FLOW CONTROL FEATURES OF CVD CHAMBERS

• US 20110011338A1
• Filed: 07/15/2010
• Published: 01/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Liang, Qiwei, Nguyen, Hanh D., Yang, Jang-Gyoo, Miller, Matthew, Tran, Toan Q., Chen, Xinglong, Chuc, Kien N., Khan, Adib, Park, Soonam, Lubomirsky, Dmitry, Venkataraman, Shankar
• Granted Patent: US 8,894,767 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 118/715
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/452 by activating reactive gas streams before their introduction into the reaction chamber, e.g. by ionisation or addition of reactive species
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45565 Shower nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45574 Nozzles for more than one gas
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3244 Gas supply means
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32449 Gas control, e.g. control of the gas flow
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/85938 Non-valved flow dividers

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for gas distribution assemblies are provided. In one aspect, a gas distribution assembly is provided comprising an annular body comprising an annular ring having an inner annular wall, an outer wall, an upper surface, and a bottom surface, an upper recess formed into the upper surface, and a seat formed into the inner annular wall, an upper plate positioned in the upper recess, comprising a disk-shaped body having a plurality of first apertures formed therethrough, and a bottom plate positioned on the seat, comprising a disk-shaped body having a plurality of second apertures formed therethrough which align with the first apertures, and a plurality of third apertures formed between the second apertures and through the bottom plate, the bottom plate sealingly coupled to the upper plate to fluidly isolate the plurality of first and second apertures from the plurality of third apertures.

Claims

1. A gas distribution assembly, comprising:

an annular body comprising;

an annular ring having an inner annular wall positioned at an inner diameter, an outer wall positioned at an outer diameter, an upper surface, and a bottom surface;

an upper recess formed into the upper surface;

a lip formed radially outward of the inner annular wall; and

a seat formed into the inner annular wall;

an upper plate positioned in the upper recess, comprising;

a disk-shaped body having a plurality of first apertures formed therethrough, wherein the first apertures extend beyond a surface of the body thereby forming raised cylindrical bodies; and

a bottom plate positioned on the seat, comprising;

a disk-shaped body having a plurality of second apertures formed therethrough which align with the first apertures; and

a plurality of third apertures formed between the second apertures and through the bottom plate, the bottom plate sealingly coupled to the upper plate to fluidly isolate the plurality of first and second apertures from the plurality of third apertures.

2. The gas distribution assembly of claim 1, wherein the upper plate and bottom plate are brazed together thereby forming a seal around each pair of aligned first and second apertures, wherein the upper plate is E-beam welded to the annular body such that a seal is created between an outer edge of the upper plate and an inner edge of the upper recess, and wherein the bottom plate is E-beam welded to the annular body such that a seal is created between an outer edge of the bottom plate and the inner annular wall.

3. The gas distribution assembly of claim 2, wherein the annular body further comprises:

fluid delivery channels formed into the upper recess radially inward of the first cooling channel;

fluid passages formed into the upper recess radially inward of the fluid delivery channels, the fluid passages fluidly coupled to the fluid delivery channels; and

a conduit formed through the outer wall of the annular body and fluidly coupled to the fluid delivery channels, thereby forming a flow path from an inlet of the conduit to an outlet of the plurality of third apertures.

4. The gas distribution assembly of claim 1, wherein the annular body further comprises:

a first cooling channel formed on the upper surface of the annular body radially outward of the upper recess; and

a second cooling channel is formed on the bottom surface of the annular body radially outward of the upper recess.

5. The gas distribution assembly of claim 1, wherein the annular body further comprises:

a heater recess formed in the bottom surface of the annular body radially outward of the second cooling channel.

6. The gas distribution assembly of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of each aperture of the plurality of first apertures and each aperture of the plurality of second apertures have a cylindrical shape.

7. The gas distribution assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of third apertures have an hourglass shape.

8. The gas distribution assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of second apertures and the plurality of third apertures form alternating staggered rows and wherein the each of the second apertures is separated from another second aperture by at least one third aperture.

9. A gas distribution assembly, comprising:

an annular body comprising;

an annular ring having an inner annular wall positioned at an inner diameter, an outer wall positioned at an outer diameter, an upper surface, and a bottom surface;

an upper recess formed into the upper surface;

a lip formed radially outward of the inner annular wall; and

a seat formed into the inner annular wall;

an upper plate positioned in the upper recess, comprising;

a disk-shaped body having a plurality of first apertures formed therethrough, wherein the first apertures extend beyond a surface of the body thereby forming raised cylindrical bodies; and

a bottom plate positioned on the seat, comprising;

a disk-shaped body having a plurality of second apertures formed therethrough which aligns with the first apertures, the second apertures arranged in a twelve sides polygonal pattern; and

a plurality of third apertures formed through the bottom plate, the third apertures having a diameter less than a diameter of the second apertures, each of the third apertures disposed between at least two second aperture, the bottom plate sealingly coupled to the top plate in a manner that fluidly isolates the plurality of first and second apertures from the plurality of third apertures.

10. The gas distribution assembly of claim 9, wherein the upper plate and bottom plate are brazed together thereby forming a seal around each pair of aligned first and second apertures, wherein the upper plate is E-beam welded to the annular body such that a seal is created between an outer edge of the upper plate and an inner edge of the upper recess, and wherein the bottom plate is E-beam welded to the annular body such that a seal is created between an outer edge of the bottom plate and the inner annular wall.

11. The gas distribution assembly of claim 9, wherein the annular body further comprises:

fluid delivery channels formed into the upper recess radially inward of the first cooling channel;

fluid passages formed into the upper recess radially inward of the fluid delivery channels, the fluid passages fluidly coupled to the fluid delivery channels; and

a conduit formed through the outer wall of the annular body and fluidly coupled to the fluid delivery channels, thereby forming a flow path from an inlet of the conduit to an outlet of the plurality of third apertures.

12. The gas distribution assembly of claim 9, wherein the annular body further comprises:

a first cooling channel formed on the upper surface of the annular body radially outward of the upper recess; and

a second cooling channel formed on the bottom surface of the annular body radially outward of the upper recess.

13. The gas distribution assembly of claim 9, wherein the annular body further comprises:

a heater recess formed in the bottom surface of the annular body and radially outward of the second cooling channel.

14. The gas distribution assembly of claim 9, wherein the plurality of first apertures form a plurality of staggered rows, and wherein the plurality of second apertures and the plurality of third apertures form alternating staggered rows and wherein the each of the second apertures is separated from another second aperture by at least one third aperture.

15. A gas distribution assembly, comprising:

an upper manifold comprising;

a plurality of first apertures formed in a plurality of first radial rows concentrically disposed around a center portion of the upper manifold; and

a plurality of second apertures concentrically disposed around the plurality of first apertures and formed in a plurality of second radial rows;

a center manifold coupled to the upper manifold comprising;

a set of first openings concentrically disposed around a center portion of the center manifold; and

a set of second openings concentrically disposed around the first set of first openings; and

a bottom manifold coupled to the center manifold comprising;

a set of third openings concentrically disposed around a center portion of the bottom manifold;

a set of fourth openings concentrically disposed around the set of third openings;

a plurality of first gas channels disposed between each of the fourth openings on the upper side of the bottom manifold; and

a channel network disposed concentrically around the set of fourth openings and fluidly coupled to one or more of the first gas channels.

16. The gas distribution assembly of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of first gas channels further comprise one or more apertures positioned therein and formed through the bottom manifold.

17. The gas distribution assembly of claim 15, further comprising a plurality of second gas channels disposed between each of the third openings on the upper side of the bottom manifold.

18. The gas distribution assembly of claim 17, further comprising:

a first fluid reservoir formed in the center portion of the upper manifold on a bottom side of the upper manifold;

one or more gas channels disposed on the bottom side of the upper manifold and fluidly coupled to the first fluid reservoir;

a central opening formed through the center portion of the center manifold and in fluid communication with the first fluid reservoir; and

a second fluid reservoir formed in the center portion of the bottom manifold on the upper side of the bottom manifold, wherein the second fluid reservoir is in fluid communication with the central opening and in fluid communication with the plurality of second gas channels.

19. The gas distribution assembly of claim 17, wherein each of the plurality of second gas channels further comprise one or more apertures positioned therein and formed through the bottom manifold.