High temperature ALD inlet manifold

• US 20080202416A1
• Filed: 01/17/2007
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V. (ASM International NV)
• Original Assignee: ASM America Incorporated (ASM International NV)
• Inventors: Hickson, Craig B., Provencher, Timothy J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,918,938 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 118/715
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45536 Use of plasma, radiation or electromagnetic fields
• 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 16/45565 Shower nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 27/003 Housing formed from a plurality of the same valve elements
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 51/02 specially adapted for high-vacuum installations
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87684 Valve in each inlet

Abstract

A system and method for distributing one or more gases to an atomic layer deposition (ALD) reactor. An integrated inlet manifold block mounted over a showerhead assembly includes high temperature (up to 200° C.) rated valves mounted directly thereto, and short, easily purged reactant lines. Integral passageways and metal seals avoid o-rings and attendant dead zones along flow paths. The manifold includes an internal inert gas channel for purging reactant lines within the block inlet manifold

Claims

1. An atomic layer deposition device (ALD), comprising:

a manifold body having a first passageway and a second passageway, the first passageway and the second passageway having no o-rings;

a bore located within the body and in flow communication with the first passageway and the second passageway; and

a vapor deposition chamber in flow communication with the bore and configured to house a substrate therein.

2. The ALD device of claim 1 further comprising:

a first reactant valve mounted on the body and configured to control a supply of a first reactant gas through the first passageway to the bore; and

an inert gas valve mounted on the body and configured to control a supply of an inert gas to the first reactant gas valve.

3. The ALD device of claim 2 further comprising:

a second reactant valve mounted on the body and configured to control a supply of a second reactant gas through the second passageway to the bore; and

a second inert gas valve mounted on the body and configured to control a supply of the inert gas to the second reactant gas valve.

4. The ALD device of claim 3 further comprising:

a third passageway having no o-rings within the body and in flow communication with the bore;

a third reactant valve mounted on the body and configured to control a supply of a third reactant gas through the third passageway to the bore; and

a third inert gas valve mounted on the body and configured to control a supply of the inert gas to the third reactant gas valve.

5. The ALD device of claim 3, further comprising a first spacer block disposed between the first reactant valve and the body and a second spacer block disposed between the second reactant valve and the body.

6. The ALD device of claim 5, wherein the first reactant valve, the first inert gas valve, the first spacer block, the second reactant valve, the second inert gas valve, the second spacer block and the manifold body comprise 316 grade stainless steel.

7. The ALD device of claim 5, wherein the first spacer block comprises a base plate and a cap, the base plate being coupled to both the body and the cap, and the cap being coupled to the first reactant valve.

8. The ALD device of claim 7, wherein the cap and the base plate are coupled by an explosion bond.

9. The ALD device of claim 7, wherein the base plate comprises aluminum.

10. The ALD device of claim 7, wherein the cap comprises stainless steel.

11. The ALD device of claim 7, wherein the body comprises aluminum.

12. The ALD device of claim 7, wherein the first reactant valve comprises stainless steel and the coupling between the first reactant valve and the cap utilizes a metal seal.

13. The ALD device of claim 7, wherein the first reactant valve and the cap are coupled with no o-rings therebetween.

14. The ALD device of claim 7 further comprising a first heater to heat the first reactant gas.

15. The ALD device of claim 14 further comprising a second heater to heat the second reactant gas, the second heater being controlled independently from the first heater.

16. The ALD device of claim 1 further comprising an inert gas channel disposed within the body, the inert gas channel selectively communicating with the bore via the first passageway during a first period of time and the second passageway during a second period of time.

17. A multi-piece manifold assembly for a semiconductor processing device, the manifold comprising:

a body comprising a first metallic material and having a bore;

a base plate comprising the first metallic material and being coupled to the body;

a cap comprising a second metallic material and being bonded to the base plate, the cap configured to mount a valve thereon; and

an internal passage formed between the bore of the body and the cap, at least a portion of the internal passage extending through the body and the base plate without forming dead legs at a bond interface between the body and base plate.

18. The multi-piece manifold assembly of claim 17, further comprising an inert gas channel within the body and in flow communication with the internal passage.

19. The multi-piece manifold assembly of claim 17, wherein the first metallic material is aluminum and the second metallic material is stainless steel.

20. An atomic layer deposition (ALD) device, comprising:

a dispersion assembly configured to disperse gas;

an inlet manifold block mounted over the dispersion assembly and having a bore, a first internal reactant line, and a second internal reactant line, the first and second internal reactant lines being in flow communication with the bore;

a first reactant valve mounted on the inlet manifold block and configured to control a supply of a first reactant gas to the first internal reactant line;

a first inert gas valve mounted on the inlet manifold block and configured to control a supply of an inert gas to the first reactant valve;

a second reactant valve coupled to the inlet manifold block and configured to control a supply of a second reactant gas to the second internal reactant line; and

a second inert gas valve mounted on the inlet manifold block and configured to control a supply of the inert gas to the second reactant valve.

21. The ALD device of claim 20 further comprising a controller configured to control the first reactant valve and the second reactant valve.

22. The ALD device of claim 20, wherein the controller alternates the supply of the first reactant gas and the second reactant gas to the bore.

23. The ALD device of claim 20, wherein the dispersion assembly comprises a showerhead assembly having an exhaust passage.

24. The ALD device of claim 20 further comprising a spacer block, the spacer block being disposed between the first reactant valve and the inlet manifold block.

25. The ALD device of claim 20 further comprising a spacer block, the spacer block being disposed between the first inert gas valve and the inlet manifold block.

26. The ALD device of claim 24, wherein the spacer block comprises a base plate and a cap.

27. The ALD device of claim 20, wherein the distance between the first reactant valve and the inlet manifold block is about 10 mm.

28. The ALD device of claim 20, wherein at least a portion of the bore has a conical shape.

29. The ALD device of claim 27, wherein the first internal reactant line is angled relative to a centerline through the conically shaped bore so as to promote swirling of the first reactant gas in the bore.

30. The ALD device of claim 20, wherein the first internal reactant line has no o-rings between the first reactant valve and the inlet manifold block.

31. The ALD device of claim 20, wherein the first and second reactant valves and the first and second inert gas valves are rated for operation at a temperature of at least 200°

C.

32. A method of distributing gases to an atomic layer deposition device having a manifold and a reactor, comprising:

routing a first reactant gas to the manifold via a first passageway having no o-rings between a first reactant valve and a manifold outlet;

inhibiting the first reactant gas flow; and

routing an inert gas to the manifold through a second passageway upstream of the first passageway, the second passageway having no o-rings between a first inert gas valve and the first passageway.

33. The method of claim 32 further comprising heating the first reactant gas at a location between the first reactant valve and the manifold outlet.

34. The method of claim 32 further comprising swirling the first reactant gas in the manifold.

35. The method of claim 32 further comprising

routing a second reactant gas to the manifold via a third passageway having no o-rings between a second reactant valve and the manifold outlet;

inhibiting the second reactant gas flow; and

routing the inert gas to the manifold through a fourth passageway upstream of the third passageway, the fourth passageway having no o-rings between a second inert gas valve and the third passageway.

36. The method of claim 35 further comprising alternating supply of the second reactant gas to the manifold with supply of the first reactant gas.

37. The method of claim 35 further comprising exhausting the reactor at least at a time between when the first reactant gas is routed to the manifold and the second reactant gas is routed to the manifold.