Semiconductor device fabrication equipment for performing PEOX process and method including cleaning the equipment with remotely produced plasma

1. A method of cleaning semiconductor device fabrication equipment having a processing chamber in which a PEOX process using SiH 4 is carried out, and a remote plasma generator connected to the processing chamber, the method comprising:

supplying N 2 into the processing chamber of the semiconductor device fabrication equipment through a main process gas supply piping connected to the processing chamber and through which process gas, comprising SiH 4 , is supplied into the processing chamber during the processing of a substrate;

supplying NF 3 into a reactor of the remote plasma generator of the semiconductor device fabrication equipment and forming plasma in the reactor using the NF 3 , to thereby clean the reactor of the remote plasma generator and the processing chamber while the N 2 is flowing through the main process gas supply piping into the processing chamber;

after the reactor of the remote plasma generator and the processing chamber are cleaned, supplying N 2 into the processing chamber to purge the processing chamber;

supplying Ar to the remote plasma generator and generating plasma using the Ar to remove any NF 3 remaining in the remote plasma generator and the processing chamber while the process chamber is being purged by the N 2 ; and

subsequently performing a full flush operation a predetermined number of times to remove from the processing chamber any gases remaining in the process chamber.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the full flush operation is performed by alternately supplying N 2 through process gas supply pipes respectively connecting sources of process gases, used to process a substrate in the process chamber, to the main gas supply piping.

3. A method used in the fabrication of semiconductor devices, the method comprising:

processing substrates in a process chamber, and removing the substrates from the process chamber after they have been processed, the processing of each of the substrates including feeding SiH 4 through a main gas supply piping into the process chamber; and

periodically performing a dry cleaning process while no substrate to be processed is present in the process chamber, the dry cleaning process comprising:

supplying N 2 into the process chamber through the main gas supply piping,

supplying NF 3 into a reactor of a remote plasma generator connected to the process chamber and forming plasma in the reactor using the NF 3 , to thereby clean the reactor of the remote plasma generator and the process chamber while the N 2 is flowing through the main process gas supply piping into the process chamber,

after the reactor of the remote plasma generator and the process chamber are cleaned, supplying N 2 into the process chamber to purge the process chamber,

supplying Ar to the remote plasma generator and generating plasma using the Ar to remove any NF 3 remaining in the remote plasma generator and the process chamber while the process chamber is being purged by the N 2 , and

subsequently performing a full flush operation a predetermined number of times to remove from the process chamber any gases remaining in the process chamber.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein the processing of each of the substrates comprises forming plasma in situ in the process chamber using the SiH 4 , and directing the plasma onto the substrate.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the processing of each of the substrates comprises feeding N 2 O into the process chamber along with the SiH 4 .

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the full flush operation is performed by alternately supplying N 2 through process gas supply pipes respectively connecting sources of the SiH 4 and N 2 O to the main gas supply piping.