Method and apparatus for tuning a plurality of processing chambers

• US 20030003696A1
• Filed: 06/29/2001
• Published: 01/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Lei, Lawrence Chung-Lai, Chang, Fong, Lin, Yin, Nguyen, Vicky Uyen, Huston, Joel M., Gelatos, Avgerinos
• Application Number:
  US09/896,124
• Publication Number:
  US 20030003696A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/485
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4405 Cleaning of reactor or parts inside the reactor by using reactive gases
• 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 16/45561 Gas plumbing upstream of the reaction chamber
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/5096 Flat-bed apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 25/08 Reaction chambers; Selection of materials therefor
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 25/14 Feed and outlet means for the gases; Modifying the flow of the reactive gases

Abstract

Generally, a substrate processing apparatus is provided. In one aspect of the invention, a substrate processing apparatus is provided. In one embodiment, the substrate processing apparatus includes one or more chamber bodies coupled to a gas distribution system. The chamber bodies define at least a first processing region and a second processing region within the chamber bodies. The gas distribution system includes a first, a second and a third gas supply circuit. The first gas supply circuit is teed between the first and second processing regions and is adapted to supply a first processing gas thereto. The second gas supply circuit is coupled to the first processing region and adapted to supply a second process gas thereto. The third gas supply circuit is coupled to the second processing region and is adapted to supply a third process gas thereto. Alternatively, the processing regions may be disposed in a single chamber body.

Claims

1. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:

one or more chamber bodies defining at least a first processing region and a second processing region therein; and

a gas distribution system coupled to the processing regions, comprising;

a first gas supply circuit coupled between the first processing region and the second processing region and adapted to supply a first process gas thereto;

a second gas supply circuit coupled to first processing region and adapted to supply a second process gas thereto; and

a third gas supply circuit coupled to second processing region and adapted to supply a third process gas thereto.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second process gas and the third process gas comprises identical process gas.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a flow rate of the second process gas is independently controllable relative to the third process gas.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a flow rate of the second process gas is substantially equal to the third process gas.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a flow rate of the second process gas is regulated relative to a flow rate of the third process gas to tune deposition results in the first and second processing regions.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first gas circuit further comprises:

a first chamber branch coupled to the first processing region;

a second chamber branch circuit coupled to the second processing region;

a tee connecting the first chamber branch and the second chamber branch; and

a flow control system coupled to the tee.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the flow control system further comprises:

a regulator coupled to a first process gas source; and

a flow controller coupled to the regulator.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the flow control system further comprises:

a pressure transducer adapted to sense pressure between the regulator and the flow controller; and

a filter disposed between the regulator and the flow controller.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first gas circuit further comprises:

a first shut off valve disposed between the first processing region and the flow control system; and

a pressure sensor disposed between the first shut off valve and the first processing region.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the flow controller further comprises:

an orifice, a mass flow controller, a needle valve or a proportional valve.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first gas supply circuit further comprises:

a first process gas delivery branch having the first process gas source fluidly coupled a first carrier gas source;

a second gas delivery branch having a fourth process gas source fluidly coupled a second carrier gas source; and

a least one valve coupled to the first gas delivery branch and/or second gas delivery branch for selectively coupling either the first process gas source or the second process gas source to the first and second processing regions.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first process gas comprises titanium tetrachloride and the fourth process gas comprises chlorine.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first process gas comprises titanium tetrachloride and/or chlorine, the second process gas comprises ammonia and the third process gas source comprises ammonia.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more chamber bodies comprise a single chamber body having a top, bottom and sidewalls, at least one interior wall is coupled between the top and bottom, the interior wall separating the first processing from the second processing region.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the second process gas and the third process gas comprises identical process gas.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first gas circuit further comprises:

a first branch circuit coupled to the first processing region;

a second branch circuit coupled to the second processing region;

a tee connecting the first branch circuit and the second branch circuit; and

a flow control system having the flow controller disposed therein fluidly coupled to the tee.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the flow control system further comprises:

a regulator coupled between a first process gas source and the first flow controller;

a pressure transducer adapted to sense pressure between the regulator and the first flow controller; and

a filter disposed between the regulator and the first flow controller.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the flow controller further comprises:

an orifice, a mass flow controller, a needle valve or a proportional valve.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first gas supply circuit further comprises:

a first process gas delivery branch having the first process gas source fluidly coupled a first carrier gas source;

a second gas delivery branch having a fourth process gas source fluidly coupled a second carrier gas source; and

a least one valve coupled to the first gas delivery branch and/or second gas delivery branch for selectively coupling either the first process gas source or the second process gas source to the first and second processing regions.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first process gas comprises titanium tetrachloride and the fourth process gas comprises chlorine.

22. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first process gas comprises titanium tetrachloride and/or chlorine, the second process gas comprises ammonia and the third process gas source comprises ammonia.

23. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first and second flow rates are equal.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the second gas supply circuit further comprises:

a regulator coupled between a third process gas source and the first flow controller;

a pressure transducer adapted to sense pressure between the regulator and the first flow controller;

a filter disposed between the regulator and the third flow controller; and

wherein the third gas supply circuit further comprises.

a regulator coupled between a fourth process gas source and the second flow controller;

a pressure transducer adapted to sense pressure between the regulator and the second flow controller; and

a filter disposed between the regulator and the second flow controller.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the first and second flow controller further comprises:

an orifice, a mass flow controller, a needle valve or a proportional valve.

27. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the first process gas comprises titanium tetrachloride, the second process gas comprises chlorine, the third process gas comprises ammonia and the fourth process gas source comprises ammonia.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the second rate is different than the first rate.

31. The method of claim 29 further comprising forming a plasma in the first chemical vapor deposition region from a mixture of the first process gas and the second process gas.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the first process gas is TiCl₄, and the second and third process gases are NH₃.

15. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:

a chamber body having a top, bottom and sidewalls, at least one interior wall coupled between the top and bottom and defining at least a first processing region and a second processing region within the chamber body; and

a gas distribution system coupled to the chamber body, comprising;

a first gas supply circuit coupled between the first processing region and the second processing region, the first gas supply circuit having at least a first flow controller adapted to selectively supply a first process gas and a fourth process gas to the first and second processing region;

a second gas supply circuit coupled to first processing region and having a second flow controller adapted to supply a second process gas to the first processing region at a first rate; and

a third gas supply circuit coupled to second processing region and having a third flow controller adapted to supply a third process gas to the second processing region at a second rate controlled independently from the first rate to tune deposition results between the first and the second processing region.

24. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:

a chamber body having a top, bottom and sidewalls, at least one interior wall coupled between the top and bottom and defining at least a first processing region and a second processing region within the chamber body; and

a gas distribution system coupled to the chamber body, comprising;

a first gas supply circuit having a tee fluidly coupling the first processing region and the second processing region, a main delivery line having a first process gas delivery branch and a second gas delivery branch selectively coupled to the tee, the first gas delivery branch having a first process gas source and the second gas delivery branch having a second process gas source;

a second gas supply circuit coupled to the first processing region and having a first flow controller adapted to supply a third process gas to the first processing region at a first rate; and

a third gas supply circuit coupled to the second processing region and having a second flow controller adapted to supply a fourth process gas comprising the identical process gas as the third process gas to the second processing region at a second rate controlled independently from the first rate to tune deposition results between the first and second processing regions.

28. A method for processing a plurality of substrates, comprising:

flowing a first process gas to a first process region and a second process region through a common conduit coupled therebetween;

flowing a second process gas to the first process region at a first rate; and

flowing a third process gas to the second process region at a second rate, wherein the first rate and the second rate are independently controlled to tune processing results between the first process region and the second process region.

29. A method for processing a plurality of substrates, comprising:

flowing a first process gas to a first chemical vapor deposition region and a second chemical vapor deposition region through a common conduit coupled therebetween;

flowing a second process gas to the first chemical vapor deposition region at a first rate; and

flowing a third process gas that is the same as the second process gas to the second chemical vapor deposition region at a second rate, wherein the first rate and the second rate are independently controlled to tune deposition results between the first process region and the second process region.