DUAL DELIVERY CHAMBER DESIGN

• US 20120097330A1
• Filed: 10/20/2010
• Published: 04/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Baluja, Sanjeev, DuBois, Dale R., Nowak, Thomas, Hendrickson, Scott A., Lee, Yong-Won, Xia, Li-Qun, Witty, Derek R., Iyengar, Prahallad, Rocha-Alverez, Juan Carlos, Shek, Mei-Yee
• Application Number:
  US12/908,617
• Publication Number:
  US 20120097330A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/345.34
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45565 Shower nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4557 Heated nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45574 Nozzles for more than one gas
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/463 Cooling of the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/5096 Flat-bed apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02164 the material being a silicon oxide, e.g. SiO2
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02274 in the presence of a plasma [PECVD]

Abstract

A substrate processing system includes a thermal processor or a plasma generator adjacent to a processing chamber. A first processing gas enters the thermal processor or plasma generator. The first processing gas then flows directly through a showerhead into the processing chamber. A second processing gas flows through a second flow path through the showerhead. The first and second processing gases are mixed below the showerhead and a layer of material is deposited on a substrate under the showerhead.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a thermal chamber having a gas box in communication with an internal volume of the thermal chamber and a spacer ring coupled to the gas box;

a showerhead having an upper surface and a lower surface, the showerhead having a first array of holes that extend from the upper surface to the lower surface, the showerhead is adjacent to the thermal chamber and the upper surface of showerhead is a lower surface of the thermal chamber;

a processing chamber, the lower surface of the showerhead is an upper surface of the processing chamber; and

a pedestal within the processing chamber for supporting a substrate adjacent to the lower surface of the showerhead.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

an RF power source coupled to the lower surface of the showerhead;

wherein the pedestal is grounded.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pedestal further comprises a cooling mechanism for keeping a substrate placed on the pedestal below 100°

C. during processing.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the spacer ring is thermally conductive.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the spacer ring is thermally insulative.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a heater coupled to or embedded within the spacer ring.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a heater coupled to the thermal chamber.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the thermal chamber includes a blocker plate that distributes the first process gas in the thermal chamber.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the showerhead includes an internal volume between the upper surface and the lower surface, an inlet hole to the internal volume and a second array of holes in the lower surface for the second process gas to flow to the processing chamber.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the showerhead includes a plurality of raised columns that each have a through hole that is aligned with the first array of holes that extend from the upper surface to the lower surface.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the plurality of raised columns is made of a ceramic material.

12. An apparatus comprising:

a plasma generating chamber;

a showerhead adjacent to the plasma generating chamber, the showerhead having an upper surface and a lower surface, the showerhead having a first array of holes that extend from the upper surface to the lower surface, the upper surface of the showerhead is the lower electrode of the plasma generating chamber;

a processing chamber, the lower surface of the showerhead is an upper surface of the processing chamber; and

a pedestal within the processing chamber for supporting a substrate adjacent to the lower surface of the showerhead.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising:

an RF power source coupled to a lower surface of the showerhead;

wherein the pedestal is grounded.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the pedestal includes a cooling mechanism for keeping a substrate placed on the pedestal below 100°

C. during processing.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the showerhead includes an internal volume between the upper surface and the lower surface, an inlet hole to the internal volume and a second array of holes in the lower surface for the second process gas to flow to the processing chamber.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the upper electrode of the plasma generating chamber is a blocker plate for distributing the first processing gas.

17. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising:

a spacer ring between the upper electrode and the lower electrode, the spacer ring is dielectric and thermally conductive.

18. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising:

a spacer ring between the upper electrode and the lower electrode, the spacer ring is dielectric and a thermally insulative.

19. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising:

a spacer ring between the upper electrode and the lower electrode; and

a heater coupled to or embedded within the spacer ring.

20. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising:

a heater coupled to the plasma generating chamber.

21. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising:

a plurality of holes that extend vertically through the showerhead, the holes have a depth to width ratio that is more than 5;

1.

22. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising:

a spacer ring between the upper electrode and the lower electrode; and

a plurality of holes that extend vertically through the spacer ring, the holes have a depth to width ratio that is more than 5;

1.