Dual-channel showerhead with improved profile

• US 10,546,729 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2016
• Issued: 01/28/2020
• 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): Lund, Jeffrie R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Antolin, Stanislav
• Application Number:
  US15/285,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20180096821A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,211 Days
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/455 characterised by the method used for introducing gases into reaction chamber or for modifying gas flows in reaction chamber
• 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: C23C 16/503 using dc or ac discharges
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/505 using radio frequency discharges
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/334 Etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32091 the radio frequency energy being capacitively coupled to the plasma
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3244 Gas supply means
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32532 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32715 Workpiece holder
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/3065 Plasma etching; Reactive-ion etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6719 characterized by the construction of the processing chambers, e.g. modular processing chambers

Abstract

Described processing chambers may include a chamber housing at least partially defining an interior region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The chambers may include a pedestal. The chambers may include a first showerhead positioned between the lid and the processing region, and may include a faceplate positioned between the first showerhead and the processing region. The chambers may also include a second showerhead positioned within the chamber between the faceplate and the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The second showerhead may include at least two plates coupled together to define a volume between the at least two plates. The at least two plates may at least partially define channels through the second showerhead, and each channel may be characterized by a first diameter at a first end of the channel and may be characterized by a plurality of ports at a second end of the channel.

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 positioned within the semiconductor processing chamber between the lid and the processing region;

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

a second showerhead positioned within the semiconductor processing chamber between the faceplate and the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the second showerhead comprises at least two plates coupled together to define a volume between the at least two plates, wherein the at least two plates at least partially define channels through the second showerhead, and wherein each channel is characterized by a first diameter at a first end of the channel and is characterized by a plurality of ports at a second end of the channel.

2. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 1, wherein each port is characterized by a diameter less than the first diameter.

3. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 1, wherein the first showerhead is coupled with an electrical source, and wherein the faceplate is coupled with electrical ground.

4. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 3, wherein the semiconductor processing chamber further comprises a spacer between the first showerhead and the faceplate, and wherein the first showerhead, the faceplate, and the spacer are configured to at least partially define a plasma processing region within the semiconductor processing chamber.

5. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 1, wherein the pedestal is coupled with an electrical source, and wherein the second showerhead is coupled with electrical ground.

6. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 5, wherein the pedestal and the second showerhead are configured to at least partially define a plasma processing region within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber.

7. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 1, wherein the faceplate and the second showerhead are in direct contact, and wherein the faceplate and the second showerhead are coupled with electrical ground.

8. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 1, wherein the second showerhead is positioned within the chamber having the first end of each channel facing the faceplate, and having the second end of each channel proximate the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber.

9. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 1, wherein the second showerhead is positioned within the chamber having the first end of each channel proximate the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber, and having the second end of each channel facing the faceplate.

10. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 1, wherein a surface of the second showerhead is adjacent the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber, and wherein the surface is coated.

11. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 1, wherein the first diameter is at least about 2.5 mm, and wherein a diameter of each port is less than or about 1.2 mm.

12. A showerhead comprising:

a first plate defining a plurality of through-holes; and

a second plate coupled with the first plate, wherein the second plate defines a first plurality of apertures and a second plurality of apertures, wherein the second plurality of apertures are defined in the second plate in a plurality of groups of apertures including at least two apertures of the second plurality of apertures, and wherein each through-hole of the first plate is aligned with at least one group of apertures to produce a channel.

13. The showerhead of claim 12, wherein the first plate and the second plate are coupled with one another to define a volume between the first plate and the second plate, wherein the volume is fluidly accessible from the first plurality of apertures of the second plate, and wherein the channels are fluidly isolated from the volume defined between the first plate and the second plate.

14. The showerhead of claim 13, wherein the first plurality of apertures are defined in the second plate in a plurality of first groups of apertures including at least two apertures of the first plurality of apertures, and wherein each first group of apertures surrounds a group of apertures of the second plurality of apertures.

15. The showerhead of claim 14, wherein each first group of apertures comprises at least 4 apertures.

16. The showerhead of claim 12, wherein each through-hole is characterized by a diameter of at least about 5 mm.

17. The showerhead of claim 12, wherein each aperture of the second plurality of apertures is characterized by a diameter of less than or about 1 mm.

18. The showerhead of claim 12, wherein each group of apertures of the second plurality of apertures includes at least about 6 apertures.

19. The showerhead of claim 12, wherein the second plate comprises a material resistant to plasma degradation.

20. A showerhead comprising:

a first plate defining a first plurality of apertures, wherein the first plurality of apertures are defined in the first plate in a plurality of groups of apertures including at least two apertures of the first plurality of apertures; and

a second plate coupled with the first plate, wherein the second plate defines a second plurality of apertures and a plurality of through-holes, and wherein each through-hole of the second plate is aligned with at least one group of apertures of the first plurality of apertures to produce a channel.