Processing apparatus with a chamber having therein a high-corrosion-resistant sprayed film

• US 20010003271A1
• Filed: 12/08/2000
• Published: 06/14/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Otsuki, Hayashi
• Application Number:
  US09/731,722
• Publication Number:
  US 20010003271A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 118/723I
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4404 Coatings or surface treatment on the inside of the reaction chamber or on parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45514 Mixing in close vicinity to the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45561 Gas plumbing upstream of the reaction chamber
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45565 Shower nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45574 Nozzles for more than one gas
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4558 Perforated rings
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/507 using external electrodes, e.g. in tunnel type reactors
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 4/11 Oxides
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/321 the radio frequency energy being inductively coupled to the plasma
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32477 characterised by the means for protecting vessels or internal parts, e.g. coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32495 Means for protecting the vessel against plasma
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/26 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component, the element or component having a specified physical dimension

Abstract

A processing apparatus of the present invention has a mounted chamber holding a semiconductor wafer and having members for work-processing the substrate under any of heating, plasma and process gas or a combination of them, in which a film of Al₂O₃ and Y₂O₃ is formed on an inner wall surface of the chamber and on those exposed surface of the members within the chamber and has a high-corrosion resistance and insulating property and, when the process gas is introduced onto a processing surface of a semiconductor wafer and diffused into it, any product is less liable to be deposited on a plasma generation area and on those members held within the chamber.

Claims

1. A processing apparatus comprising:

a chamber for holding a substrate that is to be processed;

a sprayed film formed on an inner surface of the chamber and containing a compound of a III-a element of the periodic table; and

a processing mechanism for processing a substrate held in the chamber.

2. The processing apparatus according to

claim 1

, wherein the sprayed film contains Al₂O₃.

3. The processing apparatus according to

claim 1

, wherein the sprayed film comprises Al₂O₃ and Y₂O₃.

4. The processing apparatus according to

claim 1

, wherein the weight ratio of Al₂O₃ to Y₂O₃ is 0.5 or more in the sprayed film.

5. The processing apparatus according to

claim 1

, wherein a sprayed film containing a III-a element of the periodic table is formed on a part of the processing mechanism, which is exposed to the chamber.

6. The processing apparatus according to

claim 1

, wherein the sprayed film is made of Y₂O₃, Sc₂O₃, Sc₂F₃, YF₃, La₂O₃, CeO₂, Eu₂O₃, or DyO₃.

7. The processing apparatus according to

claim 4

, wherein the sprayed film is made of Y₂O₃, Sc₂O₃, Sc₂F₃, YF₃, La₂O₃, CeO₂, Eu₂O₃, or DyO₃.

8. The processing apparatus according to

claim 1

, wherein the processing mechanism performs plasma process on the substrate.

9. The processing apparatus according to

claim 1

, wherein the processing mechanism processes the substrate, while applying a corrosive gas into the chamber.

10. The processing apparatus according to

claim 1

, wherein the processing mechanism performs a heating process on the substrate.

13. The processing apparatus according to

claim 9

, wherein the gas-supplying means comprises a plurality of annular layers mounted one upon another, each having a gas-inlet port in the outer circumfrential surface and an inner passage connected to the gas-inlet port, one of the annular layers has a row of gas-outlet ports in the inner circumferential surface, every other gas-outlet port is connected to the inner passage of said one of the annular layers, and the remaining gas-outlet port are connected to the inner passages of the other annular layers alternately.

14. The processing apparatus according to

claim 9

, wherein the gas-supplying means comprises a plurality of annular layers mounted one upon another, each having a gas-inlet port made in the outer circumfrential surface, an inner passage connected to the gas-inlet port, and a plurality of gas-outlet holes made in the inner circumferntial surface and connected to the inner passage, and the gas-outlet holes are arranged in staggered fashion in the inner circumferential surface of the gas-supplying means.

15. The processing apparatus according to

claim 8

, wherein the sprayed film comprises an Al₂O₃ film and a Y₂O₃ film.

16. The processing apparatus according to

claim 8

, wherein the weight ratio of the Al₂O₃ film to the Y₂O₃ film is 0.5 or more in the sprayed film.

17. The processing apparatus according to

claim 2

, wherein the weight ratio of the Al₂O₃ film to the Y₂O₃ film is 0.5 or more in the sprayed film.

18. The processing apparatus according to

claim 6

, wherein the weight ratio of the Al₂O₃ film to the Y₂O₃ film is 0.5 or more in the sprayed film.

19. The processing apparatus according to

claim 8

, wherein the upper chamber has a base made of material selected from the group consisting of ceramic, metal, alloy containing the metal and hard plastic.

20. The processing apparatus according to

claim 19

, wherein the ceramic is one selected from the group consisting of Al₂O₃, SiO₂ and AlN.

21. The processing apparatus according to

claim 8

, wherein the sprayed film has a thickness of 50 μ

m or more.

22. The processing apparatus according to

claim 8

, which further comprises a coolant source for decreasing a temperature in the upper chamber, and in which the lower chamber and the upper chamber are connected in airtight fashion, the induction electromagnetic field generates a plasma above the susceptor, the gas-supplying means supplies process gases to the plasma, thereby forming a film on the substrate.

23. The process apparatus according to

claim 8

, which further comprises a power supply for applying a high-frequency voltage between the lower and upper chambers, and in which the induction electromagnetic filed generates a plasma above the susceptor, the gas-supplying means supplies the process gases, and the high-frequency voltage is applied between the lower and upper chambers, thereby etching a surface of the substrate.

24. The process apparatus according to

claim 8

, wherein the upper chamber is a semi-spherical one, a dome-shaped one, or a thin-type one shorter in height than a plasma-generating area.

26. The process apparatus according to

claim 21

, wherein the film containing Y₂O₃ is YAG.

27. The process apparatus according to

claim 8

, wherein the lower chamber is connected to the upper chamber and used as a heating chamber for performing heat processing on the substrate, an ashing chamber for removing a resist mask from the substrate or an etching chamber for etching the substrate.

11. A processing apparatus comprising:

a lower chamber containing a susceptor for holding a substrate that is to be processed;

an upper chamber provided above the lower chamber;

antenna means arranged around the upper chamber, for generating an induction magnetic field in the upper chamber and on the substrate;

high-frequency wave applying means for applying high-frequency power to the antenna means;

gas-supplying means for supplying a plurality of process gases onto the substrate in the lower chamber;

gas-exhausting means for exhausting the process gases from the upper and lower chambers; and

a film formed by sprayed on an inner surface of the upper chamber and containing a compound of a III-a element of the periodic table, for preventing corrosion from taking place while the substrate is being processed,

wherein an induction electromagnetic field is generated in the upper and lower chambers, generating a plasma, and the plasma is applied to the substrate, thereby to process the substrate.

12. A processing apparatus comprising:

a lower chamber containing a susceptor for holding a substrate that is to be processed;

an upper chamber provided above the lower chamber;

antenna means arranged around the upper chamber, for generating an induction magnetic field in the upper chamber and on the substrate;

high-frequency wave applying means for applying high-frequency power to the antenna means;

a gas-supplying means for shaped like a ring, surrounding an upper part of the lower chamber, and supplies the process gases and a plasma-generating gas into the lower chamber so that the gases may mix at a position above the substrate held on the susceptor; and

gas-exhausting means for exhausting the process gases from the upper and lower chambers,

wherein an induction electromagnetic field is generated in the upper chamber, generating a plasma, and the plasma is applied to the substrate, thereby to process the substrate.

25. The process apparatus according to

claim 12

, wherein a weight ratio between Al₂O₃ to Y₂O₃ is 5:

3 in the sprayed film.