The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
May. 30, 2023

Filed:

Jun. 13, 2022
Applicant:

Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);

Inventors:

Chao Du, Sunnyvale, CA (US);

Xing Chen, Dublin, CA (US);

Keith A. Miller, Mountain View, CA (US);

Jothilingam Ramalingam, Milpitas, CA (US);

Jianxin Lei, Fremont, CA (US);

Assignee:

APPLIED MATERIALS, INC., Santa Clara, CA (US);

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H01J 37/32 (2006.01); C23C 14/34 (2006.01); C23C 14/58 (2006.01); C23C 14/02 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
C23C 14/3414 (2013.01); C23C 14/022 (2013.01); C23C 14/5846 (2013.01); C23C 14/5873 (2013.01); H01J 37/32449 (2013.01); H01J 37/32844 (2013.01); H01J 37/32981 (2013.01);
Abstract

Methods and apparatus for passivating a target are provided herein. For example, a method includes a) supplying an oxidizing gas into an inner volume of the process chamber; b) igniting the oxidizing gas to form a plasma and oxidize at least one of a target or target material deposited on a process kit disposed in the inner volume of the process chamber; and c) performing a cycle purge comprising: c1) providing air into the process chamber to react with the at least one of the target or target material deposited on the process kit; c2) maintaining a predetermined pressure for a predetermined time within the process chamber to generate a toxic by-product caused by the air reacting with the at least one of the target or target material deposited on the process kit; and c3) exhausting the process chamber to remove the toxic by-product.


Find Patent Forward Citations

Loading…