Shower head and cvd apparatus using the same

• US 20080196666A1
• Filed: 07/13/2007
• Published: 08/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Orbotech LT Solar LLC (KLA Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kam S. Law, Masato Toshima
• Inventors: Toshima, Masato
• Application Number:
  US11/826,336
• Publication Number:
  US 20080196666A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 118/723.00E
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45565 Shower nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/5096 Flat-bed apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32091 the radio frequency energy being capacitively coupled to the plasma
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3244 Gas supply means

Abstract

The showerhead for a CVD apparatus can be easily produced and is capable of forming a film efficiently. The showerhead comprises: a shower plate being made of a metal; and a porous plate contacting a rear face of the shower plate. A plurality of gas diffusion holes are formed in a plate section of the shower plate, which faces a workpiece, and penetrate the plate section in the thickness direction, and the porous plate covers all of the gas diffusion holes.

Claims

1. A showerhead for a CVD apparatus,

comprising:

a shower plate being made of a metal; and

a porous plate contacting a rear face of said shower plate,

wherein a plurality of gas diffusion holes are formed in a plate section of said shower plate, which faces a workpiece, and penetrate the plate section in the thickness direction, and

said porous plate covers all of the gas diffusion holes.

2. The showerhead according to claim 1, wherein the gas diffusion holes are elongate holes.

3. The showerhead according to claim 1,

wherein a thickness of said porous plate is thicker in a high gas-density area of a gas introduction space, which is formed on the rear side of said shower head, and

the amount of gas permeation through the gas diffusion holes is uniform across said entire showerhead.

4. The showerhead according to claim 1,

wherein density of said porous plate is higher in a high gas-density area of a gas introduction space, which is formed on the rear side of said shower head, and

the amount of gas permeation through the gas diffusion holes is uniform across said entire showerhead.

5. The showerhead according to one of claim 1,

wherein said porous plate has a perimeter section, which surrounds a gas diffusion hole area, and

the perimeter section is not gas-permeable.

6. The showerhead according to one of claim 1,

wherein a metal plate is installed instead of said porous plate,

said metal plate has:

vertical holes penetrating through said metal plate in the thickness direction; and

communicating grooves being formed in a surface of said metal plate, which contacts the plate section of said shower plate, said communicating grooves mutually communicating the gas diffusion holes.

7. A showerhead for a CVD apparatus,

comprising a main body part being made of a metallic porous material,

wherein a plurality of gas diffusion grooves are formed in a plate section of said main body part, which faces a workpiece.

8. The showerhead according to claim 7,

wherein said gas diffusion grooves are elongated grooves in plan view.

9. The showerhead according to claim 8,

wherein a thickness of the main body part is thicker in a high gas-density area of a gas introduction space, which is formed on the rear side of said shower head, and

the amount of gas permeation through the gas diffusion grooves is uniform across said entire main body part.

10. The showerhead according to claim 8,

wherein density of said main body part is higher in a high gas-density area of a gas introduction space, which is formed on the rear side of said shower head, and

the amount of gas permeation through the gas diffusion grooves is uniform across said entire main body part.

11. A CVD apparatus,

comprising:

a process chamber;

a showerhead being provided in said process chamber and facing a workpiece;

a gas inlet for supplying a gas, which is used for forming a nitride film on the surface of the workpiece, to said showerhead, said gas inlet being formed in a rear face of said showerhead,

wherein plasma for forming the film on the workpiece is generated between said showerhead and the workpiece by applying RF waves therebetween,

said showerhead comprises;

a shower plate being made of a metal; and

a porous plate being disposed to contact a rear face of said shower plate, and

a plurality of gas diffusion holes are formed in a plate section of said shower plate, which faces the workpiece, and penetrate the plate section in the thickness direction, and

said porous plate covers all of the gas diffusion holes.

12. A CVD apparatus,

comprising:

a process chamber;

a showerhead being provided in said process chamber and facing a workpiece;

a gas inlet for supplying a gas, which is used for forming a nitride film on the surface of the workpiece, to said showerhead, said gas inlet being formed in a rear face of said showerhead,

wherein plasma for forming the film on the workpiece is generated between said showerhead and the workpiece by applying RF waves therebetween,

said showerhead comprises a main body part being made of a metallic porous material, and

a plurality of gas diffusion grooves are formed in a plate section of said main body part, which faces the workpiece.