Patent ID: 9653327
Date: 2017-05-16
CPC Classifications: C23C,H01L

Claim:
1. A method for cleaning a surface of a substrate, comprising: positioning a substrate into a processing chamber, the substrate having a dielectric layer disposed thereon and openings defined in the dielectric layer disposed on the substrate, wherein the openings expose a contact structure including at least a contact metal, a contact metal silicide layer or a contact silicon nitride layer formed on the substrate and the openings have aspect ratio greater than 20:1; supplying water vapor to the dielectric layer disposed on the substrate and the openings formed in the dielectric layer in the chamber to form a plasma in the water vapor; maintaining a process pressure in the chamber at between about 40 Torr and 70 Torr while supplying the water vapor to the dielectric layer; and cleaning the dielectric layer disposed on the substrate by the plasma formed from the water vapor.