Method for removing organic electroluminescent residues from a substrate
View Patent ↗A process for removing organic electroluminescent residues from a substrate is described herein. The process includes the steps of providing a process gas comprising a fluorine-containing gas, optionally an oxygen-containing gas, and optionally an additive gas; activating the process gas in a remote chamber using at least one energy source to provide reactive species; and contacting the surface of the substrate with the reactive species to volatilize and remove the organic electroluminescent residue from the surface.
1. A process for removing organic electroluminescent residue from at least a portion of a surface of a substrate, the process comprising:
providing a process gas consisting of: a fluorine-containing gas, and an additive gas selected from the group consisting of: H 2 , N 2 , He, Ne, Kr, Xe, Ar, and mixtures thereof;
activating the process gas in a remote chamber using a plasma energy source to provide reactive species, wherein the chamber is operated in a plasma etch mode; and
contacting the surface of the substrate with the reactive species to volatilize and remove the organic electroluminescent residue from the surface.
2. The process of claim 1 wherein the contacting step is conducted at a temperature of 150° C. or less.
3. The process of claim 1 wherein the contacting step is conducted at a temperature of 100° C. or less.
4. The process of claim 1 wherein the substrate is a shadow mask.
5. The process of claim 1 wherein the fluorine-containing gas comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of: C 3 F 3 N 3 , a perfluorocarbon, a hydrofluorocarbon, a hydrofluoroether, a hypofluorite, a fluorotrioxide, a fluoroamine, a fluoronitrile, and mixtures thereof.
6. The process of claim 1 wherein the fluorine-containing gas comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of: F 2 , HF, NF 3 , ClF 3 , SF 6 , COF 2 , NOF, C 2 F 2 O 2 , an oxyfluorocarbon, a fluoroperoxide, an oxygenated hydrofluorocarbon and mixtures thereof.
7. The process of claim 6 wherein the fluorine-containing gas is NF 3 .
8. A process for removing organic electroluminescent residues from a surface of a shadow mask, the process comprising:
providing the shadow mask wherein the shadow mask comprises a surface that is at least partially coated with an organic electroluminescent residue;
providing a process gas consisting of: a fluorine-containing gas, and an additive gas selected from the group consisting of: H 2 , N 2 , He, Ne, Kr, Xe, Ar, and mixtures thereof;
activating the process gas in a remote chamber using a plasma energy source to provide reactive species, wherein the chamber is operated in a plasma etch mode;
contacting the residues with the reactive species to form at least one volatile product; and
removing the at least one volatile product from the shadow mask.
9. The process of claim 8 wherein the contacting step is conducted at a temperature of 150° C. or less.
10. The process of claim 8 wherein the fluorine-containing gas comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of: F 2 , HF, NF 3 , ClF 3 , SF 6 , COF 2 , NOF, C 2 F 2 O 2 , an oxyfluorocarbon, a fluoroperoxide, an oxygenated hydrofluorocarbon and mixtures thereof.
11. The process of claim 10 wherein the fluorine-containing gas is NF 3 .
12. A process for removing organic electroluminescent residue from at least a portion of a surface of a substrate, the process comprising:
providing a process gas consisting of a fluorine-containing gas;
activating the process gas in a remote chamber using a plasma energy source to provide reactive species, wherein the chamber is operated in a plasma etch mode; and
contacting the surface of the substrate with the reactive species to volatilize and remove the organic electroluminescent residue from the surface.
13. The process of claim 12 wherein the contacting step is conducted at a temperature of 150° C. or less.
14. The process of claim 12 wherein the contacting step is conducted at a temperature of 100° C. or less.
15. The process of claim 12 wherein the substrate is a shadow mask.
16. The process of claim 12 wherein the fluorine-containing gas comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of: C 3 F 3 N 3 , a perfluorocarbon, a hydrofluorocarbon, a hydrofluoroether, a hypofluorite, a fluorotrioxide, a fluoroamine, a fluoronitrile, and mixtures thereof.
17. The process of claim 12 wherein the fluorine-containing gas comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of: F 2 , HF, NF 3 , CIF 3 , SF 6 , COF 2 , NOF, C 2 F 2 O 2 , an oxyfluorocarbon, a fluoroperoxide, an oxygenated hydrofluorocarbon and mixtures thereof.
18. The process of claim 17 wherein the fluorine-containing gas is NF 3 .
19. A process for removing organic electroluminescent residues from a surface of a shadow mask, the process comprising:
providing the shadow mask wherein the shadow mask comprises a surface that is at least partially coated with an organic electroluminescent residue;
providing a process gas consisting of a fluorine-containing gas;
activating the process gas in a remote chamber using a plasma energy source to provide reactive species, wherein the chamber is operated in a plasma etch mode;
contacting the residues with the reactive species to form at least one volatile product; and
removing the at least one volatile product from the shadow mask.
20. The process of claim 19 wherein the contacting step is conducted at a temperature of 150° C. or less.
21. The process of claim 19 wherein the fluorine-containing gas comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of: F 2 , HF, NF 3 , CIF 3 , SF 6 , COF 2 , NOF, C 2 F 2 O 2 , an oxyfluorocarbon, a fluoroperoxide, an oxygenated hydrofluorocarbon and mixtures thereof.
22. The process of claim 21 wherein the fluorine-containing gas is NF 3 .