Showerhead assembly and ALD methods
First Claim
1. An apparatus for depositing a thin film on a substrate, comprising:
- a reaction chamber having a reaction space;
a substrate holder for holding the substrate within the reaction space;
a gas outlet in fluid communication with the reaction space;
a gas exchange plate having a first side and a second side, positioned within the reaction chamber, the plate comprising;
a plurality of first passages machined therein being in fluid communication with a first reactant gas source and a purge gas source, the first passages communicating with a plurality of first apertures spaced along the first passages, the first apertures opening to the reaction space;
a plurality of second passages machined therein being in fluid communication with a second reactant gas source and a purge gas source, the second passages communicating with a plurality of second apertures spaced along the second passages, the second apertures opening to the reaction space; and
a plurality of third apertures extending from the first side to the second side of the gas exchange plate, allowing gas to pass therethrough.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for depositing thin films onto a substrate is provided. The apparatus includes a gas exchange plate that is positioned within a reaction chamber having a platform. The gas exchange plate may be positioned above or below the platform and comprises a first plurality of passages and a second plurality of passages machined therein. The first plurality of passages is in fluid communication with a first reactant source and a purge gas source. Similarly, the second plurality of passages is in fluid communication with a second reactant source and a purge gas source. The first and the second plurality of passages are fluidly connected to first and second plurality of apertures that open to the reaction chamber. Gases are removed from the reaction space through third plurality of apertures within the gas exchange plate that are in fluid communication with exhaust space. Methods of atomic layer deposition (ALD) include exhausting gas through the plane of a gas injection system, pressure fluctuation using multiple pulse precursor and purge steps, and use of booster inert gas flows.
184 Citations
44 Claims
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1. An apparatus for depositing a thin film on a substrate, comprising:
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a reaction chamber having a reaction space;
a substrate holder for holding the substrate within the reaction space;
a gas outlet in fluid communication with the reaction space;
a gas exchange plate having a first side and a second side, positioned within the reaction chamber, the plate comprising;
a plurality of first passages machined therein being in fluid communication with a first reactant gas source and a purge gas source, the first passages communicating with a plurality of first apertures spaced along the first passages, the first apertures opening to the reaction space;
a plurality of second passages machined therein being in fluid communication with a second reactant gas source and a purge gas source, the second passages communicating with a plurality of second apertures spaced along the second passages, the second apertures opening to the reaction space; and
a plurality of third apertures extending from the first side to the second side of the gas exchange plate, allowing gas to pass therethrough. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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10. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a top plate having a first side and a second side, the second side of the top plate fitting with and sealing against the first side of the exhaust plate, thereby sealing and defining an exhaust space within the recess of the exhaust plate.
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26. An apparatus for depositing a thin film on a substrate, comprising:
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a reaction chamber having a reaction space;
a substrate support, disposed within the reaction space;
a first plate positioned above the substrate support, the first plate having;
a first gas inlet fluidly connected to a first plurality of apertures via a first gas pathway;
a second gas inlet fluidly connected to a second plurality of apertures via a second gas pathway, wherein the first and second pathways are machined into the first plate;
a third plurality of apertures allowing gas to pass through the first plate; and
a second plate fixed to a gas outlet, positioned above the first plate, having a plurality of apertures allowing gas existing between the first plate and the second plate to flow to the gas outlet.
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27. A showerhead assembly for a vapor deposition chamber, comprising:
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a gas exchange plate having a thickness between a first side and a second side, the gas exchange plate defining a first network of passages in fluid communication with a first gas inlet and a second network of passages in fluid communication with a second gas inlet, the first and second network of passages including a plurality of first and second apertures opening from the first and second network of passages, respectively, to the second side of the gas exchange plate, the first and second apertures being interspersed and spaced across the second side of the gas exchange plate, the gas exchange plate further including a plurality of third apertures extending from the first side to the second side through the thickness of the gas exchange plate and being isolated from the first and second network of passages; and
an exhaust plate having a plurality of exhaust apertures therein, the exhaust plate configured to mate with the gas exchange plate and align the exhaust apertures with the third apertures of the exhaust plate. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A showerhead plate having a first side and a second side, comprising:
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a first flow path through the showerhead plate, the first flow path including a plurality of first apertures opening to the second side of the showerhead plate;
a second flow path through the showerhead plate, the second flow path isolated from the first flow path within the plate, the second flow path including a plurality of second apertures opening to the second side of the showerhead plate; and
a plurality of third apertures extending through the showerhead plate, the third apertures isolated from the first and second flow paths within the showerhead plate. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44-69. -69. (Cancelled)
Specification