Applied Materials, Inc.
SYSTEM AND METHOD OF CLEANING PROCESS CHAMBERS USING PLASMA

Abstract:

The present disclosure relates to a method for cleaning one or more chamber components having contaminants. The method includes introducing a gas mixture to a remote plasma source, the gas mixture includes argon, an oxygen-containing gas and a nitrogen-containing gas. The argon to oxygen gas ratio in the gas mixture is about 0.2:1 to about 1:1 by volume. A plasma is formed from the gas mixture in the remote plasma source. The plasma includes oxygen radicals, argon radicals, and nitrogen radicals. The plasma is introduced to a process volume of the process chamber and exposes surfaces of one or more chamber components. The process volume of the process chamber has a pressure of about 10 mTorr to about 6 Torr and a temperature above 300.degree. C.