Method and apparatus for cleaning a throttle valve.

摘要

An improved method of in-situ cleaning a throttle valve (32) in a CVD device and exhaust flow control apparatus (30) for facilitating such cleaning. The throttle valve (32) is repositioned such that it is juxtaposed in close proximity to the exhaust gas port of the reaction chamber (10). A plasma is then ignited in a cleaning gas mixture of nitrogen trifluoride, hexafluoroethane and oxygen.