Effect of N2O to C4F8/O2 on Global Warming during Silicon Nitride Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) Chamber Cleaning Using a Remote Inductively Coupled Plasma Source

Abstract

For the silicon nitride plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) chamber cleaning, a remote inductively coupled plasma (ICP) source was used with C4F8/O2/N2O and the effects of N2O on the silicon nitride cleaning rates and global warming were investigated. By adding 5% of N2O to C4F8/O2, the cleaning rate comparable to that of optimized Ar/NF3 could be obtained. At the exhaust line, CF4, C4F8, NF3, etc. were detected and the significant decrease of million metric tons of carbon equivalent (MMTCE) observed by the addition of N2O to C4F8/O2 was due to the decrease of emitted CF4. The MMTCE for the optimized C4F8/O2/N2O was also similar to that for Ar/NF3 at the highest cleaning condition.