IP Library Granted Patent US 12680173
Granted Patent B2
US 12680173 · App. 17/869,412 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Process and apparatus to remove metal-containing films from a chamber

Inventors: Kelvin Chan (San Ramon, CA); Ruiying Hao (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
C23F1/44C23C16/45565
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12680173
App. No.
17/869,412
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein include methods for removing a metal containing layer from a chamber of a tool. In an embodiment, the method comprises generating a remote plasma in the tool. The method may continue with flowing reactive species from the remote plasma into the chamber, and flowing a hydrocarbon gas into the chamber. In an embodiment, the method may include reacting the reactive species with the hydrocarbon gas within the chamber. In an embodiment, the method may further comprise etching the metal-containing material in the chamber.

Claims (21)

1 . A method for removing a metal-containing material from a chamber of a tool, comprising:

generating a remote plasma in the tool;

flowing reactive species from the remote plasma into the chamber, wherein a source gas for the remote plasma comprises hydrogen and oxygen;

flowing a hydrocarbon gas into the chamber, wherein the hydrocarbon gas comprises one or more of an alkene, an alkyne, or an aromatic hydrocarbon;

reacting the reactive species with the hydrocarbon gas within the chamber; and

etching the metal-containing material in the chamber, wherein the metal-containing material comprises one or more of indium, tin, zinc or cadmium.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the reactive species passes through first channels of a showerhead, and wherein the hydrocarbon gas passes through second channels of the showerhead.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the reactive species and the hydrocarbon gas do not mix until reaching the chamber.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a flowrate of hydrogen is approximately 150 times or more than a flowrate of oxygen.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein reacting the reactive species with the hydrocarbon gas results in the formation of C X H Y radicals, and wherein etching the metal-containing material results in the formation of C X H Y M byproducts, wherein M is a metal.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal-containing material is an oxide, a nitride, a carbide, an oxycarbide, an oxynitride, an oxycarbonitride, or a carbonitride.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal-containing material is a layer on a substrate.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal-containing material comprises tin.

9 . A method for removing a metal-containing material from a chamber of a tool, comprising:

generating a remote plasma using a first source gas comprising hydrogen;

flowing reactive species from the remote plasma into a chamber through first channels of a dual channel showerhead, wherein a source gas for the remote plasma comprises hydrogen and oxygen;

injecting a second source gas comprising a hydrocarbon into the chamber through second channels of the dual channel showerhead, wherein the hydrocarbon comprises one or more of an alkene, an alkyne, or an aromatic hydrocarbon;

reacting the reactive species with the second source gas to form C X H Y radicals within the chamber; and

etching the metal-containing material in the chamber, wherein etch byproducts comprise C X H Y M, wherein M is a metal selected from the group consisting of indium, tin, zinc and cadmium.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the metal-containing material is a layer on a substrate.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the metal is tin.