Remote Plasma Source for Pre-Treatment of Substrates Prior to Deposition
First Claim
1. A plasma processing chamber, comprising:
- a vacuum chamber;
a pedestal disposed in the vacuum chamber for supporting a substrate to be processed;
a showerhead in opposition to the pedestal and including a gas manifold and a plurality of apertures through a face plate between the gas manifold and an interior of the vacuum chamber;
a plasma generating unit;
an inlet tube connected between an output of the plasma generating unit and the manifold;
a source of oxygen gas selectively connectable to the plasma generating unit; and
a source of hydrogen gas selectively connectable to the plasma generating unit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A plasma processing chamber particularly useful for pre-treating low-k dielectric films and refractory metal films subject to oxidation prior to deposition of other layers. A remote plasma source (RPS) excites a processing gas into a plasma and delivers it through a supply tube to a manifold in back of a showerhead faceplate. The chamber is configured for oxidizing and reducing plasmas in the same or different processes when oxygen and hydrogen are selectively supplied to the RPS. The supply tube and showerhead may be formed of dielectric oxides which may be passivated by a water vapor plasma from the remote plasma source. In one novel process, a protective hydroxide coating is formed on refractory metals by alternating neutral plasmas of hydrogen and oxygen.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A plasma processing chamber, comprising:
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a vacuum chamber; a pedestal disposed in the vacuum chamber for supporting a substrate to be processed; a showerhead in opposition to the pedestal and including a gas manifold and a plurality of apertures through a face plate between the gas manifold and an interior of the vacuum chamber; a plasma generating unit; an inlet tube connected between an output of the plasma generating unit and the manifold; a source of oxygen gas selectively connectable to the plasma generating unit; and a source of hydrogen gas selectively connectable to the plasma generating unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A process for processing a substrate disposed in a vacuum processing chamber, comprising the steps of:
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a first step of remotely generating a first plasma of oxygen and admitting it to the chamber; and a second step of remotely generating a second plasma of hydrogen and admitting it to the chamber. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification