Reaction system for growing a thin film

• US 20060266289A1
• Filed: 01/17/2006
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V. (ASM International NV)
• Original Assignee: ASM America Incorporated (ASM International NV)
• Inventors: Yan, Min, Peussa, Marko, Verghese, Mohith, Shero, Eric, Terhorst, Herbert, Fondurulia, Kyle, White, Carl, Babic, Darko
• Granted Patent: US 8,211,230 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 118/715
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4408 by purging residual gases from the reaction chamber or gas lines
• 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 16/45517 Confinement of gases to vicinity of substrate
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45525 Atomic layer deposition [ALD]
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45544 characterized by the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45561 Gas plumbing upstream of the reaction chamber
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45563 Gas nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45582 Expansion of gas before it reaches the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45587 Mechanical means for changing the gas flow
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45591 Fixed means, e.g. wings, baffles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/458 characterised by the method used for supporting substrates in the reaction chamber
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4582 Rigid and flat substrates, e.g. plates or discs C23C16/4581 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4583 the substrate being supported substantially horizontally
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4586 Elements in the interior of the support, e.g. electrodes, heating or cooling devices
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 35/00 Apparatus not otherwise provided for, specially adapted for the growth, production or after-treatment of single crystals or of a homogeneous polycrystalline material with defined structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67236 the substrates being processed being not semiconductor wafers, e.g. leadframes or chips
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/68714 the wafers being placed on a susceptor, stage or support
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/68742 characterised by a lifting arrangement, e.g. lift pins
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/68785 characterised by the mechanical construction of the susceptor, stage or support

Abstract

An atomic deposition (ALD) thin film deposition apparatus includes a deposition chamber configured to deposit a thin film on a wafer mounted within a space defined therein. The deposition chamber comprises a gas inlet that is in communication with the space. A gas system is configured to deliver gas to the gas inlet of the deposition chamber. At least a portion of the gas system is positioned above the deposition chamber. The gas system includes a mixer configured to mix a plurality of gas streams. A transfer member is in fluid communication with the mixer and the gas inlet. The transfer member comprising a pair of horizontally divergent walls configured to spread the gas in a horizontal direction before entering the gas inlet.

Claims

1. An atomic layer deposition (ALD) thin film deposition apparatus, comprising:

a deposition chamber configured to deposit a thin film on a wafer mounted within a space defined therein, the deposition chamber comprising a gas inlet that is in communication with the space;

a gas system configured to deliver gas to the gas inlet of the deposition chamber, at least a portion of the gas system being positioned above the deposition chamber, the gas system comprising;

a mixer configured to mix a plurality of gas streams; and

a transfer member in fluid communication with the mixer and the gas inlet, the transfer member comprising a pair of horizontally divergent walls configured to spread the gas in a horizontal direction before entering the gas inlet.

2. The ALD thin film deposition apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transfer member comprises a first portion and a second, downstream portion, the first portion comprising a pair of horizontally divergent walls that diverge at a first angle and the second portion comprising a pair horizontally divergent walls that diverge at a second angle that is greater than the first angle.

3. The ALD thin film deposition apparatus of claim 1, wherein the horizontally divergent walls are substantially straight.

4. The ALD thin film deposition apparatus of claim 1, wherein the horizontally divergent walls are curved.

5. The ALD thin film deposition apparatus of claim 2, wherein in the first portion the height of the gas path defined by the transfer member is substantially constant.

6. The ALD thin film deposition apparatus of claim 2, wherein in the second portion the height of the gas path defined by the transfer member decreases in the direction of gas flow.

7. The ALD thin film deposition apparatus of claim 6, wherein in the first portion the height of the gas path defined by the transfer member is substantially constant.

8. The ALD thin film deposition apparatus of claim 7, wherein the flow path through the transfer member is substantially parallel to the wafer.

9. The ALD thin film deposition apparatus of claim 1, wherein transfer member and the mixer are positioned above the deposition chamber.

10. The ALD thin film deposition apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flow path through the transfer member is substantially parallel to the wafer.

11. The ALD thin film deposition apparatus of claim 10, wherein the flow path through the space in the deposition chamber is substantially parallel and opposite to the flow path through the transfer member.

12. The ALD thin film deposition apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gas inlet of the deposition chamber comprises a contraction portion in communication with the transfer member, an expansion portion in communication with the space in the deposition chamber and a narrowed portion positioned between the contraction and expansion portions and wherein the contraction portion is configured to reduce the cross-sectional area of the gas path from the plenum to the narrowed portion and the expansion portion is configured to increase the cross-sectional area of the gas path from the narrowed portion to the space in the deposition chamber.

13. The ALD thin film deposition apparatus of claim 12, wherein cross-sectional area of the gas path between the mixer and the deposition is smallest within the narrowed portion.

14. The ALD thin film deposition apparatus of claim 12, wherein the gas inlet of the deposition chamber is configured such that the flow path through the space in the deposition chamber is substantially parallel and opposite to the flow path through the transfer member.

15. The ALD thin film deposition apparatus of claim 14, wherein the deposition chamber comprises a top plate, a bottom plate, and a susceptor that moves in a vertical direction to seal against the bottom plate and wherein the gas inlet is formed in the top plate.

16. The ALD thin film deposition apparatus of claim 1, wherein the deposition chamber comprises a top plate, a bottom plate, and a susceptor that is configured to move in a vertical direction with respect to the bottom plate such that in a first position the susceptor seals against a lower surface of the bottom plate.

17. An atomic layer deposition (ALD) thin film deposition apparatus, comprising:

a deposition chamber configured to deposit a thin film on a wafer mounted within a space defined therein, the deposition chamber comprising a gas inlet that is in communication with the space, the deposition chamber further comprising a sealing portion that includes a sealing surface; and

a susceptor configured to support the wafer within the space, the susceptor configured to move vertically with respect to the deposition chamber between a first position in which the susceptor seals against the sealing surface and a second, lower position in which the susceptor no longer seals against the sealing surface;

wherein, in the first position, a vertical distance between the interface between the sealing surface and the susceptor and the wafer positioned on the susceptor is less than about 2 millimeters.

18. The ALD thin film deposition apparatus of claim 17, wherein the interface between the sealing surface and the susceptor and the wafer positioned on the susceptor are located substantially at the same vertical elevation.

19. The ALD thin film deposition apparatus of claim 17, wherein a top area of the susceptor between the interface between the sealing surface and the susceptor is substantially flat.

20. The ALD thin film deposition apparatus of claim 17, wherein an end of the sealing portion has a thickness between about 0.5 to about 3 millimeters.

21. The ALD thin film deposition apparatus of claim 17, wherein the deposition chamber comprises a top plate and a bottom plate and wherein the bottom plate forms, at least in part, the sealing portion and the top plate forms, at least in part, the gas inlet.

22. The ALD thin film deposition apparatus of claim 17, wherein the susceptor is configured such that when the wafer is positioned on the susceptor the leading edge of the wafer with respect to gas flow is positioned further from the sealing portion as compared to the trailing edge of the wafer.

23. The ALD thin film deposition apparatus of claim 17, wherein a diameter of the susceptor is between about 10% and about 25% greater than a diameter of the wafer.

25. The substrate support of claim 22, wherein the recess has a depth from about 0.2 to about 0.5 millimeters.

26. The substrate support of claim 22, wherein the recess has a generally circular shape.

28. The substrate support of claim 22, wherein the top surface of the support and the substrate form a generally circular seal.

29. The substrate support of claim 28, wherein a center of the generally circular seal is positioned off-center with respect to an outer edge of the support.

30. The substrate support of claim 22, wherein a top area of the susceptor between an edge of the susceptor and the recess is substantially flat.

31. The substrate support of claim 30, wherein the top area includes at least one pin.

24. A substrate support for processing semiconductor substrates, the substrate support comprising a top surface with a recess, the recess being configured such that the top surface of the substrate support only contacts the substrate along an edge portion of the substrate.

27. The substrate support of claim 24, wherein a center of the generally circular recess is positioned off-center with respect to an outer edge of the support.

32. An atomic layer deposition (ALD) thin film deposition apparatus, comprising:

a deposition chamber configured to deposit a thin film on a wafer mounted within a space defined therein, the deposition chamber comprising a gas inlet that is in communication with the space, the deposition chamber further comprising a sealing portion that includes a sealing surface; and

a susceptor configured to support the wafer within the space, the susceptor configured to move vertically with respect to the deposition chamber between a first position in which the susceptor seals against the sealing surface and a second, lower position in which the susceptor no longer seals against the sealing surface;

wherein the susceptor is configured such that when the wafer is positioned on the susceptor in the first position, the leading edge of the wafer, with respect to gas flow, is positioned further from the sealing surface as compared to the trailing edge of the wafer.