PLASMA CHAMBER HAVING AN UPPER ELECTRODE HAVING CONTROLLABLE VALVES AND A METHOD OF USING THE SAME

• US 20130319612A1
• Filed: 06/01/2012
• Published: 12/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: XIAO, Ying, LIN, Chin-Hsiang, SU, Yen-Shuo
• Granted Patent: US 9,840,778 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/345.24
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45561 Gas plumbing upstream of the reaction chamber
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45563 Gas nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45565 Shower nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/50 using electric discharges generation and control of plasma in discharge tubes for surface treatment H01J37/32, H01J37/34
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/52 Controlling or regulating the coating process C23C16/45557, C23C16/279 take precedence
• 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: H01J 37/32532 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32899 Multiple chambers, e.g. cluster tools

Abstract

This description relates to a plasma treatment apparatus including a vapor chamber, a gas supply and an upper electrode assembly. The upper electrode assembly includes a gas distribution plate having a plurality of holes in a bottom surface thereof and an upper electrode having at least one gas nozzle and at least one controllable valve connected to the at least one gas nozzle. The plasma treatment apparatus further includes a controller configured to generate a control signal. The at least one controllable valve is configured to be adjusted based on the control signal. A control system and a method of controlling a controllable valve are also described.

Claims

1. A plasma treatment apparatus comprising:

a vapor chamber;

an upper electrode assembly comprising;

a gas distribution plate having a plurality of holes in a bottom surface thereof; and

an upper electrode having at least one gas nozzle and at least one controllable valve connected to the at least one gas nozzle for controlling a flow of gas from a gas supply to the holes via the at least one gas nozzle; and

a controller configured to generate a control signal,

wherein the at least one controllable valve is configured to be adjusted based on the control signal.

2. The plasma treatment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the upper electrode has a plurality of gas nozzles, and each of the plurality of gas nozzles is connected to a corresponding controllable valve.

3. The plasma treatment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of holes are arranged in at least one pattern across the bottom surface of the gas distribution plate.

4. The plasma treatment apparatus of claim 1, when the plurality of holes are arranged in a first pattern proximate a center of the bottom surface of the gas distribution plate and a second pattern surrounding the first pattern, and the first pattern is different from the second pattern.

5. The plasma treatment apparatus of claim 1, further including a wafer support assembly configured to support a wafer within the vapor chamber.

6. The plasma treatment apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a gas inlet; and

a gas chamber connected to the at least one gas nozzle,

wherein the gas inlet is configured to conduct gas from the gas supply to the gas chamber.

7. The plasma treatment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the upper electrode assembly further comprises a gap between the upper electrode and the gas distribution plate.

8. The plasma treatment apparatus of claim 1, wherein a discharge direction of the at least one gas nozzle is adjustable.

9. A control system for a plasma treatment apparatus comprising:

a wafer treatment device comprising;

a vapor chamber; and

an upper electrode assembly comprising;

a gas distribution plate having a plurality of holes in a bottom surface thereof; and

an upper electrode having at least one gas nozzle and at least one controllable valve connected to the at least one gas nozzle for controlling a flow of gas from a gas supply to the holes via the at least one gas nozzle;

a measurement device configured to measure a thickness profile of a wafer; and

a controller configured to generate a control signal,

wherein the at least one controllable valve is configured to be adjusted based on the control signal.

10. The control system of claim 9, wherein the measurement device is configured to transmit the measured thickness profile to the controller.

11. The control system of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to generate the control signal based on the measured thickness profile.

12. The control system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of holes are arranged in at least one pattern across the bottom surface of the gas distribution plate.

13. The control system of claim 9, when the plurality of holes are arranged in a first pattern proximate a center of the bottom surface of the gas distribution plate and a second pattern surrounding the first pattern, and the first pattern and the second pattern are different.

14. The control system of claim 9, wherein the upper electrode assembly further comprises a gap between the upper electrode and the gas distribution plate.

15. A method of controlling a controllable valve of a plasma treatment apparatus, wherein the method comprises:

treating a predetermined number of wafers;

measuring a thickness profile of at least one wafer of the predetermined number of wafers;

comparing the measured thickness profile to a previous thickness profile;

generating a control signal based on the comparison;

adjusting the controllable valve based on the control signal.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the treating the predetermined number of wafers comprises using a treatment gas to etch an exposed surface of each of the predetermined number of wafers.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the treating the predetermined number of wafers comprises using a treatment gas to deposit a layer on an exposed surface of each of the predetermined number of wafers.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the measuring the thickness profile of the at least one wafer comprises using a metrology tool to measure the thickness profile.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

setting the controllable valve to an initial position prior to adjusting the controllable valve based on the control signal.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein adjusting the controllable valve alters a flow rate of a treatment gas in the plasma treatment apparatus.