminants from the electrostatic chuck 330 .

[0081] At operation S418 , method 400 optionally includes monitoring the composition of the film and coated debris particles and / or contaminants via a spectroscopic monitoring system.

[0082] Figure 5 Another flow chart of a method 500 for cleaning an etching apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The etching apparatus comprises: a processing chamber, a cassette containing at least one substrate, a radio frequency power source, an electrostatic chuck in the processing chamber, a chuck electrode, and a direct current power source connected to the chuck electrode. In some embodiments, the etching apparatus is Figure 1Shown and referenced Figure 1 The etching apparatus 100 is depicted. In some embodiments, cleaning includes removing debris particles and / or contaminants.

[0083] like Figure 5 As shown, method 500 includes placing at least one substrate on a surface of an electrostatic chuck at operation S502. In some embodiments, at least one substrate is a reference Figure 1 In some embodiments, at least one of the substrates has a backside surface to be processed. The electrostatic chuck includes a plurality of pins disposed in the electrostatic chuck. In some embodiments, the electrostatic chuck is a reference Figure 1 The electrostatic chuck 130 is described, and the plurality of pins are referenced Figure 1 The plurality of pins 150 are described. In some embodiments, each of the plurality of pins includes an electrically insulating cover to electrically insulate the substrate from the electrostatic chuck.

[0084] In operation S504, the method 500 includes moving the plurality of pins to move at least one backside processed substrate away from the surface of the electrostatic chuck. In some embodiments, moving the plurality of pins includes moving the substrate away from the surface of the electrostatic chuck by a distance of about 1 mm to about 10 mm.

[0085] At operation S506, the method 500 includes applying plasma. The plasma creates a positively charged surface on a surface of at least one substrate.

[0086] In operation S508, method 500 includes applying a negative voltage or a radio frequency pulse to the electrostatic chuck. Applying the negative voltage or radio frequency pulse to the electrostatic chuck negatively charges debris particles and / or contaminants on and / or near the surface of the electrostatic chuck. The negative charge on the debris particles and / or contaminants causes the debris particles and / or contaminants to attach to the positively charged surface of at least one substrate. In some embodiments, the negative (e.g., direct current) voltage or radio frequency pulse is applied at about 30% to about 50% of the power applied during a normal etching process of the etching apparatus. In some embodiments, applying the negative voltage or radio frequency pulse to the electrostatic chuck includes applying power for a duration of about 10 seconds to about 60 seconds.

[0087] In operation S510 , the method 500 includes removing at least one substrate from an etching apparatus, thereby removing debris particles and / or contaminants from the etching apparatus.

[0088] At operation S512, method 500 optionally includes treating the back side of at least one substrate with a coating that is used to bind debris particles and / or contaminants. The coating is the same or substantially similar to the reference Figure 1 The coating (or film) 108 is described.

[0089] In some embodiments, the etching apparatus includes a spectral and / or charge monitoring system. In operation S514, the method 500 optionally includes monitoring surface charge saturation, composition of debris particles, and / or composition of contaminants of at least one substrate via the spectral and / or charge monitoring system.

[0090] At operation S516 , the method 500 optionally includes shutting down the plasma and discontinuing the negative voltage or RF pulse applied to the electrostatic chuck based on the surface charge saturation of the substrate, the composition of the debris particles, and / or the composition of the contaminants.

[0091] At operation S518 , the method 500 optionally includes placing another substrate from the cassette on the electrostatic chuck.

[0092] At operation S520 , the method 500 optionally includes turning on a plasma, thereby creating a positively charged surface on a surface of another substrate.

[0093] In operation S522, method 500 optionally includes applying a negative voltage or a radio frequency pulse to the electrostatic chuck. The negative voltage or radio frequency pulse causes residual debris particles and / or contaminants on and / or near the surface of the electrostatic chuck to be negatively charged. The negative charge on the residual debris particles and / or contaminants causes the residual debris particles and / or contaminants to attach to the positively charged surface of another substrate. In some embodiments, the negative voltage or radio frequency pulse is applied at about 30% to about 50% of the normal power applied during a regular etching process of the etching equipment. In some embodiments, applying the negative voltage or radio frequency pulse to the electrostatic chuck includes applying power for a duration of about 10 seconds to about 60 seconds.

[0094] The foregoing text summarizes the features of many embodiments so that those with ordinary knowledge in the art can better understand the present disclosure from various aspects. Those with ordinary knowledge in the art should understand and can easily design or modify other processes and structures based on the present disclosure to achieve the same purpose and / or achieve the same advantages as the embodiments introduced herein. Those with ordinary knowledge in the art should also understand that these equivalent structures do not deviate from the spirit and scope of the invention of the present disclosure. Various changes, substitutions or modifications may be made to the present disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention of the present disclosure.

[0095] The technology disclosed herein relates to an etching apparatus and a method for cleaning an etching apparatus. The embodiments described herein provide improved etching apparatus cleaning operations and reduce etching apparatus downtime for cleaning. In addition, because the removal of contaminants from the etching apparatus is improved, in the embodiments disclosed herein, contamination of the workpiece is also reduced and the yield of the device is improved.

[0096] One embodiment of the present disclosure is a method for cleaning debris and contaminants. The method includes providing an etching device, the etching device including: a processing chamber, a radio frequency power source, an electrostatic suction seat in the processing chamber, a suction seat electrode, and a DC power source connected to the suction seat electrode. The method includes: placing a substrate on a surface of the electrostatic suction seat, the electrostatic suction seat including a plurality of pins disposed in the electrostatic suction seat. The method also includes: moving the plurality of pins to remove the substrate from the surface of the electrostatic suction seat. The method also includes: applying a plasma to the substrate, thereby generating a positively charged surface on the surface of the substrate. The method also includes: applying a negative voltage or a radio frequency pulse to the electrostatic suction seat. Applying a negative voltage or a radio frequency pulse to the electrostatic suction seat causes the debris particles and / or contaminants on the surface and / or near the electrostatic suction seat to be negatively charged, causing the debris particles and / or contaminants to attach to the positively charged substrate surface. The method also includes: removing the substrate from the etching device, thereby removing the debris particles and / or contaminants from the etching device. In one embodiment, applying a negative voltage or radio frequency pulse to the electrostatic chuck includes applying 30% to 50% of the power applied during a normal etching process of the etching apparatus. In one embodiment, applying a negative voltage or radio frequency pulse to the electrostatic chuck includes applying power for a duration of 10 seconds to 60 seconds. In one embodiment, each of the plurality of pins includes an electrically insulating cover to electrically insulate the substrate from the electrostatic chuck. In one embodiment, moving the plurality of pins includes moving the substrate away from the surface of the electrostatic chuck by a distance of about 1 mm to about 10 mm. In one embodiment, the back side of the substrate includes a coating to adhere to debris particles and / or contaminants. In one embodiment, the etching apparatus includes a spectral and / or charge monitoring system. In one embodiment, the method further includes: monitoring the surface charge saturation of the substrate, the composition of the debris particles, and / or the composition of the contaminants via the spectral and / or charge monitoring system. In one embodiment, the method further includes: stopping the plasma and interrupting the negative voltage or radio frequency pulse applied to the electrostatic chuck based on the surface charge saturation of the substrate, the composition of the debris particles, and / or the composition of the contaminants. In one embodiment, the method further comprises: venting the etching apparatus to a pressure greater than about 400 mTorr after applying the plasma; and applying a vacuum after venting to further remove debris particles and / or contaminants from the electrostatic chuck.

[0097] Another embodiment of the present disclosure is a method for cleaning etching equipment. The method includes: placing a substrate having a thin film disposed on the back side on a surface of an electrostatic chuck. The thin film adheres to debris particles and / or contaminants. The method also includes: heating the substrate to a high temperature by applying a plasma and / or an electric current to the electrostatic chuck, thereby melting and / or chemically activating the thin film on the back side of the substrate; transferring the thin film from the substrate to the surface of the electrostatic chuck, thereby covering the debris particles and / or contaminants on the surface of the electrostatic chuck; removing the substrate from the surface of the electrostatic chuck; and further applying plasma to etch away the thin film and the covered debris particles and / or contaminants. In one embodiment, the density of the plasma used to heat the substrate is lower than the density of the plasma used to etch away the thin film. In one embodiment, during the heating of the substrate whose back side is being processed, the temperature of the electrostatic chuck is higher than the temperature of the thin film. In one embodiment, the method also includes: applying a voltage of reverse polarity to the electrostatic chuck during the further application of the plasma. In one embodiment, the method further comprises: after further applying the plasma, venting the etching apparatus to a pressure of about greater than 400 mTorr, and applying a vacuum after venting to further remove the remaining portion of the film and the covered debris particles and / or contaminants from the electrostatic chuck. In one embodiment, the electrostatic chuck includes a plurality of pins disposed in the electrostatic chuck, and each of the plurality of pins includes an electrically insulating cover to electrically insulate the substrate from the electrostatic chuck. In one embodiment, the etching apparatus includes a spectral monitoring system. In one embodiment, the method further comprises: monitoring the composition of the film and the covered debris particles and / or contaminants via the spectral monitoring system.

[0098] Another embodiment of the present disclosure is an etching device. The etching device includes: a processing chamber, a radio frequency power source, an electrostatic suction holder in the processing chamber, a suction holder electrode, a DC power source connected to the suction holder electrode, and a spectrum and / or charge monitoring system. The electrostatic suction holder is configured to receive a substrate. The spectrum and / or charge monitoring system is configured to monitor the surface charge level, the composition of debris particles and / or the composition of contaminants on the surface of the electrostatic suction holder. In one embodiment, the electrostatic suction holder of the etching device includes a plurality of pins disposed in the electrostatic suction holder. In one embodiment, each of the plurality of pins includes an electrically insulating cover to electrically insulate the substrate from the electrostatic suction holder. In one embodiment, the plurality of pins are configured to move the substrate away from the surface of the electrostatic suction holder by a distance of about 1 mm to about 10 mm.

[0099] Another embodiment of the present disclosure is a method for cleaning an etching device. The etching device includes: a processing chamber, a cassette containing at least one substrate, a radio frequency power source, an electrostatic chuck in the processing chamber, a chuck electrode, and a DC power source connected to the chuck electrode. The above cleaning method includes: placing at least one substrate on a surface of the electrostatic chuck, the electrostatic chuck including a plurality of pins disposed in the electrostatic chuck. Moving the above plurality of pins to remove at least one substrate whose back side is processed from the surface of the electrostatic chuck; applying a plasma to generate a positively charged surface on the surface of at least one substrate. Applying a negative voltage or a radio frequency pulse to the electrostatic chuck, thereby causing debris particles and / or contaminants on and / or near the surface of the electrostatic chuck to be negatively charged, causing the debris particles and / or contaminants to attach to the positively charged surface of at least one substrate, and removing at least one substrate from the etching device, thereby removing the debris particles and / or contaminants from the etching device. In one embodiment of the above method, applying a negative voltage or a radio frequency pulse to the electrostatic chuck includes applying 30% to 50% of the power applied during a normal etching process of the etching equipment. In one embodiment, applying a negative voltage or a radio frequency pulse to the electrostatic chuck includes applying power for a duration of 10 seconds to 60 seconds. In one embodiment of the above method, each of the plurality of pins includes an electrically insulating cover that contacts the substrate. In one embodiment of the above method, moving the plurality of pins includes moving the substrate away from the surface of the electrostatic chuck by a distance of about 1 mm to about 10 mm. In one embodiment, the above method also includes: treating the back side of at least one substrate with a coating, the coating being used to adhere to debris particles and / or contaminants. In one embodiment, the etching equipment also includes a spectral and / or charge monitoring system. In one embodiment, the above method also includes: monitoring the surface charge saturation, the composition of the debris particles and / or the composition of the contaminants of at least one substrate via the spectral and / or charge monitoring system. In one embodiment, the method further comprises: shutting down the plasma and discontinuing the negative voltage or RF pulse applied to the electrostatic chuck based on the surface charge saturation of the substrate, the composition of the debris particles and / or the composition of the contaminants. In one embodiment, the method further comprises: placing another substrate from the cassette on the electrostatic chuck and starting the plasma, thereby generating a positively charged surface on the surface of the other substrate. In one embodiment, the method further comprises: applying a negative voltage or a RF pulse to the electrostatic chuck, thereby negatively charging the residual debris particles and / or contaminants on and / or near the surface of the electrostatic chuck, causing the residual debris particles and / or contaminants to attach to the positively charged surface of the other substrate.

[0100] The foregoing text summarizes the features of many embodiments so that those with ordinary knowledge in the art can better understand the present disclosure from various aspects. Those with ordinary knowledge in the art should understand and can easily design or modify other processes and structures based on the present disclosure to achieve the same purpose and / or achieve the same advantages as the embodiments introduced herein. Those with ordinary knowledge in the art should also understand that these equivalent structures do not deviate from the spirit and scope of the invention of the present disclosure. Various changes, substitutions or modifications may be made to the present disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A cleaning method comprising: Placing a substrate on a surface of an electrostatic chuck in an etching apparatus, the electrostatic chuck comprising a plurality of pins disposed in the electrostatic chuck, wherein the etching apparatus comprises a processing chamber, a radio frequency power source, a chuck electrode, and a direct current power source connected to the chuck electrode; moving the pins to remove the substrate from the surface of the electrostatic chuck; applying a plasma to the substrate, thereby creating a positively charged surface on the surface of the substrate; attaching debris particles and / or contaminants to the substrate by applying a negative voltage or a radio frequency pulse to the electrostatic chuck; as well as The substrate is removed from the etching apparatus, thereby removing the debris particles and / or the contaminants from the etching apparatus.

2. The cleaning method according to claim 1, wherein: Applying the negative voltage or the radio frequency pulse to the electrostatic chuck includes applying 30% to 50% of the power applied during a regular etching process of the etching apparatus.

3. The cleaning method according to claim 2, wherein: Applying the negative voltage or the RF pulse to the electrostatic chuck includes applying power for a duration of 10 seconds to 60 seconds.

4. The cleaning method according to claim 1, wherein: Each of the pins includes an electrical insulation cover to electrically insulate the substrate from the electrostatic chuck.

5. The cleaning method according to claim 1, wherein: Moving the pin includes moving the substrate away from the surface of the electrostatic chuck by a distance of 1 mm to 10 mm.

6. The cleaning method according to claim 1, wherein: The substrate includes a coating on the back side of the substrate that adheres to the debris particles and / or the contaminants during attachment.

7. The cleaning method according to claim 1, further comprising: A surface charge saturation of the substrate, a composition of the debris particles, and / or a composition of the contaminants are monitored via a spectroscopy and / or charge monitoring system.

8. The cleaning method according to claim 7, further comprising: Based on the surface charge saturation of the substrate, the composition of the debris particles, and / or the composition of the contaminants, the plasma is stopped and the negative voltage or the RF pulse applied to the electrostatic chuck is discontinued.

9. The cleaning method according to claim 8, further comprising: After applying the plasma, venting the etching apparatus to a pressure greater than 400 mTorr; as well as After venting, a vacuum is applied to further remove the debris particles and / or the contaminants from the electrostatic chuck.

10. A cleaning method comprising: Placing a substrate on a surface of an electrostatic chuck in an etching apparatus, the substrate having a film disposed on a back side of the substrate, wherein the film adheres to debris particles and / or contaminants; heating the substrate to a high temperature by applying a plasma and / or an electric current to the electrostatic chuck, thereby melting and / or chemically activating the thin film on the back side of the substrate; Covering the debris particles and / or the contaminants on the surface of the electrostatic chuck with the thin film by transferring the thin film from the substrate to the surface of the electrostatic chuck; removing the substrate from the surface of the electrostatic chuck; as well as The plasma is further applied to etch away the film and the covered debris particles and / or the contaminants.

11. The cleaning method according to claim 10, wherein: The density of the plasma used to heat the substrate is lower than the density of the plasma used to etch and remove the thin film.

12. The cleaning method according to claim 10, wherein: During heating of the substrate whose backside is being processed, the temperature of the electrostatic chuck is higher than the temperature of the film.

13. The cleaning method according to claim 10, further comprising: During the further application of the plasma, a voltage of reverse polarity is applied to the electrostatic chuck.

14. The cleaning method according to claim 10, further comprising: After further applying the plasma, venting the etching apparatus to a pressure greater than 400 mTorr; as well as After venting, a vacuum is applied to further remove the remaining portion of the film and the coated debris particles and / or the contaminants from the electrostatic chuck.

15. The cleaning method according to claim 10, wherein: The electrostatic chuck includes a plurality of pins disposed in the electrostatic chuck, and each of the pins includes an electrical insulation cover to electrically insulate the substrate from the electrostatic chuck.

16. The cleaning method of claim 15, further comprising: A composition of the film and the covered debris particles and / or the contaminants is monitored via a spectroscopic monitoring system.

17. An etching device comprising: a processing chamber; a radio frequency power source; an electrostatic chuck in the processing chamber, the electrostatic chuck configured to receive a substrate; A suction base electrode; A DC power source connected to the suction base electrode; as well as a spectral and / or charge monitoring system, The spectral and / or charge monitoring system is configured to monitor a surface charge level, a composition of debris particles, and / or a composition of contaminants on a surface of the electrostatic chuck.

18. The etching apparatus of claim 17, wherein: The electrostatic chuck includes a plurality of pins disposed in the electrostatic chuck.

19. The etching apparatus of claim 18, wherein: Each of the pins includes an electrical insulation cover to electrically insulate the substrate from the electrostatic chuck.

20. The etching apparatus of claim 18, wherein: The pins are configured to move the substrate a distance of 1 mm to 10 mm away from the surface of the electrostatic chuck.

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