APPARATUS AND PROCESS FOR PLASMA-ENHANCED ATOMIC LAYER DEPOSITION

• US 20070119370A1
• Filed: 11/06/2006
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Shah, Kavita, Ganguli, Seshadri, Marcadal, Christophe, Wu, Dien-Yeh, MA, PAUL, Wu, Frederick, Chu, Schubert
• Application Number:
  US11/556,745
• Publication Number:
  US 20070119370A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 118/723.E
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/18 from metallo-organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45536 Use of plasma, radiation or electromagnetic fields
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45542 Plasma being used non-continuously during the ALD reactions
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45544 characterized by the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45553 characterized by the use of precursors specially adapted for ALD
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45563 Gas nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45565 Shower nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/509 using internal electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/5096 Flat-bed apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32082 Radio frequency generated discharge H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394 and H01J37/32403 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3244 Gas supply means
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32449 Gas control, e.g. control of the gas flow
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32522 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32623 Mechanical discharge control means
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32633 Baffles
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/28562 Selective deposition
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76844 Bottomless liners
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76846 Layer combinations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76873 for electroplating
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2221/1089 Stacks of seed layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 : Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 : Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide an apparatus configured to form a material during an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process, such as a plasma-enhanced ALD (PE-ALD) process. In one embodiment, a process chamber is configured to expose a substrate to a sequence of gases and plasmas during a PE-ALD process. The process chamber comprises components that are capable of being electrically insulated, electrically grounded or RF energized. In one example, a chamber body and a gas manifold assembly are grounded and separated by electrically insulated components, such as an insulation cap, a plasma screen insert and an isolation ring. A showerhead, a plasma baffle and a water box are positioned between the insulated components and become RF hot when activated by a plasma generator. Other embodiments of the invention provide deposition processes to form layers of materials within the process chamber.

Claims

1. A chamber for processing substrates, comprising:

a substrate support having a substrate receiving surface;

a chamber lid assembly comprising;

a showerhead assembly having an inner region and an outer region;

a cooling assembly in contact with the showerhead assembly;

a plasma baffle disposed within the inner region of the showerhead assembly;

a plasma screen disposed above the showerhead assembly and configured to direct a first process gas to the plasma baffle and a second process gas to the outer region of the showerhead assembly;

a first gas region located between the plasma baffle and the plasma screen; and

a second gas region located between the outer region of the showerhead assembly and the cooling assembly; and

a process region situated between the substrate receiving surface and the chamber lid assembly.

2. The chamber of claim 1, wherein the showerhead assembly comprises a showerhead plate having a bottom surface to substantially cover the substrate receiving surface.

3. The chamber of claim 2, wherein the inner region of the showerhead assembly comprises the plasma baffle as a removable portion of the showerhead assembly.

4. The chamber of claim 3, wherein the showerhead plate comprises a conductive material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, stainless steel, steel, iron, chromium, nickel, alloys thereof, and combinations thereof.

5. The chamber of claim 4, wherein the bottom surface of the showerhead plate is positioned parallel or substantially parallel to the substrate receiving surface.

6. The chamber of claim 2, wherein the outer region of the showerhead assembly comprises a plurality of holes in fluid communication with the process region.

7. The chamber of claim 6, wherein each hole of the plurality of holes has a diameter within a range from about 0.20 mm to about 0.80 mm.

8. The chamber of claim 7, wherein the plurality of holes comprises about 1,000 holes or more.

9. The chamber of claim 8, wherein each hole of the plurality of holes has a diameter to prohibit back diffusion of gas or formation of a secondary plasma.

10. The chamber of claim 1, wherein the cooling assembly comprises a plurality of passageways for the second process gas to pass from the plasma screen to the second gas region.

11. The chamber of claim 10, wherein the plurality of passageways form an obscured pathway between the second gas region and an upper surface of the plasma screen.

12. The chamber of claim 11, wherein the plurality of passageways comprises at least about 10 channels.

13. The chamber of claim 1, wherein the plasma baffle comprises a plurality of slots extending from the first gas region through the plasma baffle, and the plurality of slots provide fluid communication from the first gas region into the process region.

14. The chamber of claim 13, wherein the plasma baffle further comprises a nose cone extending from an upper surface of the plasma baffle to a lower surface of the plasma screen.

15. The chamber of claim 13, wherein each slot of the plurality of slots is extended through the plasma baffle at a predetermined injection angle relative to the substrate receiving surface, and the predetermined injection angle is within a range from about 20°

to about 70°

.

16. The chamber of claim 15, wherein the plasma baffle comprises a conductive material is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, stainless steel, steel, iron, chromium, nickel, alloys thereof, and combinations thereof.

17. The chamber of claim 16, wherein a bottom surface of the plasma baffle is positioned parallel or substantially parallel to the substrate receiving surface.

18. The chamber of claim 13, wherein each slot of the plurality of slots has a width within a range from about 0.60 mm to about 0.90 mm.

19. The chamber of claim 18, wherein the plurality of slots comprises about 10 slots or more.

20. The chamber of claim 18, wherein each slot of the plurality of slots has a width to prohibit back diffusion of gas or formation of a secondary plasma.

21. The chamber of claim 14, wherein the plasma baffle further comprises a plurality of holes extending from the first gas region through the plasma baffle, the plurality of holes are radially positioned around the nose cone, and the plurality of holes provide fluid communication from the first gas region into the process region.

22. The plasma baffle assembly of claim 21, wherein the predetermined angle is positioned to provide the process gas towards the vertical axis.

23. The plasma baffle assembly of claim 22, wherein the predetermined angle is within a range from about 30°

to about 40°

.

24. The chamber of claim 1, wherein the plasma screen comprises an inner area for receiving the first process gas and an outer area for receiving the second process gas.

25. The chamber of claim 24, wherein the inner area of the plasma screen comprises a plurality of holes for directing the first process gas to the plasma baffle.

26. The chamber of claim 25, wherein each hole of the plurality of holes has a diameter within a range from about 0.5 mm to about 5 mm.

27. The chamber of claim 25, wherein the outer area of the plasma screen comprises a plurality of slots for directing the second process gas into the second gas region.

28. The chamber of claim 27, wherein the plurality of slots are parallel or substantially parallel to a substrate receiving surface.

29. The chamber of claim 27, wherein the plurality of slots are perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to a plurality of holes within the first area of the plasma screen.

30. The chamber of claim 27, wherein each slot of the plurality of slots has a width within a range from about 0.20 mm to about 0.80 mm.

31. The chamber of claim 30, wherein the plurality of slots comprises about 10 slots or more.

32. The chamber of claim 1, further comprising an insulating cap positioned above the plasma screen.

33. The chamber of claim 32, wherein the insulating cap comprises at least two gas passageways, a first gas passageway contained within the insulating cap is positioned to direct the first process gas to an inner region of the plasma screen, and a second gas passageway contained within the insulating cap is positioned to direct the second process gas to an outer region of the plasma screen.

34. The chamber of claim 33, wherein the plasma screen and the insulating cap each independently comprises a material selected from the group consisting of ceramic, quartz, derivatives thereof, and combinations thereof.

35. The chamber of claim 32, further comprising a gas manifold disposed above the insulating cap.

36. The chamber of claim 35, wherein the gas manifold comprises at least two gas passageways, a first gas passageway is positioned to provide the first process gas to the insulating cap, and a second gas passageway is positioned to provide the second process gas to the insulating cap.

37. The chamber of claim 36, wherein a first conduit and a second conduit are coupled to the first gas passageway and are positioned to provide a circular gas flow pattern for the first process gas.

38. The chamber of claim 37, wherein the first conduit and the second conduit are independently positioned to direct gas at an inner surface of the first gas passageway.

39. The chamber of claim 38, wherein the circular gas flow pattern comprises a flow pattern selected from the group consisting of vortex, helix, spiral, twirl, twist, coil, whirlpool, and derivatives thereof.

40. The chamber of claim 37, wherein the first conduit and the second conduit are independently positioned at an angle from a center axis of the first gas passageway.

41. The chamber of claim 40, wherein the angle is greater than about 20°

.

42. The chamber of claim 39, wherein a valve is coupled to the first conduit and a precursor source is in fluid communication to the first valve, and the valve enables an atomic layer deposition process with a pulse time of about 2 seconds or less.

43. The chamber of claim 42, wherein the pulse time is within a range from about 0.01 seconds to about 0.5 seconds.

44. A chamber for processing substrates, comprising:

a substrate support having a substrate receiving surface;

a chamber lid comprising;

a channel at a central portion of the chamber lid;

a tapered bottom surface extending from the channel to a plasma screen disposed above a plasma baffle and a showerhead, wherein the showerhead is shaped and sized to substantially cover the substrate receiving surface;

a first conduit coupled to a first gas inlet within the channel; and

a second conduit coupled to a second gas inlet within the channel, wherein the first conduit and the second conduit are positioned to provide a circular gas flow pattern for a process gas.

45. A chamber for processing substrates, comprising:

a substrate support having a substrate receiving surface;

a chamber lid assembly comprising;

a showerhead assembly having an inner region and an outer region;

a plasma screen disposed above the showerhead assembly and configured to direct a first process gas to the inner region and a second process gas to the outer region; and

a process region situated between the substrate receiving surface and the chamber lid assembly.

46. The chamber of claim 45, wherein the plasma screen comprises an inner area for receiving the first process gas and an outer area for receiving the second process gas.

47. The chamber of claim 46, wherein the inner area of the plasma screen comprises a plurality of holes for directing the first process gas to the plasma baffle.

48. The chamber of claim 47, wherein each hole of the plurality of holes has a diameter within a range from about 1 mm to about 3 mm.

49. The chamber of claim 47, wherein the outer area of the plasma screen comprises a plurality of slots for directing the second process gas into the second gas region.

50. The chamber of claim 49, wherein the plurality of slots are parallel or substantially parallel to a substrate receiving surface.

51. The chamber of claim 49, wherein the plurality of slots are perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to a plurality of holes within the first area of the plasma screen.

52. The chamber of claim 49, wherein each slot of the plurality of slots has a width within a range from about 0.20 mm to about 0.80 mm.

53. The chamber of claim 52, wherein the plurality of slots comprises about 10 slots or more.

54. The chamber of claim 52, wherein the plasma screen comprises an electrically insulating material selected from the group consisting of a ceramic material, a quartz material, and derivatives thereof.