Evaluation of a Dilute Nitrogen Trifluoride Plasma Clean in a Dielectric PECVD Reactor

The use of nitrogen trifluoride in the presence of a helium diluent has been investigated in a dielectric plasma‐enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) chamber cleaning application. Experiments indicated that chamber cleans with equivalent or better clean times and significantly reduced global warming emissions relative to the standard C 2 F 6 / O 2 process are possible. One run using NF 3 reduced the chamber clean time by over 30% while reducing global warming emissions by over 90% relative to a C 2 F 6 ­ based process of record. A tradeoff between high NF 3 destruction efficiency, which corresponds to low global warming emissions, and short clean times (faster throughput) was observed. A Novellus Concept One 200 dielectric PECVD tool was used in this work.