Oxygen compatible plasma source

• US 10,062,585 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2016
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2016
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Lubomirsky, Dmitry
• Primary Examiner(s): LUND, JEFFRIE ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US15/285,214
• Publication Number:
  US 20180096865A1
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45565 Shower nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/50 using electric discharges generation and control of plasma in discharge tubes for surface treatment H01J37/32, H01J37/34
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/334 Etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32009 Arrangements for generation of plasma specially adapted for examination or treatment of objects, e.g. plasma sources plasma generation in general H05H1/24
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3244 Gas supply means
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32715 Workpiece holder
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67069 for drying etching

Abstract

Described processing chambers may include a chamber housing at least partially defining an interior region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The chamber housing may include a lid. The chamber may include a pedestal configured to support a substrate within a processing region of the chamber. The chamber may also include a first showerhead coupled with an electrical source. The first showerhead may be positioned within the semiconductor processing chamber between the lid and the processing region. The chamber may also include a first dielectric faceplate positioned within the semiconductor processing chamber between the first showerhead and the processing region. The chamber may include a second showerhead coupled with electrical ground and positioned within the semiconductor processing chamber between the first dielectric faceplate and the processing region. The chamber may further include a second dielectric faceplate positioned within the semiconductor processing chamber between the first dielectric faceplate and the second showerhead.

Claims

1. A semiconductor processing chamber comprising:

a chamber housing at least partially defining an interior region of the semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the chamber housing comprises a lid;

a pedestal configured to support a substrate within a processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber;

a first showerhead coupled with an electrical source, wherein the first showerhead is positioned within the semiconductor processing chamber between the lid and the processing region;

a first dielectric faceplate positioned within the semiconductor processing chamber between the first showerhead and the processing region;

a second showerhead coupled with electrical ground and positioned within the semiconductor processing chamber between the first dielectric faceplate and the processing region; and

a second dielectric faceplate positioned within the semiconductor processing chamber between the first dielectric faceplate and the second showerhead.

2. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 1, wherein the first dielectric faceplate and the second dielectric faceplate comprise quartz.

3. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 1, further comprising a dielectric spacer positioned between the first dielectric faceplate and the second dielectric faceplate.

4. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 3, wherein the dielectric spacer comprises an annular spacer positioned between and contacting each of the first dielectric faceplate and the second dielectric faceplate.

5. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 4, wherein the first dielectric faceplate, the second dielectric faceplate, and the spacer define a plasma processing region within the semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the plasma processing region is configured to at least partially contain a plasma generated between the first showerhead and the second showerhead.

6. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 5, wherein the plasma processing region is configured to substantially contain the plasma between the first dielectric faceplate and the second dielectric faceplate.

7. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 1, wherein the first showerhead and the second showerhead comprise a metal oxide.

8. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 1, wherein a spacing between the first showerhead and the first dielectric faceplate within the interior region of the semiconductor processing chamber is less than a Debye length of a plasma formable within the semiconductor processing chamber.

9. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 8, wherein the spacing is less than or about 0.7 mm.

10. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 1, wherein the second dielectric faceplate defines a first plurality of apertures, and wherein the second showerhead defines a second plurality of apertures, and wherein each aperture of the first plurality of apertures is characterized by a diameter less than a diameter of each aperture of the second plurality of apertures.

11. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 10, wherein each aperture of the first plurality of apertures is axially aligned with at least a portion of an aperture of the second plurality of apertures.

12. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 10, wherein the first plurality of apertures are characterized by groupings of at least two apertures, and wherein a central axis of each grouping is axially aligned with a central axis of an aperture of the second plurality of apertures.

13. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 10, wherein the first plurality of apertures comprises at least or about 2,000 apertures, and wherein the second plurality of apertures comprises less than or about 1,200 apertures.

14. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 13, wherein the first plurality of apertures comprises at least or about 5,000 apertures, and wherein the second plurality of apertures comprises less than or about 1,000 apertures.

15. A semiconductor processing chamber comprising:

a chamber housing at least partially defining an interior region of the semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the chamber housing comprises a lid;

a pedestal configured to support a substrate within a processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber;

a first showerhead coupled with an electrical source, wherein the first showerhead is positioned within the semiconductor processing chamber between the lid and the processing region, and wherein the first showerhead comprises a metal oxide;

a first quartz faceplate positioned within the semiconductor processing chamber between the first showerhead and the processing region;

a second showerhead coupled with electrical ground and positioned within the semiconductor processing chamber between the first dielectric faceplate and the processing region, and wherein the first showerhead comprises a metal oxide;

a second quartz faceplate positioned within the semiconductor processing chamber between the first dielectric faceplate and the second showerhead; and

a dielectric spacer positioned between and contacting each of the first quartz faceplate and the second quartz faceplate.