|
Original Date: 11/03/1996
Revision Date: 01/18/2007
Information : Advanced Plasma Cleaning
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) developed plasma sources which can produce ions (e.g. argon, hydrogen, helium, nitrogen, oxygen), multicharged ions (e.g. argon, nitrogen, oxygen), and neutral particles (e.g. oxygen, nitrogen) for cleaning wafers and aluminum samples. This technology eliminates the use of hazardous chemicals. In addition, ORNL developed optimal cleaning rates by controlling the particle energy, gas pressure, plasma source gas, and input power.
ORNL’s experimental data shows that a 70%-oxygen/30%-argon plasma source cleans samples two to three times faster than a pure oxygen plasma source. The cleaning rate was measured as fast as 2.7 micrometers per minute. Although samples with a 200 volt RF-biasing can be cleaned without etch damage, samples with a 75 volt DC-biasing tend to show etch damage on the surface after cleaning. ORNL’s study determined that plasma cleaning can be accomplished without etch damage by using the proper gas pressure, bias potential, and plasma source gas. Potential applications for this technology are plasma ion implantation, plasma cleaning, and plasma coating.
For more information see the
Point of Contact for this survey.
|
