THERMAL F2 ETCH PROCESS FOR CLEANING CVD CHAMBERS

摘要

A thermal F2 etching process for cleaning a CVD chamber is provided to clean undesired silicon nitride in a semiconductor process chamber by using previously diluted fluorine. Previously diluted fluorine(5) flows through inert gas through a chamber. The chamber is maintained at a high temperature of 230-565 °C to perform a pyrolysis process on the fluorine. A volatile reaction product generated by a chemical reaction of the resultant fluorine and undesired silicon nitride to clean the undesired silicon nitride from the surface of the volatile reaction product. The volatile reaction product is eliminated from the chamber. The pressure of the chamber is maintained at pressure of 10-101 torr.