PROCESSING SYSTEM CONTAINING A HOT FILAMENT HYDROGEN RADICAL SOURCE FOR INTEGRATED SUBSTRATE PROCESSING

• US 20080078325A1
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Published: 04/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Matsuda, Tsukasa, Sakuragi, Isamu
• Application Number:
  US11/537,562
• Publication Number:
  US 20080078325A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 118/723HC
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/0218 in a reactive atmosphere C23C16/0227 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/18 from metallo-organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/34 Nitrides C23C16/303 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/44 characterised by the method of coating C23C16/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45536 Use of plasma, radiation or electromagnetic fields
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02063 the processing being the formation of vias or contact holes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02126 the material containing Si, O, and at least one of H, N, C, F, or other non-metal elements, e.g. SiOC, SiOC:H or SiONC
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02321 introduction of substances into an already existing insulating layer H01L21/02227 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02337 treatment by exposure to a gas or vapour
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02362 formation of intermediate layers, e.g. capping layers or diffusion barriers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/2855 by physical means, e.g. sputtering, evaporation H01L21/28518 - H01L21/28537 and H01L21/28568 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/28556 by chemical means, e.g. CVD, LPCVD, PECVD, laser CVD H01L21/28518 - H01L21/28537 and H01L21/28568 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/28562 Selective deposition
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31633 Deposition of carbon doped silicon oxide, e.g. SiOC
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67069 for drying etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76814 post-treatment or after-treatment, e.g. cleaning or removal of oxides on underlying conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76846 Layer combinations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76873 for electroplating

Abstract

A processing system for integrated substrate processing in a substrate processing tool. The processing system contains a substrate holder configured for supporting and controlling the temperature of the substrate, a hot filament hydrogen radical source for generating hydrogen radicals, and a controller configured for controlling the processing system. The hot filament hydrogen radical source includes a showerhead assembly containing an internal volume and a showerhead plate having gas passages facing the substrate for exposing the substrate to the hydrogen radicals, and at least one metal wire filament within the internal volume to thermally dissociate H₂ gas into the hydrogen radicals.

Claims

1. A processing system, comprising:

a substrate holder configured for supporting and controlling the temperature of a substrate;

a hot filament hydrogen radical source for generating hydrogen radicals, comprising;

a showerhead assembly comprising an internal volume and a showerhead plate having gas passages facing the substrate for exposing the substrate to the hydrogen radicals; and

at least one heated metal wire filament within the internal volume to thermally dissociate H₂ gas into the hydrogen radicals; and

a controller configured for controlling the processing system.

2. The processing system of claim 1, wherein the at least one metal wire filament comprises W metal or thoriated W metal.

3. The processing system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to maintain the at least one metal wire filament at a temperature between 1200°

C. and 2500°

C.

4. The processing system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the temperature of the substrate holder to maintain the substrate at a temperature between room temperature and 500°

C.

5. The processing system of claim 1, wherein the gas passages have a diameter between 3 mm and 10 mm.

6. The processing system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to maintain a gas pressure between 10 mTorr and 10 Torr in the internal volume of the showerhead.

7. The processing system of claim 1, wherein the showerhead assembly comprises a flange with a plurality of connectors for mounting and powering the at least one metal wire filament.

8. The processing system of claim 7, wherein the plurality of connectors are mounted in a circular array on the flange.

9. The processing system of claim 7, wherein the showerhead assembly comprises a plurality of metal wire filaments, each metal wire filament being strung between at least two of the plurality of connectors mounted on the circular array on the flange.

10. The processing system of claim 1, wherein the hot filament hydrogen radical source is configured to generate neutral hydrogen radicals.

11. A substrate processing tool, comprising:

a substrate transfer system configured for providing a substrate in the substrate processing tool; and

a first processing system configured for exposing the substrate to hydrogen radicals in a pretreatment process, the first processing system comprising

a substrate holder configured for supporting and controlling the temperature of the substrate;

a hot filament hydrogen radical source for generating the hydrogen radicals, comprising;

a showerhead assembly comprising an internal volume and a showerhead plate having gas passages facing the substrate for exposing the substrate to the hydrogen radicals, and

at least one heated metal wire filament within the internal volume to thermally dissociate H₂ gas into the hydrogen radicals; and

a controller configured for controlling the first processing system.

12. The substrate processing tool of claim 11, further comprising

at least one barrier metal deposition system configured for depositing a barrier metal film over the pretreated substrate, and

at least one Cu metal deposition system for forming a Cu seed layer on the barrier metal film.

13. The substrate processing tool of claim 11, wherein the at least one barrier metal deposition system is configured to deposit one or more of a Ta-containing film, a Ti-containing film, a W-containing film, and a Ru film, onto the pretreated substrate.

14. The substrate processing tool of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to maintain the at least one metal wire filament at a temperature between 1200°

C. and 2500°

C.

15. The substrate processing tool of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to control the temperature of the substrate holder to maintain the substrate at a temperature between room temperature and 500°

C.

16. The substrate processing tool of claim 11, wherein the showerhead assembly comprises a flange with a plurality of connectors for mounting and powering the at least one metal wire filament.

17. The substrate processing tool of claim 16, wherein the plurality of connectors are mounted in a circular array on the flange.

18. The substrate processing tool of claim 17, wherein the showerhead assembly comprises a plurality of metal wire filaments, each metal wire filament being strung between at least two of the plurality of connectors mounted on the circular array on the flange.