Matheson Tri-Gas, Inc.

Glenn Mitchell

Robert Torres, Jr

Carrie L Wyse

Adam Seymour

Ramkumar Subramanian

The molecular etcher carbonyl fluoride (COF) or any of its variants, are provided for, according to the present invention, to increase the efficiency of etching and/or cleaning and/or removal of materials such as the unwanted film and/or deposits on the chamber walls and other components in a process chamber or substrate (collectively referred to herein as 'materials'). The methods of the present invention involve igniting and sustaining a plasma, whether it is a remote or in-situ plasma, by stepwise addition of additives, such as but not limited to, a saturated, unsaturated or partially unsaturated perfluorocarbon compound (PFC) having the general formula (CF) and/or an oxide of carbon (CO) to a nitrogen trifluoride (NF) plasma into a chemical deposition chamber (CVD) chamber, thereby generating COF. The NFmay be excited in a plasma inside the CVD chamber or in a remote plasma region upstream from the CVD chamber. The additive(s) may be introduced upstream or downstream of the remote plasma such that both NFand the additive(s) (and any plasma-generated effluents) are present in the CVD chamber during cleaning.

In-situ generation of the molecular etcher carbonyl fluoride or any of its variants and its use

Methods of cleaning a processing chamber with nitrogen trifluoride (NF) are described. The methods involve a concurrent introduction of nitrogen trifluoride and a reactive diluent into the chamber. The NFmay be excited in a plasma inside the chamber or in a remote plasma region upstream from the chamber. The reactive diluent may be introduced upstream or downstream of the remote plasma such that both NFand the reactive diluent (and any plasma-generated effluents) are present in the chamber during cleaning. The presence of the reactive diluent enhances the chamber-cleaning effectiveness of the NF.

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Longmont, CO, United States of America

Glenn Mitchell