US 12,252,785 B2
Method for cleaning quartz epitaxial chambers
Gregory Deye, Phoenix, AZ (US); Joseph P. Margetis, Gilbert, AZ (US); and John Tolle, Gilbert, AZ (US)
Assigned to ASM IP Holding B.V., Almere (NL)
Filed by ASM IP Holding B.V., Almere (NL)
Filed on May 29, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/888,423.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/859,621, filed on Jun. 10, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2020/0385861 A1, Dec. 10, 2020
Int. Cl. C23C 16/44 (2006.01); H01L 21/02 (2006.01)
CPC C23C 16/4405 (2013.01) [C23C 16/4404 (2013.01); H01L 21/02334 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method comprising:
providing a reaction chamber comprising a plurality of walls and a plurality of chamber parts, wherein each of the plurality of walls comprises quartz;
forming a film on a substrate in the reaction chamber, wherein forming the film causes a residue to form on a surface of the each of the plurality of walls and at least one of the plurality of chamber parts, wherein the residue comprises a material from the group consisting of arsenic, phosphorus, arsenic compounds, and phosphorus compounds; and
after forming the film, unloading the substrate from the reaction chamber, and then cleaning the surface of the each of the plurality of walls and the at least one of the plurality of chamber parts, wherein the cleaning comprises:
flowing a protective coating gas into the reaction chamber for pre-coating and forming a protective layer on the each of the plurality of walls and the at least one of the plurality of chamber parts, wherein the protective coating gas is selected from the group consisting of: dichlorosilane (DCS), silane, or disilane, and the reaction chamber's temperature during the pre-coating in the range of 750 to 950° C.;
after forming the protective layer, heating the reaction chamber to a temperature exceeding 700° C. for a duration exceeding 160 s; and
after the heating the reaction chamber to a temperature exceeding 700° C. for a duration exceeding 160 s, flowing an etchant gas into the reaction chamber;
wherein the etchant gas removes the residue from each of the plurality of walls.