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.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 10, 1989
Filed:
May. 13, 1987
Vu Q Bui, Endicott, NY (US);
Kevin K Chan, Staten Island, NY (US);
Joseph G Hoffarth, Binghamton, NY (US);
Vicki J Malueg, Rochester, MN (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
The present invention provides a process for plasma cleaning and an improved gas mixture for use in a plasma cleaning process. The gas mixture of the present invention includes the normal process gases such as oxygen and carbon tetrafluoride. However, the mixture also includes a small percentage of a large mass inert gas such as Argon or Krypton. This large mass gas molecule mechanically removes any polymerized fluorocarbon that forms on the surface being cleaned thereby significantly enhancing the rate of etch or cleaning. It has been found that five to twenty percent of the inert gas is the preferred range and that ten percent produces optimum results.