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Abstract

A method and apparatus for enhancing the etch characteristics of a plasma formed in a remote plasma generator. A plasma formed in a remote plasma generator (27) is flown through a tube (62) to a plenum (60) where it is diluted to form a plasma mixture before flowing the plasma mixture into a processing chamber (15). The plasma mixture is used to clean deposits from the interior surfaces of the processing chamber, or can be used to perform an etch step on a process wafer within the processing chamber. In one embodiment, a plasma formed from NF.sub.3 is diluted with N.sub.2 to etch residue from the surfaces of a processing chamber used to deposit silicon oxide glass. Diluting the plasma increased the etching rate and made the etching rate more uniform across the diameter of the processing chamber.

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First Claim