Dual gas faceplate for a showerhead in a semiconductor wafer processing system

• US 20060021703A1
• Filed: 07/29/2004
• Published: 02/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Nguyen, Hanh D., Umotoy, Salvador P., Lei, Lawrence Chung-Lai, Nguyen, Anh N., Chiao, Steve H.
• Application Number:
  US10/901,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20060021703A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/345.340
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45565 Shower nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3244 Gas supply means
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32522 Temperature

Abstract

A faceplate for a showerhead of a semiconductor wafer processing system is provided. The faceplate has a plurality of gas passageways to provide a plurality of gases to the process region without commingling those gases before they reach the processing region within a reaction chamber. The showerhead includes a faceplate and a gas distribution manifold assembly. The faceplate defines a plurality of first gas holes that carry a first gas from the manifold assembly through the faceplate to the process region, and a plurality of channels that couple a plurality of second gas holes to a radial plenum that receives the second gas from the manifold assembly. The faceplate and the manifold assembly are each fabricated from a substantially solid nickel material.

Claims

1. A faceplate for a showerhead comprising a lower gas distribution plate and an upper gas distribution plate, wherein:

each of said lower gas distribution plate and said upper gas distribution plate is fabricated from a solid nickel material; and

said lower gas distribution plate and said upper gas distribution plate comprise a plurality of first gas holes that extend in aligned fashion through both the lower gas distribution plate and the upper gas distribution plate, a plurality of second gas holes that extend through the lower gas distribution plate and are connected by a plurality of interconnecting channels, the interconnecting channels being coupled to a circumferential plenum, and with each of the plurality of first gas holes being sealed by brazing relative to each of the plurality of interconnecting channels.

2. The faceplate of claim 1, wherein the interconnecting channels in the lower gas distribution plate are formed in a criss-cross pattern.

3. The faceplate of claim 1, wherein:

each of the first gas holes is at least partially defined by a tube; and

each of the second gas holes is formed within a square-cut pattern in the lower gas distribution plate.

4. The faceplate of claim 1, wherein the faceplate is formed by brazing said first gas distribution plate to said second gas distribution plate.

5. The faceplate of claim 4, wherein the plurality of first gas holes are drilled at the same time after the first and second gas distribution plates are brazed together.

6. A showerhead for a semiconductor wafer processing system comprising:

a faceplate having a unitary construction, and fabricated from a solid nickel material;

the faceplate having a plurality of first gas holes that extend through the faceplate, and an internal gas distribution cavity defined by a plurality of interconnecting channels, each of the plurality of first gas holes being sealed by a brazed joint relative to each of the plurality of interconnecting channels, the interconnecting channels being coupled to a circumferential plenum that is connected to second gas holes formed in said upper gas distribution plate; and

a gas distribution manifold assembly coupled to said faceplate for supplying a first gas to the first gas holes in said upper gas distribution plate and a second gas to the channels in said lower gas distribution plate.

7. The showerhead of claim 6, wherein a cold plate is affixed to said gas distribution manifold assembly.

8. The showerhead of claim 6, wherein:

the interconnecting channels in the lower gas distribution plate are formed in a criss-cross pattern; and

the lower gas distribution plate further comprises a plurality of second holes in fluid communication with the interconnecting channels for delivery of the second process gas into a reactor chamber of the wafer processing system, with each of the plurality of second holes being received within a square-cut pattern within the lower gas distribution plate.

9. The showerhead of claim 6, wherein each of the first gas holes is at least partially defined by a tube.

10. The showerhead of claim 6, wherein the faceplate is formed by brazing a first gas distribution plate to a second gas distribution plate.

11. The showerhead of claim 6, wherein the gas distribution manifold further comprises a first gas channel that has a cylindrical form that supplies the first gas to the plurality of first gas holes in the upper gas distribution plate.

12. The showerhead of claim 11, wherein the gas distribution manifold further comprises a second gas channel that has an annular cavity and radial channels extending from the annular cavity that supply the second gas to the circumferential plenum.

15. The showerhead of claim 12, wherein the faceplate is formed by brazing the first gas distribution plate to the second gas distribution plate.

18. The chemical vapor deposition reactor of claim 12, wherein said first gas is titanium tetrachloride and said second gas is ammonia.

13. A showerhead for a semiconductor wafer processing system comprising:

a faceplate having a lower gas distribution plate and an upper gas distribution plate, wherein;

each of the lower gas distribution plate and the upper gas distribution plate is fabricated from a solid Ni 200 series material; and

the faceplate has a plurality of first gas holes extending through both the lower gas distribution plate and said upper gas distribution plate in an aligned manner, and a plurality of second gas holes extending through the lower gas distribution plate into a plurality of interconnecting channels, each of the plurality of first gas holes being sealed by a brazed joint relative to each of the plurality of interconnecting channels, the interconnecting channels being coupled to a circumferential plenum that is connected to third gas holes that extend through the upper gas distribution plate; and

a gas distribution manifold assembly coupled to said faceplate for supplying a first gas to the first gas holes in said upper gas distribution plate and a second gas to the third gas holes and channels in said lower gas distribution plate.

14. The showerhead of claim 13, wherein:

the interconnecting channels in the lower gas distribution plate are formed in a criss-cross pattern; and

each of the plurality of second holes is received within a square-cut pattern within the lower gas distribution plate.

16. The showerhead of claim 13, wherein the gas distribution manifold further comprises:

a first gas channel that has a cylindrical form that supplies the first gas to the plurality of first gas holes in said upper gas distribution plate; and

a second gas channel that has an annular cavity and radial channels extending from the annular cavity that supply the second gas to the circumferential plenum.

17. A chemical vapor deposition reactor comprising:

a vacuum chamber defining a deposition region;

a wafer support pedestal, positioned within said vacuum chamber and proximate said deposition region;

a showerhead, positioned within said vacuum chamber and proximate said deposition region, where said showerhead comprises a faceplate having a lower gas distribution plate and an upper gas distribution plate, where said lower gas distribution plate and said upper gas distribution plate comprise a plurality of first gas holes that extend through the lower gas distribution plate and said upper gas distribution plate, and a plurality of second gas holes that extend through the lower gas distribution plate into a plurality of interconnecting channels, each of the plurality of first gas holes being sealed relative to each of the plurality of interconnecting channels, the interconnecting channels are coupled to a circumferential plenum that connects to third gas holes in said upper gas distribution plate; and

a gas distribution manifold assembly, coupled to said faceplate, for supplying a first gas to the first gas holes in said upper gas distribution plate and a second gas to the third gas holes in said upper gas distribution plate; and

wherein the faceplate is fabricated from a solid Ni 200 series material.