Atomic Layer Deposition Carousel With Continuous Rotation And Methods Of Use

• US 20120225195A1
• Filed: 07/25/2011
• Published: 09/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Yudovsky, Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 9,631,277 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/58
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45551 for relative movement of the substrate and the gas injectors or half-reaction reactor compartments
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45578 Elongated nozzles, tubes with holes
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/458 characterised by the method used for supporting substrates in the reaction chamber
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/54 Apparatus specially adapted for continuous coating

Abstract

Provided are atomic layer deposition apparatus and methods including a rotating wheel with a plurality of substrate carriers for continuous processing of substrates. The processing chamber may have a loading station on the front end which is configured with one or more robots to load and unload substrates from the substrate carriers without needing to stop the rotating wheel.

Claims

1. A deposition system for processing a plurality of substrates, comprising:

a processing chamber;

a rotatable wheel disposed inside the processing chamber, the wheel having a plurality of circumferentially distributed substrate carriers that carry one of the plurality of substrates; and

a plurality of gas distribution plates and a substrate heating station circumferentially arranged in the processing chamber such that each of the plurality of circumferentially distributed substrate carriers pass under the plurality of gas distribution plates and the substrate heating station as the rotatable wheel rotates;

wherein each of the plurality of gas distribution plates has a plurality of elongate gas ports that direct flows of gases toward the plurality of substrate carriers;

a loading station on a front end of the processing chamber having a loader that loads one of the plurality of substrates onto one of the plurality of substrate carriers and having an unloader that unloads another of the plurality of substrates from one of the plurality of substrate carriers.

2. The deposition system of claim 1, wherein the loader and unloader follow the motion of the rotating wheel while loading and unloading.

3. The deposition system of claim 2, wherein the rotating wheel does not slow down during the loading and unloading process.

4. The deposition system of claim 1, wherein the loading station is isolated from ambient environment.

5. The deposition system of claim 1, wherein the loader is a first robot and the unloader is a second robot.

6. The deposition system of claim 1, further comprising at least one load lock chamber on a front end of the loading station, the load lock chamber isolating the loading station and the processing chamber from the ambient environment.

7. The deposition system of claim 1, wherein there are two load lock chambers, a first load lock chamber that introduces substrates to the loading station from the ambient environment and a second load lock chamber that removes processed substrates from the loading station.

8. The deposition system of claim 1, wherein the rotatable wheel rotates each of the plurality of substrate carriers while the rotatable wheel is rotating.

9. The deposition system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of gas distribution plates deposits different layers on the substrate.

10. The deposition system of claim 1, further comprising a substrate carrier cleaning station in the processing chamber.

11. The deposition system of claim 10, wherein the substrate carrier cleaning station is circumferentially arranged in the processing chamber with the gas distribution plates and the substrate heating station.

12. A method of processing a plurality of substrates, comprising:

rotating a wheel disposed inside the processing chamber, the wheel having a plurality of circumferentially distributed substrate carriers, each of the substrate carriers carrying one of the plurality of substrates, such that the plurality of circumferentially distributed substrate carriers travel under a first gas distribution plate, a second gas distribution plate and a substrate heating station, the first and second gas distribution plates and the substrate heating station being circumferentially arranged in the processing chamber;

continually loading one of the plurality of substrates onto one of the plurality of substrate carriers on the wheel as the substrate carrier passes a loader;

releasing one or more gases from the first gas distribution plate as the wheel rotates;

releasing one or more gases from the second gas distribution plate as the wheel rotates;

activating a substrate heating station as the wheel rotates; and

unloading one of the plurality of substrates from one of the plurality of substrate carriers on the wheel as the substrate carrier passes an unloader.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the loader and unloader follow the motion of the rotating wheel while loading and unloading.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the rotating wheel does not slow down during the loading and unloading process.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the loader and unloader are isolated from ambient environment.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the loader is a first robot and the unloader is a second robot.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising rotating each of the plurality of substrate carriers while the rotatable wheel is rotating.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the first and second gas distribution plates deposit different layers on the substrate.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising a substrate carrier cleaning station cleaning the plurality of substrates as the wheel is rotated.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the substrate carrier cleaning station is circumferentially arranged in the processing chamber with the gas distribution plates and the substrate heating station.