GAS DISTRIBUTION BLOCKER APPARATUS

• US 20100136216A1
• Filed: 11/30/2009
• Published: 06/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Cho, Tom K., Tsuei, Lun, Tso, Alan, Shieh, Brian Sy-Yuan
• Granted Patent: US 9,714,465 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/9
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45559 Diffusion of reactive gas to substrate
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45565 Shower nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/076 Multiple junction or tandem solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/1824 Special manufacturing methods for microcrystalline Si, uc-Si
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/545 Microcrystalline silicon PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/548 Amorphous silicon PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention generally provide apparatus and methods for altering the flow and pressure differential of process gases supplied across a showerhead of a processing chamber to provide improved deposition uniformity across the surface of a substrate disposed therein. In one embodiment, a blocker plate is disposed between a backing plate and a showerhead. In one embodiment, the distance between the blocker plate and the showerhead is adjustable. In another embodiment, the blocker plate has a non-planar surface contour. In another embodiment, a regional blocker plate is disposed between a backing plate and a showerhead. In another embodiment, a central blocker plate and a peripheral blocker plate are disposed between a backing plate and a showerhead.

Claims

1. A processing apparatus, comprising:

a backing plate having an aperture in fluid communication with a gas source;

a showerhead coupled to the backing plate and having a plurality of orifices disposed from an upstream side to a downstream side thereof; and

a blocker member disposed between the backing plate and the showerhead such that a first plenum is formed between the backing plate and the blocker plate and a second plenum is formed between the blocker plate and the showerhead, wherein the volume of the first plenum is adjustable with respect to the volume of the second plenum.

2. The processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the blocker member has a side portion and a substantially planar bottom portion, and wherein the blocker member has at least one gas passage extending through the side portion.

3. The processing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the bottom portion of the blocker member is substantially planar and has a plurality of gas passages extending therethrough, and wherein at least one gas passage extends through the bottom portion of the blocker member at a non-perpendicular angle with respect to the blocker member.

4. The processing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the blocker member has a plurality of gas passages extending through a central region of the bottom portion that are smaller than a plurality of gas passages extending through a corner region of the bottom portion.

5. The processing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the blocker member has a plurality of gas passages extending through a central region of the bottom portion spaced farther apart than a plurality of gas passages extending through a corner region of the bottom portion.

6. The processing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a support member and an actuator configured to adjust the contour of the blocker member in situ.

7. The processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the blocker member has a plurality of gas passages disposed between an upstream and downstream side thereof, and wherein the downstream side has a convex surface contour.

8. The processing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second blocker plate disposed between the backing plate and the showerhead and forming a third plenum.

9. The processing apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first and third plenums are adjustable with respect to one another.

10. The processing apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first, second, and third plenums are adjustable with respect to one another.

11. A processing apparatus, comprising:

a backing plate having an orifice disposed therethrough and in fluid communication with a gas source;

a showerhead positioned adjacent the showerhead such that a plenum is formed between the backing plate and the showerhead, wherein the showerhead has a plurality of gas passages disposed therethrough; and

a blocker member having a plurality of gas passages disposed therethrough and coupled to the showerhead such that a first gas passage disposed through the showerhead is aligned with a gas passage disposed through the blocker member and a second gas passage disposed through the showerhead is blocked by the blocker member.

12. The processing apparatus of claim 11, wherein the blocker member is positioned in a central region of the showerhead.

13. The processing apparatus of claim 11, wherein the blocker member is positioned in a corner region of the showerhead.

14. A processing apparatus, comprising:

a backing plate having an orifice formed therethrough and in fluid communication with a gas source;

a showerhead having a plurality of apertures formed therethrough and coupled to the backing plate;

a blocker member having a side with a plurality of gas passages formed therethrough and a bottom having a plurality of gas passages formed therethrough, wherein the blocker member is disposed between a central region of the backing plate and a central region of the showerhead; and

a spacer member coupled to the blocker member.

15. The processing apparatus of claim 14, wherein the bottom of the blocker member has a non-planar downstream surface.

16. The processing apparatus of claim 14, wherein the bottom of the blocker member has a planar downstream surface and a gas passage disposed therethrough is non-perpendicular with respect to the downstream surface.

17. The processing apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a support member and an actuator configured to adjust the contour of the blocker member in situ.

18. The processing apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a peripheral blocker member disposed about the periphery of the blocker member.

19. The processing apparatus of claim 18, wherein the peripheral blocker member has a downstream surface non-planar with a downstream surface of the bottom of the blocker member.

20. A method for depositing thin films, comprising:

introducing a gas mixture into a first plenum formed between a backing plate and a blocker member of a processing apparatus;

allowing the gas mixture to diffuse through the blocker member into a second plenum disposed between the blocker member and a showerhead;

depositing a thin film on a substrate;

determining the uniformity of the thin film deposited on the substrate;

adjusting the volume of the first plenum with respect to the volume of the second plenum; and

depositing a second thin film on a second substrate.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising adjusting the angle of a gas passage formed through the blocker member.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising adjusting the size of gas passages formed through the blocker member in a central region of the blocker member with respect to gas passages formed through the blocker member in a corner region of the blocker member.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising adjusting the spacing of gas passages formed through the blocker member in the central region of the blocker member with respect to gas passages formed through the blocker member in a corner region of the blocker member.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising adjusting the volume of a third plenum with respect to the volume of the first plenum.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising adjusting the volume of the first plenum, the volume of the second plenum, and the volume of a third plenum with respect to one another.