Apparatus and methods for manufacturing microfeatures on workpieces using plasma vapor processes

• US 20050087302A1
• Filed: 10/10/2003
• Published: 04/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Rodriguez, Santiago R., Mardian, Allen P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,581,511 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/345.330
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/045 Coating cavities or hollow spaces, e.g. interior of tubes; Infiltration of porous substrates
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45565 Shower nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/511 using microwave discharges
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32192 Microwave generated discharge H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394, H01J37/32403 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32357 Generation remote from the workpiece, e.g. down-stream
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67069 for drying etching

Abstract

A reactor comprising an energy source, a plasma unit positioned relative to the energy source, and a processing vessel connected to the plasma unit. The energy source has a generator that produces a plasma energy and a transmitter to transmit the plasma energy. The plasma unit has a first portion or transmissive portion through which the plasma energy can propagate, a second portion or distributor portion having a plurality of outlets, and a chamber in fluid communication with the plurality of outlets. The chamber is generally between or within the first and second portions. The plasma energy can pass through at least the first portion and into the chamber to create a plasma in the chamber. The second portion can also be transmissive or opaque to the plasma energy. The processing vessel includes a workpiece holder across from the outlets of the second portion of the plasma unit.

Claims

1. A reactor for processing a microfeature workpiece using a plasma, comprising:

an energy source having a generator that produces a plasma energy and a transmitter to transmit the plasma energy;

a plasma unit having a first portion transmissive to the plasma energy from the transmitter, a second portion having a plurality of outlets, and a chamber between and/or within the first and second portions and in fluid communication with the plurality of outlets, wherein the plasma energy from the transmitter can pass through at least the first portion and into the chamber to create a plasma in the chamber; and

a processing vessel coupled to the plasma unit, the processing vessel having a workpiece holder across from the outlets of the second portion of the plasma un t.

2. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the plasma unit comprises a single body in which the first and second portions are integral with each other.

3. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the first portion has a depression and the second portion is separate from the first portion and connected to the first portion along an interface.

4. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the first portion comprises a quartz panel.

5. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the first and second portions comprise a quartz plate.

6. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the plasma unit comprises a body and the chamber comprises a central hub in the body and a plurality of conduits extending from the hub within the body, and wherein the outlets are positioned along the conduits.

7. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the second portion has a thickness projecting downwardly toward the workpiece holder to space the outlets from the workpiece holder by a desired distance.

8. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the plasma unit comprises:

a plate;

a first chamber in the plate having first hub, a plurality of first conduits extending from the first hub, and a plurality of first outlets along the first conduits; and

a second chamber in the plate having a second hub, a plurality of second conduits extending from the second hub, and a plurality of second outlets along the second conduits.

9. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the second portion has a curved lower surface.

10. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the plurality of outlets comprises a plurality of first holes arranged over an inner region of the workpiece holder and a plurality of second holes arranged over a peripheral region of the workpiece holder, the first holes having a different characteristic than the second holes.

11. The reactor of claim 10 wherein the first holes are larger than the second holes.

12. The reactor of claim 10 wherein the first holes have a higher density than the second holes.

13. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the first portion of the plasma unit comprises a window transmissive to the plasma energy, the second portion comprises a plate spaced apart from the window, and the chamber is between the window and the plate.

14. A reactor for plasma vapor processing systems used in manufacturing microfeature devices, comprising:

a processing vessel including a workpiece holder having a peripheral region and a inner region;

an energy source having a generator that produces a plasma energy and an antenna configured to transmit the plasma energy to the processing vessel; and

a plasma distributor between the workpiece holder and the energy source, the plasma distributor comprising a fluid passageway having a section extending over at least a portion of the workpiece holder and a plurality of outlets along the fluid passageway superimposed over the workpiece holder to deliver a processing fluid to the workpiece, wherein at least a portion of the plasma distributor is transmissive to the plasma energy produce by the energy source.

15. The reactor of claim 14 wherein the plasma distributor comprises a single body through which the fluid passageway extends.

16. The reactor of claim 14 wherein the plasma distributor comprises a quartz plate having the fluid passageway and the outlets.

17. The reactor of claim 14 wherein fluid passageway comprises a central hub and a plurality of conduits extending from the hub, and wherein the outlets are positioned along the conduits.

18. The reactor of claim 14 wherein the plasma distributor comprises:

a plate;

a first chamber in the plate having first hub, a plurality of first conduits extending from the first hub, and a plurality of first outlets along the first conduits; and

a second chamber in the plate having a second hub, a plurality of second conduits extending from the second hub, and a plurality of second outlets along the second conduits.

19. The reactor of claim 14 wherein the plurality of outlets comprises a plurality of first holes arranged over an inner region of the workpiece holder and a plurality of second holes arranged over a peripheral region of the workpiece holder, the first holes having a different characteristic than the second holes.

20. A reactor for plasma vapor processing systems used in manufacturing microfeature devices, comprising:

a processing vessel including a workpiece holder that has a peripheral region and a inner region;

an energy source having a generator that produces a plasma energy and an antenna that transmits the plasma energy to the processing vessel; and

a plasma unit between the workpiece holder and the energy source, the plasma unit comprising a window through which the plasma energy can propagate, a fluid passageway having a section extending over at least a portion of the workpiece holder and being exposed to the window for receiving the plasma energy in the passageway, and a plurality of outlets along the fluid passageway superimposed over the workpiece holder to deliver a processing fluid to the workpiece.

21. The reactor of claim 20 wherein the generator produces microwave energy and the window comprises a material transmissive to microwaves.

22. The reactor of claim 20 wherein the generator produces microwave energy and the window comprises quartz.

23. A reactor for processing a microfeature workpiece using a plasma, comprising:

an energy source having a generator that produces a plasma energy and a transmitter to transmit the plasma energy;

a processing vessel including a primary chamber and a workpiece holder in the primary chamber, the workpiece holder having a peripheral region and an inner region; and

a plasma unit having an antechamber in which the plasma energy is received to create a plasma and an outlet in fluid communication with the antechamber that is configured to dispense the plasma from a location directly over the inner region of the workpiece holder.

24. The reactor of claim 23 wherein the plasma unit comprises a first portion that is transmissive to the plasma energy, a second portion under the first portion, a chamber defined at least in part by the first and second portions, and the outlet extends from the chamber and through the second portion.

25. The reactor of claim 23 wherein the antechamber comprises a plate, a chamber within the plate, and a plurality of outlets extending from the chamber and through a portion of the plate, wherein the outlets are juxtaposed to the inner and peripheral regions of the workpiece holder.

26. The reactor of claim 23 wherein the antechamber comprises a quartz body having an upper portion facing the transmitter and a lower portion facing the workpiece holder, a chamber within the quartz body, and a plurality of outlets extending from the chamber through the lower portion of the quartz body.

27. The reactor of claim 23 wherein the antechamber comprises a first portion facing the transmitter, a second portion facing the workpiece holder, a chamber defined at least in part by an inner surface of the first portion and an inner surface of the second portion, and wherein the outlet is in fluid communication with the chamber.

28. The reactor of claim 23 wherein the antechamber comprises a window transmissive to the plasma energy facing the transmitter and a distributor plate under the window, and wherein the outlet extends through the distributor plate.

29. The reactor of claim 28 wherein the window is connected to the distributor plate along an interface.

30. The reactor of claim 28 wherein the antechamber is a single body in which the window and the distributor plate are integral with each other.

31. The reactor of claim 28 wherein the window is separated from the distributor plate by a spaced apart distance defining a chamber.

32. A plasma unit for distributing a plasma in the manufacturing of microfeature devices, comprising:

a window composed at least in part of a material through which a plasma energy can propagate;

a chamber to receive the plasma energy passing through the window, the chamber having an inlet for receiving a gas; and

a plurality of outlets in fluid communication with the chamber, wherein the outlets are arranged to distribute the plasma directly over a workpiece juxtaposed to the plasma unit.

33. The plasma unit of claim 32 wherein the chamber is within the window.

34. The plasma unit of claim 32 wherein the chamber comprises a cavity within the window and the outlets extend from the chamber and through a lower portion of the window.

35. The plasma unit of claim 32 wherein the chamber comprises a central hub in the window and a plurality of conduits extending through the window from the hub, and wherein the outlets comprise holes along the conduits that extend through the window.

36. A plasma unit for generating and distributing a plasma fluid in a plasma vapor reactor used in the manufacturing of microfeature devices, comprising:

a quartz window having an upper surface and a lower surface;

a chamber in the quartz window between the upper and lower surfaces; and

a plurality of outlets arranged along the lower surface of the window in fluid communication with the chamber.

37. The plasma unit of claim 36 wherein the chamber is within the window.

38. The plasma unit of claim 36 wherein the chamber comprises a cavity within the window and the outlets extend from the chamber and through a lower portion of the window.

39. The plasma unit of claim 36 wherein the chamber comprises a central hub in the window and a plurality of conduits extending through the window from the hub, and wherein the outlets comprise holes along the conduits that extend through the windows.

40. A method of processing a microfeature workpiece, comprising:

positioning a workpiece in a processing plane on a workpiece holder within a reactor for plasma vapor processing;

producing a plasma by energizing a gas; and

projecting at least a portion of the plasma through an opening over the workpiece holder along a vector at an oblique angle to the processing plane.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein:

producing a plasma comprises transmitting a plasma energy through a window and injecting a gas into a chamber within the window; and

projecting at least a portion of the plasma through an opening comprises dispensing the plasma from the chamber and through an outlet of the window.

42. The method of claim 40 wherein:

producing a plasma comprises transmitting a plasma energy through a first portion of a plasma unit and into a chamber of the plasma unit, and injecting a gas into the chamber in the plasma unit; and

projecting at least a portion of the plasma through an opening comprises dispensing the plasma from an outlet through a second portion of the plasma unit positioned over an inner region of the workpiece.

43. The method of claim 40 wherein:

producing a plasma comprises transmitting microwaves through a quartz window and injecting a gas into a chamber within the window; and

projecting at least a portion of the plasma through an opening comprises flowing the plasma from the chamber and through an outlet of the quartz window.

44. The method of claim 40 wherein:

providing a plasma unit having a quartz panel, a distributor plate separate and spaced apart from the quartz panel, and a chamber between the quartz panel and the distributor plate;

producing a plasma comprises transmitting microwaves through a quartz panel and injecting a gas into the chamber; and

projecting at least a portion of the plasma through an opening comprises flowing the plasma from the chamber and through a plurality of outlets in the distributor plate.

45. The method of claim 40 wherein projecting at least a portion of the plasma through an opening comprises flowing the plasma from the chamber and through a plurality of outlets positioned over an inner region of the workpiece.

46. The method of claim 40 wherein projecting at least a portion of the plasma through an opening comprises flowing the plasma from the chamber and downwardly through a plurality of outlets superimposed directly over the workpiece.

47. A method of processing a microfeature workpiece, comprising:

positioning a workpiece on a workpiece holder within a reactor for plasma vapor processing;

producing a plasma in a quartz plate having a first surface and a second surface by injecting a gas into a chamber in the plate between the first and second surfaces and transmitting a plasma energy through at least the first surface of the plate and into the chamber; and

delivering at least a portion of the plasma through an opening in second surface of the plate.

48. A method of processing a microfeature workpiece, comprising:

positioning a workpiece on a workpiece holder within a reactor for plasma vapor processing;

producing a plasma in a plasma unit having a first portion and a second portion by injecting a gas into a chamber in the plasma unit between the first and second portions and transmitting a plasma energy through at least the first portion of the plasma unit and into the chamber; and

delivering at least a portion of the plasma through an opening in second portion of the plasma unit.