Cleaning tantalum-containing deposits from process chamber components

Abstract

A method of cleaning tantalum-containing deposits from a copper surface of a process chamber component involves immersing the surface of the component in a cleaning solution. The cleaning solution has HF and an oxidizing agent. The cleaning solution can have a molar ratio of HF to the oxidizing agent of at least about 6:1, and the oxidizing agent can include at least one of HNO 3 , H 2 O 2 , H 2 SO 3 and O 3 . The cleaning solution removes the tantalum-containing deposits from the surface substantially without eroding the surface.

1 . A method of cleaning tantalum-containing deposits from a surface of a process chamber component, the surface comprising copper, the method comprising: 
 immersing the surface of the component in a cleaning solution comprising HF and an oxidizing agent, the molar ratio of HF to the oxidizing agent being at least about 6:1,    whereby the tantalum-containing deposits can be removed from the surface substantially without eroding the surface.    
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the molar ratio of HF to oxidizing agent is from about 6:1 to about 40:1.  
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the molar ratio of HF to oxidizing agent is from about 9:1 to about 20:1.  
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the oxidizing agent comprises at least one of HNO 3 , H 2 O 2 , H 2 SO 3  and O 3 .  
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 4  wherein the oxidizing agent consists essentially of HNO 3 .  
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the cleaning solution comprises at least about 3 M HF.  
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 6  wherein the cleaning solution comprises from about 3 M to about 20 M HF.  
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 6  wherein the cleaning solution comprises from about 0.1 M to about 3 M of the oxidizing agent.  
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 1  further comprising recovering the tantalum-containing deposits from the cleaning solution.  
     
     
         10 . A component cleaned according to the method of  claim 1 , the component comprising a portion of one or more of an enclosure wall, chamber shield, target, cover ring, deposition ring, support ring, insulator ring, coil, coil support, shutter disk, clamp shield, and substrate support; and 
 wherein the component is substantially absent tantalum-containing deposits.    
     
     
         11 . A method of cleaning tantalum-containing deposits from a surface of a process chamber component, the surface comprising copper, the method comprising: 
 immersing the surface of the component in a cleaning solution comprising HF and an oxidizing agent, the oxidizing agent comprising at least one of H 2 O 2 , H 2 SO 3  and O 3 ,    whereby the tantalum-containing deposits can be removed from the surface substantially without eroding the surface.    
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 11  wherein the cleaning solution comprises at least about 3 M HF.  
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 12  wherein the cleaning solution comprises from about 3 M to about 20 M HF.  
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 11  wherein the cleaning solution comprises from about 0.1 M to about 3 M of the oxidizing agent.  
     
     
         15 . A component cleaned according to the method of  claim 11 , the component comprising a portion of one or more of an enclosure wall, chamber shield, target, cover ring, deposition ring, support ring, insulator ring, coil, coil support, shutter disk, clamp shield, and substrate support; and 
 wherein the component is substantially absent tantalum-containing deposits.