METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR IN-SITU SUBSTRATE PROCESSING

• US 20070175861A1
• Filed: 12/08/2006
• Published: 08/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Inventors: Hwang, Guang-Yaw, Yang, Yu-Wei, Lui, Pu-Lun
• Granted Patent: US 7,662,723 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 216/67
• 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: H01L 21/02063 the processing being the formation of vias or contact holes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31116 by dry-etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31138 by dry-etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31144 using masks
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67017 Apparatus for fluid treatment H01L21/67126, H01L21/6715 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6708 using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76808 involving intermediate temporary filling with material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76811 involving multiple stacked pre-patterned masks

Abstract

A plasma processing system for processing a substrate is disclosed. The plasma processing system includes a gas distribution system. The plasma processing system also includes a gas flow control assembly coupled to the gas distribution system and configured to control a set of input gases provided by the gas distribution system. The plasma processing system further includes a first set of nozzles coupled to the gas flow control assembly and configured to supply a first set of gases for processing a first portion of the substrate. The plasma processing system further includes a second set of nozzles coupled to the gas flow control assembly and configured to supply a second set of gases for processing a second portion of the substrate.

Claims

1. A plasma processing system for processing a substrate, the plasma processing system comprising:

a gas distribution system;

a gas flow control assembly coupled to the gas distribution system and configured to control a set of input gases provided by the gas distribution system, the set of input gases including at least one gas;

a first set of nozzles coupled to the gas flow control assembly and configured to supply a first set of gases for processing a first portion of the substrate; and

a second set of nozzles coupled to the gas flow control assembly and configured to supply a second set of gases for processing a second portion of the substrate,

wherein the first set of gases represents a first portion of the set of input gases,

the second set of gases represents a second portion of the set of input gases, and

a flow rate of the first set of gases is different from a flow rate of the second set of gases.

2. The plasma processing system of claim 1 wherein the first portion of the substrate represents a center zone of the substrate, the second portion of the substrate represents an edge zone of the substrate, and the flow rate of the first set of gases is higher than the flow rate of the second set of gases.

3. The plasma processing system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first set of nozzles and the second set of nozzles represents part of an electrode of the plasma processing system.

4. The plasma processing system of claim 1 wherein the set of input gases includes oxygen.

5. The plasma processing system of claim 1 wherein the set of input gases includes an inert gas configured to collide with plasma generated from at least one of the first set of gases and the second set of gases.

6. The plasma processing system of claim 1 configured to execute a waferless auto clean process.

7. The plasma processing system of claim 1 further comprising a temperature control system coupled to an upper chamber of the plasma processing system, the temperature control system including a heating unit configured to heat an electrode disposed inside the upper chamber of the plasma processing system.

8. The plasma processing system of claim 7 wherein the electrode comprises at least one of the first set of nozzles and the second set of nozzles.

9. The plasma processing system of claim 7 wherein the temperature control system further includes a cooling unit configured to transport heat away from the upper chamber.

10. The plasma processing system of claim 7 wherein the temperature control system includes a dissipation band and a thermally conductive layer, the dissipation band is disposed between the heating unit and the upper chamber and is configured to perform radial dissipation of thermal loads, and the thermally conductive layer is disposed between the dissipation band and the upper chamber and is configured to conduct the thermal loads in a direction that is perpendicular to an interface between the upper chamber and the thermally conductive layer.

11. The plasma processing system of claim 1 further comprising a heating unit configured to heat at least one of an electrode and a plasma processing chamber of the plasma processing system, thereby reducing an amount of contaminants that attach to the at least one of the electrode and the plasma processing chamber of the plasma processing system.

12. A method for processing a substrate, the substrate including a barrier layer and deposited photoresist, the method comprising:

supplying and ionizing a first set of gases to partially etch the deposited photoresist at a first portion of the substrate in a plasma processing chamber;

supplying and ionizing a second set of gases to partially etch the deposited photoresist at a second portion of the substrate in the plasma processing chamber; and

removing the barrier layer in the plasma processing chamber.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the first portion of the substrate represents a center zone of the substrate, and the second portion of the substrate represent an edge zone of the substrate.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the first set of gases and the second set of gases have the same composition, and the first set of gases and the second set of gases have different flow rates.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the first set of gases and the second set of gases are simultaneously supplied into the plasma processing chamber.

16. The method of claim 12 further comprising controlling the first set of gases and the second set of gases such that the first set of gases and the second set of gases have different flow rates.

17. The method of claim 12 further comprising controlling a set of input gases to generate the first set of gases and the second set of gases.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein the first set of gases is supplied through a first set of nozzles, the second set of gases is supplied through a second set of nozzles, and at least one of the first set of nozzles and the second set of nozzles represents part of an electrode of the plasma processing system.

19. The method of claim 12 further comprising executing a waferless auto clean process.

20. The method of claim 12 wherein the deposited photoresist is deposited in at least one of a via feature and a trench feature of the substrate.

21. The method of claim 12 further comprising heating at least a portion of the plasma processing chamber to reduce an amount of contaminants that attach to the plasma processing chamber.

22. The method of claim 12 further comprising heating an electrode of the plasma processing system, the electrode configured to supply at least one of the first set of gases and the second set of gases.

23. The method of claim 12 further comprising supplying an inert gas to collide with plasma generated from at least one of the first set of gases and the second set of gases, thereby reducing a processing rate of the processing.

24. A method for processing a substrate in a plasma processing chamber in a plasma processing system, the method comprising:

injecting a first set of gases into the plasma processing chamber;

injecting a second set of gases into the plasma processing chamber;

exciting the first set of gases into plasma;

performing at least one of etching and deposition on the substrate utilizing the plasma; and

heating an electrode of the plasma processing system to increase collision between the plasma and the second set of gases, thereby reducing a processing rate of the at least one of etching and deposition.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the electrode of the plasma processing system is configured to inject at least one of the first set of gases and the second set of gases.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the first set of gases includes oxygen.

27. The method of claim 24 wherein the second set of gases includes an inert gas.

28. The method of claim 24 wherein the first set of gases is injected into the plasma processing chamber through a first set of nozzles with a first flow rate and a second set of nozzles with a second flow rate, the first flow rate being different from the second flow rate, the first set of nozzles positioned above a first zone of the substrate, the second set of nozzles positioned above a second zone of the substrate.

29. The method of claim 24 further comprising heating at least a portion of the plasma processing chamber to reduce an amount of contaminants that attach to the plasma processing chamber.