Substrate Chamber Cleaning With Bromine Gas at Lower Temperature
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cleaning methods for substrate processing apparatuses require high temperatures, leading to delamination of components, generation of additional contaminants, and corrosion, resulting in a large amount of impurities remaining post-cleaning.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the injection of gases containing Zn, Ga, In, or Sn to deposit a thin film, followed by a cleaning gas containing Br, with optional auxiliary gases like H2 or O2, and plasma generation, all at a temperature lower than the deposition process, to delaminate and remove impurities without damaging the apparatus surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high temperature is used to enable gas containing Cl or F to react with deposits, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but surface delamination and corrosion occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the cleaning gas from traditional Cl-containing or F-containing gases to Br-containing gases (such as HBr, Br2, or CBr4). This parameter change allows the cleaning reaction to proceed at lower temperatures (below deposition temperature) while maintaining effective deposit removal, thereby preventing surface delamination and corrosion that occur with high-temperature cleaning methods
Solution Approach 2:
The Br-containing gas acts as an intermediary substance that facilitates the removal of deposits through a different chemical mechanism. The bromine-based cleaning gas reacts with metal organic deposits to form volatile bromide compounds, enabling effective cleaning at lower temperatures without the harsh effects of traditional high-temperature Cl or F-based cleaning methods
2Quantity of substance
If high temperature is maintained in the chamber, then deposit removal is improved, but additional contaminants are generated
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the temperature parameter to be lower than the deposition temperature and using Br-containing cleaning gas, the patent achieves deposit removal without generating additional contaminants from surface delamination. The lower temperature prevents the delamination of chamber surfaces while the Br-based chemistry effectively removes organic metal deposits
3Reliability
If traditional cleaning gas (Cl or F containing) is used, then cleaning capability is improved, but temperature control becomes restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameter of the cleaning gas from Cl-containing or F-containing gases to Br-containing gases. This chemical parameter change fundamentally alters the temperature requirements, enabling effective cleaning at temperatures below the deposition temperature, thus providing greater temperature control flexibility and allowing cleaning to be performed without heating the chamber to high temperatures
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method effectively cleans the substrate processing apparatus at a lower temperature than traditional methods, reducing the amount of impurities and preventing surface peeling and corrosion, thereby improving the cleanliness and longevity of the apparatus.
Implementation Method 1
injecting a cleaning gas containing Br into the chamber; and exhausting byproducts generated through a reaction between impurities deposited inside the chamber in addition to the substrate and the cleaning gas
Implementation Method 2
injecting a gas containing at least one of Zn, Ga, In, or Sn into the chamber to deposit a thin film on the substrate
Implementation Method 3
The generating of the plasma may include injecting a second auxiliary gas that is an Ar gas
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a method for cleaning a substrate processing apparatus. The method includes loading a substrate into a chamber, injecting a gas containing at least one of Zn, Ga, In, or Sn into the chamber to deposit a thin film on the substrate, unloading the substrate to the outside of the chamber, injecting a cleaning gas containing Br into the chamber, and exhausting byproducts generated through a reaction between impurities deposited inside the chamber in addition to the substrate and the cleaning gas in the depositing of the thin film. Therefore, the inside of the apparatus may be cleaned at relatively low temperature. That is, impurities having the form of the thin film, which are deposited on a surface of a component or structure installed inside the apparatus may be delaminated from the surface.