Claims
- 1. A method of preparing a quartz processing article for a semiconductor furnace, comprising mechanically roughening a surface of said article and chemically roughening said surface; wherein said mechanically roughening comprises mechanically blasting said surface, and said chemically roughening comprises chemically etching said surface to provide the quartz processing article characterized by a surface roughness having a first component with an average deviation from a first mean surface of about 5 to 25 microns, and a second component with an average deviation from a second mean surface of about 0.5 to 2.5 microns; said first mean surface being defined over a distance of about 500 microns along said surface, and said second mean surface being defined over a distance of about 50 microns along said surface.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said mechanically roughening comprises sand blasting said surface at an air pressure between about 10 and about 500 psi, at a spray nozzle angle of incidence to the article surface between about 1 and about 90 degrees, at a distance between about 0.1 and about 300 cm, for a period between more than 0 to 500 seconds.
- 3. The method of claim 1, wherein said mechanically roughening comprises blasting said surface at an air pressure between about 10 and about 250 psi, at a spray nozzle angle of incidence to the article surface between about 30 and about 90 degrees, at a distance between about 1 and about 100 cm, for a period between about 1 to 30 seconds.
- 4. The method of claim 1, wherein said mechanically roughening comprises blasting said surface at an air pressure between about 15 and about 150 psi, at a spray nozzle angle of incidence to the article surface between about 45 and about 90 degrees, at a distance between about 5 and about 20 cm, for a period between about 2 to 10 seconds.
- 5. The method of claim 1, wherein said chemical roughening comprises etching said surface with an etching solution comprising hydrofluoric acid with optional components of ammonium fluoride, acetic acid, water and dissolved silica.
- 6. The method of claim 1 further comprising subjecting said article to a high pressure spray of water.
- 7. The method of claim 1 further comprising applying a silicon layer onto said article and oxidizing at least some of said silicon to silica to fill surface micro cracks.
- 8. The method of claim 1 comprising mechanically roughening a surface of said article and chemically roughening said surface as a preconditioning of said article prior to use in a semiconductor processing furnace.
- 9. The method of claim 1 comprising mechanically roughening a surface of said article and chemically roughening said surface as a treatment of said article subsequent to use of the article in a semiconductor processing furnace.
- 10. The method of claim 1, comprising withdrawing said article from an LPCVD furnace and mechanically roughening and chemically roughening said surface.
- 11. The method of claim 10, further comprising returning said article to said LPCVD furnace.
- 12. The method of claim 10, wherein said article has been cycled into and out of said LPCVD furnace during the processing of semiconductor wafers and prior to said mechanically roughening and chemical roughening.
- 13. The method of claim 10, wherein said article is a cantilever arm, carrier or boat.
- 14. A method of preparing a quartz processing article for a semiconductor furnace, comprising mechanically roughening a surface of said article and chemically roughening said surface, wherein said chemical roughening comprises etching said surface with an etching solution comprising 20 to 60 vol % hydrofluoric acid, 10 to 30 wt % ammonium fluoride, 20 to 50 vol % acetic acid and 0 to 2 wt % silica for a period between about 0.2 to 2 hours at a temperature between about 10° C. to 40° C.
- 15. A method of preparing a quartz processing article for a semiconductor furnace, comprising mechanically roughening a surface of said article and chemically roughening said surface, wherein said chemical roughening comprises etching said surface with an etching solution comprising 40 to 50 vol % hydrofluoric acid, 15 to 25 wt % ammonium fluoride, 30 to 40 vol % acetic acid and 0.1 wt % silica for a period between about 0.5 to 1 hours at a temperature between about 15° C. to 25° C.
- 16. A method of preparing a quartz processing article for a semiconductor furnace, comprising mechanically roughening a surface of said article and chemically roughening said surface, wherein said mechanically roughening comprises blasting said surface at an air pressure between about 15 and about 150 psi, at a spray nozzle angle of incidence to the article surface between about 45 and about 90 degrees, at a distance between about 5 and about 20 cm, for a period between about 2 to 10 seconds and said chemical roughening comprises etching said surface with an etching solution comprising 40 to 50 vol % hydrofluoric acid, 15 to 25 wt % ammonium fluoride, 30 to 40 vol % acetic acid and 0.1 wt % silica for a period between about 0.5 to 1 hours at a temperature between about 15° C. to 25° C. to provide a quartz processing article characterized by a surface roughness having a first component with an average deviation from a first mean surface of about 5 to 25 microns, and a second component with an average deviation from a second mean surface of about 0.5 to 2.5 microns; said first mean surface being defined over a distance of about 500 microns along said surface, and said second mean surface being defined over a distance of about 50 microns along said surface.
Parent Case Info
This application is a DIV of Ser. No. 09/340,793 filed Jun. 28, 1999 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,368,410.
US Referenced Citations (32)
Foreign Referenced Citations (4)
Number |
Date |
Country |
3942931 |
Jun 1990 |
DE |
62-218581 |
Sep 1987 |
JP |
63-123892 |
May 1988 |
JP |
11-130451 |
May 1999 |
JP |