US 12,112,938 B2
Semiconductor processing preclean methods and apparatus
Chuang Wei, Chandler, AZ (US); Aditya Chaudhury, Tempe, AZ (US); Prahlad Kulkarni, Tempe, AZ (US); Xing Lin, Chandler, AZ (US); Xiaoda Sun, Tempe, AZ (US); Woo Jung Shin, Chandler, AZ (US); Bubesh Babu Jotheeswaran, Gilbert, AZ (US); Fei Wang, Portland, OR (US); Qu Jin, Chandler, AZ (US); Aditya Walimbe, Tempe, AZ (US); Rajeev Reddy Kosireddy, Tempe, AZ (US); Yen Chun Fu, Tempe, AZ (US); and Amin Azimi, Phoenix, AZ (US)
Assigned to ASM IP Holding B.V., Almere (NL)
Filed by ASM IP HOLDING B.V., Almere (NL)
Filed on Mar. 17, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/655,245.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/162,878, filed on Mar. 18, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0301856 A1, Sep. 22, 2022
Int. Cl. B08B 5/00 (2006.01); H01L 21/02 (2006.01); H01L 21/311 (2006.01); H01L 21/67 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 21/02046 (2013.01) [B08B 5/00 (2013.01); H01L 21/31116 (2013.01); H01L 21/67069 (2013.01); H01J 2237/335 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A semiconductor processing system for precleaning a substrate, the system comprising:
a reaction chamber;
an anhydrous hydrogen fluoride delivery system comprising:
an upstream portion configured to be in fluid communication with an anhydrous hydrogen fluoride source, the upstream portion comprising:
a pressure gauge configured to be in fluid communication with the anhydrous hydrogen fluoride source;
a purifier in fluid communication with the pressure gauge and configured to remove water from anhydrous hydrogen fluoride from the anhydrous hydrogen fluoride source;
a first anhydrous hydrogen fluoride conduit for forming a first portion of a flow path between the anhydrous hydrogen fluoride source and the reaction chamber;
a mass flow controller configured to be in fluid communication with the first anhydrous hydrogen fluoride conduit and the first portion of the flow path; and
one or more upstream heater jackets thermally coupled to the pressure gauge, the purifier, the first anhydrous hydrogen fluoride conduit, and the mass flow controller;
a downstream portion downstream from and in fluid communication with the upstream portion, the downstream portion comprising:
a second anhydrous hydrogen fluoride conduit for forming a second portion of the flow path between the anhydrous hydrogen fluoride source and the reaction chamber, the second anhydrous hydrogen fluoride conduit being connected to the mass flow controller and configured to fluidly connect, via the mass flow controller, the upstream portion with the reaction chamber; and
one or more downstream heater jackets thermally coupled to the second anhydrous hydrogen fluoride conduit;
a water vapor delivery system comprising:
a water vapor source in fluid communication with a carrier gas source and configured to supply water vapor;
a water vapor supply conduit disposed downstream of the water vapor source and forming a portion of a flow path between the water vapor source and the reaction chamber;
a carrier gas conduit disposed upstream of the water vapor source and configured to be in fluid communication with the carrier gas source and the water vapor source;
one or more water vapor source heater jackets thermally coupled to the water vapor source;
one or more water vapor supply heater jackets disposed downstream of the one or more water vapor source heater jackets and thermally coupled to the water vapor supply conduit; and
a pressure flow controller disposed upstream of the water vapor source and the one or more water vapor source heater jackets and configured to be in fluid communication with the carrier gas source and the water vapor source, the pressure flow controller configured to regulate a pressure of carrier gas from the carrier gas source flowing to the water vapor source via the carrier gas conduit; and
a reducing conduit in fluid communication with the anhydrous hydrogen fluoride delivery system and the water vapor delivery system, wherein the reaction chamber is in fluid communication with the reducing conduit.