Method for improving atomic layer deposition process and the device thereof

• US 20060013954A1
• Filed: 09/28/2004
• Published: 01/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ProMOS Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ProMOS Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Chiu, Wen-Pin
• Application Number:
  US10/952,293
• Publication Number:
  US 20060013954A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/248.100
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45519 Inert gas curtains
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45551 for relative movement of the substrate and the gas injectors or half-reaction reactor compartments
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4584 the substrate being rotated

Abstract

A method for improving an atomic layer deposition process and the device thereof are described. A shield is first formed in a chamber to divide the chamber into a first sub-chamber and a second sub-chamber. Then a first precursor gas and a second precursor gas are introduced into the first sub-chamber and the second sub-chamber, respectively. A wafer is transferred into the first sub-chamber. When the surface of the wafer is saturated with the first precursor gas, the wafer is moved into the second sub-chamber by rotating a spindle, and the first precursor gas reacts with the second precursor gas. Further, the shield is employed to remove the excess first precursor gas and the unreacted second precursor gas. Subsequently, another wafer is transferred into the first sub-chamber, and hence two wafers are treated simultaneously to increase the throughput of the process.

Claims

1. A method for improving an atomic layer deposition process, comprising:

forming at least one shield in a chamber, wherein the shield divides the chamber into at least one first sub-chamber and at least one second sub-chamber;

introducing a first precursor gas into the first sub-chamber;

introducing a second precursor gas into the second sub-chamber;

transferring a wafer into the first sub-chamber; and

moving the wafer into the second sub-chamber.

2. The method for improving an atomic layer deposition process according to claim 1, further comprising:

transferring another wafer into the first sub-chamber.

3. The method for improving an atomic layer deposition process according to claim 1, further comprising:

moving the wafer repeatedly between the first sub-chamber and the second sub-chamber, so as to achieve a desired deposited thickness of the atomic layer.

4. The method for improving an atomic layer deposition process according to claim 1, wherein an inert gas is introduced into the chamber for forming the at least one shield.

5. The method for improving an atomic layer deposition process according to claim 4, wherein the inert gas is selected from the group consisting of argon, nitrogen and helium.

6. The method for improving an atomic layer deposition process according to claim 1, wherein during moving the wafer into the second sub-chamber, the shield is employed to remove the first precursor gas that is unadsorbed on the wafer.

7. The method for improving an atomic layer deposition process according to claim 1, wherein the wafer is moved into the second sub-chamber by rotating a spindle to move a susceptor for supporting the wafer from the first sub-chamber into the second sub-chamber.

8. The method for improving an atomic layer deposition process according to claim 1, wherein the first precursor gas is a silane (SiH₄) gas, a borane (B₂H₆) gas or a combination thereof.

9. The method for improving an atomic layer deposition process according to claim 1, wherein the second precursor gas is a tungsten hexafluoride (WF₆) gas.

10. A method for increasing a throughput of an atomic layer deposition process, comprising:

introducing an inert gas into a chamber for forming at least one shield, and the shield divides the chamber into at least one first sub-chamber and at least one second sub-chamber;

introducing a first precursor gas into the first sub-chamber;

introducing a second precursor gas into the second sub-chamber;

transferring a wafer into the first sub-chamber; and

rotating a spindle to move the wafer from the first sub-chamber into the second sub-chamber.

11. The method for increasing a throughput of an atomic layer deposition process according to claim 10, further comprising:

transferring another wafer into the first sub-chamber.

12. The method for increasing a throughput of an atomic layer deposition process according to claim 10, further comprising:

moving the wafer repeatedly between the first sub-chamber and the second sub-chamber, so as to achieve a desired deposited thickness of the atomic layer.

13. The method for increasing a throughput of an atomic layer deposition process according to claim 10, wherein the inert gas is selected from the group consisting of argon, nitrogen and helium.

14. The method for increasing a throughput of an atomic layer deposition process according to claim 10, wherein the inert gas is employed to remove the first precursor gas and the second precursor gas that are unreacted on the wafer.

15. The method for increasing a throughput of an atomic layer deposition process according to claim 10, wherein the first precursor gas is a silane gas, a borane gas or a combination thereof.

16. The method for increasing a throughput of an atomic layer deposition process according to claim 10, wherein the second precursor gas is a tungsten hexafluoride (WF₆) gas.

17. A device for improving an atomic layer deposition process, comprising:

at least one shield formed in a chamber for dividing the chamber into at least one first sub-chamber and at least one second sub-chamber;

at least one first gas injecting plate directly disposed above the first sub-chamber for introducing a first precursor gas;

at least one second gas injecting plate directly disposed above the second sub-chamber for introducing a second precursor gas; and

a revolving spindle connected to at least one first susceptor and at least one second susceptor disposed correspondingly below the first gas injecting plate and the second gas injecting plate, respectively, wherein after a wafer is disposed on the first susceptor and the first precursor gas is introduced for a period of time, the revolving spindle is rotated to move the wafer from the first sub-chamber into the second sub-chamber.

18. The device for improving an atomic layer deposition process according to claim 17, wherein the shield consists essentially of an inert gas.

19. The device for improving an atomic layer deposition process according to claim 18, wherein the inert gas is selected from the group consisting of argon, nitrogen and helium.

20. The device for improving an atomic layer deposition process according to claim 17, wherein the first precursor gas is a silane gas, a borane gas or a combination thereof.

21. The device for improving an atomic layer deposition process according to claim 17, wherein the second precursor gas is a tungsten hexafluoride (WF₆) gas.