Evaluation of C4F8O as an alternative plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition chamber clean chemistry

The perfluorinated ether, C(4)F(8)O, has been investigated as an alternative to C(2)F(6) and C(3)F(8) to reduce global warming emissions from plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) chamber cleaning processes. A designed experiment was completed with C(4)F(8)O evaluating the effect of gas flow rate, oxygen dilution ratio, and chamber pressure on chamber clean time and global warming emissions. Analysis was completed using response surface methodology and neural network modeling. The results were compared to chamber clean times and emissions from typical C(2)F(6) and C(3)F(8) processes released for the reactor, a Novellus Concept One 200 dielectric PECVD tool. Following the designed experiment, additional data were gathered to examine the effect of radio frequency power and further variations in the other three variables on the process. Results indicate that when compared to C(2)F(6) and C(3)F(8) processes, shorter chamber clean times in combination with a significant reduction in global warming emissions are possible using the C(4)F(8)O chemistry. (C) 2000 The Electrochemical Society. S0013-4651(99)06-011-5. All rights reserved.