Patent ID: 7862736
Filing Date: 2011-01-04
Classification: B08B,H01J

Abstract:
1. A method of cleaning a plasma etching apparatus comprising: supplying a cleaning gas into a chamber of a plasma etching apparatus; igniting a plasma of said cleaning gas in said chamber; allowing plasma cleaning to proceed in said chamber by bringing said cleaning gas in a plasma form into contact with a deposit adhered on the inner wall of said chamber so as to etch off said deposit; detecting an intensity of plasma emission ascribable to said deposit adhered on said inner wall in a time-dependent manner; terminating the plasma cleaning in said chamber based on changes in the intensity of said plasma emission; and after terminating the plasma cleaning, introducing an inert gas into said chamber, detecting a rate of change of temperature of the inner wall of said chamber as a function of time, and terminating the introduction of said inert gas when the rate of change of the temperature of the inner wall of said chamber reaches a predetermined range.