MULTIPLE COMPLEMENTARY GAS DISTRIBUTION ASSEMBLIES

• US 20130098455A1
• Filed: 10/11/2012
• Published: 04/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Ng, Tuoh-Bin, Melnik, Yuriy, Pang, Lily L., Tuncel, Eda, Chen, Lu, Nguyen, Son T.
• Granted Patent: US 9,303,318 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/1
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/303 Nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4488 by in situ generation of reactive gas by chemical or electrochemical reaction
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45574 Nozzles for more than one gas
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4558 Perforated rings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8593 Systems

Abstract

Described herein are exemplary apparatuses having multiple gas distribution assemblies in accordance with one embodiment. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes two or more gas distribution assemblies. Each gas distribution assembly has orifices through which at least one process gas is introduced into a processing chamber. The two or more gas distribution assemblies may be designed to have complementary characteristic radial film growth rate profiles.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a first gas distribution assembly that includes a first gas passage and a second gas passage; and

a second gas distribution assembly that includes a third gas passage and a fourth gas passage, wherein the first and second gas distribution assemblies are each adapted to be coupled to a processing chamber, wherein the second gas passage and the fourth gas passage each include a plurality of orifices to introduce one or more process gases into the processing chamber.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first gas passage is coupled to the second gas passage and the third gas passage is coupled to the fourth gas passage.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first gas distribution assembly has a different number of orifices than the second gas distribution assembly.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the orifices of the first gas distribution assembly have different orifice diameters than the orifices of the second gas distribution assembly.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the orifices of the first and second gas distribution assemblies have orifice orientations that direct process gases into the processing chamber at a plurality of different angles.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a third gas distribution assembly that includes a fifth gas passage and a sixth gas passage.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the orifices of first gas distribution assembly have orifice orientations that direct process gases into the processing chamber at an angle that is parallel to a susceptor, and wherein the orifices of the second gas distribution assembly have orifice orientations that direct process gases into the chamber at a plurality of different angles.

8. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein each gas distribution assembly has a radial growth rate profile during process deposition that is dependent on the orifice characteristics of each respective gas distribution assembly'"'"'s orifices.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the radial growth rate profiles produced by each of the gas distribution assemblies complement each other to produce a net uniform radial growth rate profile.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each gas distribution assembly is adapted to be coupled to a chamber wall of the processing chamber.

11. A method comprising:

introducing a first process gas into a first gas distribution assembly that includes a first gas passage and a second gas passage; and

introducing a second process gas into a second gas distribution assembly that includes a third gas passage and a fourth gas passage, wherein the first and second gas distribution assemblies are each adapted to be coupled to a processing chamber, wherein the second gas passage and the fourth gas passage each include a plurality of orifices to introduce the first and second process gases respectively into the processing chamber.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first gas distribution assembly introduces the first process gas into the processing chamber followed subsequently by the second gas distribution assembly introducing the second process gas into the processing chamber.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the first and second gas distribution assemblies introduce process gases into the chamber simultaneously.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the first process gas comprises a reactive gas and the second process gas comprises an inert gas.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein each gas distribution assembly produces a growth rate profile across a susceptor of the processing chamber that is dependent on each gas distribution assembly'"'"'s orifice characteristics.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising rotating the susceptor during processing, wherein the resultant growth rate profiles of each gas distribution assembly have some radial symmetry and wherein the growth rate profiles of each gas distribution assembly complement each other to produce a net uniform growth rate profile across the susceptor.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

a first gas distribution assembly that includes a first plurality of orifices to introduce one or more process gases into a processing chamber; and

a second gas distribution assembly that includes a second plurality of orifices to introduce one or more process gases into the processing chamber, wherein the first and second gas distribution assemblies are each adapted to be coupled to the processing chamber.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first plurality of orifices of the first gas distribution assembly has a different number of orifices than the second plurality of orifices of the second gas distribution assembly.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein each gas distribution assembly has a radial growth rate profile during process deposition that is dependent on the orifice characteristics of each respective gas distribution assembly'"'"'s orifices.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the radial growth rate profiles produced by each of the gas distribution assemblies complement each other to produce a net uniform radial growth rate profile.