Method of cleaning a CVD processing chamber

Abstract

We have a method of improving the deposition rate uniformity of the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of films when a number of substrates are processed in series, sequentially in a deposition chamber. The method includes the plasma pre-heating of at least one processing volume structure within the processing volume which surrounds the substrate when the substrate is present in the deposition chamber. We also have a device-controlled method which adjusts the deposition time for a few substrates at the beginning of the processing of a number of substrates in series, sequentially in a deposition chamber, so that the deposited film thickness remains essentially constant during processing of the series of substrates. A combination of these methods into a single method provides the best overall results in terms of controlling average film thickness from substrate to substrate.

1 . A method of removing at least a portion of residual byproducts which accumulate on processing volume structures during film deposition upon a substrate, while improving uniformity of the chemical vapor deposition rate of SiO x  films when a plurality of substrates are processed sequentially in a deposition chamber, comprising:
 a) pre-heating a substrate support platform on which a substrate resides within said deposition chamber; and   b) pre-heating at least one processing volume structure which surrounds a substrate when said substrate is present on said substrate support platform, wherein said at least one processing volume structure is selected from the group consisting of side wall structures, structures which overlie said substrate when present, and insert structures which are adjacent to said substrate, and wherein said pre-heating of said at least one processing volume structure is achieved using physical bombardment by high energy species of a plasma.   
     
     
         2 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said method includes an additional step:
 c) transferring a pre-heated substrate into said processing chamber so that said substrate resides on said pre-heated support platform.   
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . A method in accordance with  claim 1  or  claim 2 , wherein said SiO x  film deposited by said method is deposited using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. 
     
     
         5 . A method in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein said film is deposited from a combination of precursor gases which include TEOS. 
     
     
         6 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said pre-heating of said at least one processing volume structure is carried out after transferring a substrate into said processing chamber. 
     
     
         7 . A method in accordance with  claim 1  or  claim 2 , wherein a plasma source gas for pre-heating of said at least one processing volume structure is selected from the group consisting of argon, neon, krypton, xenon, helium, nitrogen and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         8 . A method in accordance with  claim 6 , wherein a plasma source gas for pre-heating of said at least one processing volume structure includes oxygen. 
     
     
         9 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method of processing substrates in a chemical vapor deposition chamber, comprising:
 introducing a first flow of a precursor vaporized from a liquid into said deposition chamber and depositing a first film on a first substrate in said chamber;   removing said first substrate from said deposition chamber; and   introducing a second flow of said precursor into said deposition chamber at a predetermined time indicating a deposition chamber idle period after termination of said first precursor flow into said deposition chamber, wherein no substrates are processed in said deposition chamber between said removing of said first substrate and said introducing of said second flow of said precursor, and continuing said second flow of said precursor for a first period of time without a substrate being processed in said deposition chamber.   
     
     
         22 . A method in accordance with  claim 21 , wherein said second flow of said precursor is terminated after said deposition chamber idle period, and a second substrate is introduced into said deposition chamber. 
     
     
         23 . A method in accordance with  claim 21  or  claim 22 , wherein said precursor is TEOS. 
     
     
         24 . A method in accordance with  claim 21  or  claim 22 , wherein said chemical vapor deposition chamber is a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition chamber. 
     
     
         25 . A method in accordance with  claim 23 , wherein said first film deposited on said first substrate is a silicon oxide film. 
     
     
         26 . A method in accordance with  claim 24 , wherein said first film deposited on said first substrate is a silicon oxide film.