Chamber with flow-through source

• US 10,541,113 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2019
• Issued: 01/21/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Lubomirsky, Dmitry
• Primary Examiner(s): Vanore, David A
• Application Number:
  US16/291,494
• Publication Number:
  US 20190198291A1
• Time in Patent Office: 323 Days
• Field of Search: 118723 R, 118723 I, 118715, 118719, 118722, 118728, 118697, 118723 E, 118723 ER, 118724, 118725, 31511121, 31511131, 31511181, 315117, 438694, 438729, 438771, 438200, 438618, 438680, 438689, 438758, 438776, 438 96
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2229/882 having particular electrical resistive or conductive properties
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3002 Details
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3053 for evaporating or etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3178 for applying thin layers on objects
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/321 the radio frequency energy being inductively coupled to the plasma
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32119 Windows
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3244 Gas supply means
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/3065 Plasma etching; Reactive-ion etching

Abstract

Described processing chambers may include a chamber housing at least partially defining an interior region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The chamber may include a showerhead positioned within the chamber housing, and the showerhead may at least partially divide the interior region into a remote region and a processing region in which a substrate can be contained. The chamber may also include an inductively coupled plasma source positioned between the showerhead and the processing region. The inductively coupled plasma source may include a conductive material within a dielectric material.

Claims

1. An inductively coupled plasma source comprising:

a plate comprising a dielectric material and at least partially defining a channel; and

a conductive material seated within the channel, wherein the conductive material is characterized by a spiral or coil configuration, wherein the conductive material is coupled with an RF source, wherein the dielectric material defines apertures through the inductively coupled plasma source, and wherein the conductive material is positioned about the apertures within the dielectric material.

2. The inductively coupled plasma source of claim 1, wherein the dielectric material is selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxide, yttrium oxide, single crystalline silicon, and quartz.

3. The inductively coupled plasma source of claim 1, wherein the conductive material comprises a copper tube configured to receive a fluid flowed within the copper tube.

4. The inductively coupled plasma source of claim 1, wherein the apertures are included in a uniform pattern about the dielectric material and about the conductive material.

5. The inductively coupled plasma source of claim 1, wherein the conductive material is configured in a planar spiral pattern within the dielectric material.

6. The inductively coupled plasma source of claim 5, wherein the conductive material enters the plate at a radial edge of the plate and extends in a constricting coil for at least two turns towards a central region of the plate.

7. The inductively coupled plasma source of claim 6, wherein the conductive material extends vertically within the plate at the central region of the plate, and exits the plate at a different elevation from where the conductive material entered the plate.

8. An inductively coupled plasma source comprising:

a first plate comprising a dielectric material and at least partially defining a channel; and

a conductive material seated within the channel, wherein the conductive material extends continuously through the dielectric material from a first position along a radial edge of the first plate where the conductive material enters the first plate to a second position along the radial edge of the first plate where the conductive material exits the first plate, and wherein the conductive material is coupled with an RF source.

9. The inductively coupled plasma source of claim 8, wherein the conductive material extends in a looped configuration through the plate.

10. The inductively coupled plasma source of claim 9, wherein the looped configuration comprises a double loop extending at least partially about a first radial length of the plate and extending at least partially about a second radial length of the plate, wherein the second radial length is less than the first radial length.

11. The inductively coupled plasma source of claim 10, wherein the conductive material transitions from the first radial length to the second radial length at a distal position in the plate from the first position at which the conductive material enters the plate.

12. The inductively coupled plasma source of claim 8, wherein the conductive material comprises a first conductive material, wherein the inductively coupled plasma source further comprises a second conductive material extending continuously through the dielectric material from a third position along a radial edge of the first plate where the second conductive material enters the first plate to a fourth position along the radial edge of the first plate where the second conductive material exits the first plate.

13. The inductively coupled plasma source of claim 12, wherein the second conductive material extends in a pattern containing a partial loop radially inward of the first conductive material.

14. The inductively coupled plasma source of claim 13, wherein the first conductive material and the second conductive material are vertically offset from one another within the plate.

15. The inductively coupled plasma source of claim 13, wherein the first conductive material and the second conductive material are each characterized by a planar configuration and are coplanar within the inductively coupled plasma source.

16. The inductively coupled plasma source of claim 13, further comprising a second plate coupled with the first plate, wherein the second plate at least partially defines the channel.

17. The inductively coupled plasma source of claim 12, wherein the first conductive material and the second conductive material are each coupled with the RF source through a capacitive divider.

18. An inductively coupled plasma source comprising:

a plate defining at least a portion of a channel within the plate, wherein the plate comprises a dielectric material; and

a conductive material seated within the at least a portion of the channel, wherein the conductive material is characterized by a spiral or coil configuration, wherein the conductive material extends continuously through the dielectric material from a first position along a radial edge of the plate where the conductive material enters the plate to a second position along the radial edge of the plate where the conductive material exits the plate, wherein the conductive material is characterized by a coil pattern extending vertically about a central axis of the plate for at least two turns, and wherein the conductive material is coupled with an RF source.

19. The inductively coupled plasma source of claim 18, wherein the conductive material comprises a first conductive material, and wherein the inductively coupled plasma source further comprises a second conductive material extending continuously through the plate without intersecting the first conductive material.