HIGH PRESSURE, HIGH POWER PLASMA ACTIVATED CONFORMAL FILM DEPOSITION
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of depositing a film on a substrate surface in a single or multi-station reaction chamber, the method comprising:
- (a) introducing a first reactant in vapor phase into the reaction chamber under conditions allowing the first reactant to adsorb onto the substrate surface;
(b) introducing a second reactant in vapor phase into the reaction chamber under conditions allowing the second reactant to adsorb onto the substrate surface; and
(c) periodically exposing the substrate surface to plasma when the vapor phase flow of the first reactant has ceased in order to drive a surface reaction between the first and second reactants on the substrate surface to form the film, wherein a radio frequency (RF) power used to drive formation of the plasma is greater than about 1.1 Watts per station per square centimeter of substrate area, and wherein a pressure in the reaction chamber during operations (a)-(c) is greater than 4 Torr.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for depositing a film on a substrate surface including plasma assisted surface mediated reactions in which a film is grown over one or more cycles of reactant adsorption and reaction are provided. The embodiments disclosed herein relate to methods and apparatus for performing conformal film deposition and atomic layer deposition reactions that result in highly uniform films with low particle contamination. According to various embodiments, the methods and apparatus involve high deposition chamber pressures and plasma generation using high radio frequency powers.
128 Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A method of depositing a film on a substrate surface in a single or multi-station reaction chamber, the method comprising:
-
(a) introducing a first reactant in vapor phase into the reaction chamber under conditions allowing the first reactant to adsorb onto the substrate surface; (b) introducing a second reactant in vapor phase into the reaction chamber under conditions allowing the second reactant to adsorb onto the substrate surface; and (c) periodically exposing the substrate surface to plasma when the vapor phase flow of the first reactant has ceased in order to drive a surface reaction between the first and second reactants on the substrate surface to form the film, wherein a radio frequency (RF) power used to drive formation of the plasma is greater than about 1.1 Watts per station per square centimeter of substrate area, and wherein a pressure in the reaction chamber during operations (a)-(c) is greater than 4 Torr. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A method of depositing a film on a substrate surface, the method comprising:
-
(a) introducing a first reactant in vapor phase into the reaction chamber under conditions allowing the first reactant to adsorb onto the substrate surface; (b) introducing a second reactant in vapor phase into the reaction chamber under conditions allowing the second reactant to adsorb onto the substrate surface; and (c) periodically exposing the substrate surface to plasma when the vapor phase flow of the first reactant has ceased in order to drive a surface reaction between the first and second reactants on the substrate surface to form the film, wherein a pressure in the reaction chamber during operations (a)-(c) is between about 5-10 Torr.
-
-
19. (canceled)
-
20. An apparatus for depositing films on a substrate, the apparatus comprising:
-
a reaction chamber; an inlet port for delivering gas phase reactants to the reaction chamber; a plasma generator for providing plasma to the reaction chamber; and a controller comprising instructions for (a) introducing a first reactant in vapor phase into the reaction chamber; (b) introducing a second reactant in vapor phase into the reaction chamber; (c) periodically striking a plasma to expose the substrate surface to plasma when the vapor phase flow of the first reactant has ceased in order to drive a surface reaction between the first and second reactants on the substrate surface to form the film; (d) maintaining a pressure in the reaction chamber at greater than 4 Torr; and (e) applying an RF power greater than about 1.1 Watts per station per square centimeter of substrate area to drive formation of the plasma.
-
-
21-28. -28. (canceled)
Specification