Controlling Radical Lifetimes in a Remote Plasma Chamber

• US 20140273309A1
• Filed: 10/10/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intermolecular Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Intermolecular Incorporated
• Inventors: Niyogi, Sandip, Barstow, Sean, Dedontney, Jay, Lang, Chi-I, Limdulpaiboon, Ratsamee, Romero, Martin, Shanker, Sunil, Tsung, James, Watanabe, J.
• Application Number:
  US14/051,287
• Publication Number:
  US 20140273309A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/16
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0046 Sequential or parallel reactions, e.g. for the synthesis of polypeptides or polynucleotides; Apparatus and devices for combinatorial chemistry or for making molecular arrays synthesis methods per se C40B50/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00283 Reactor vessels with top opening
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00286 Reactor vessels with top and bottom openings
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00301 the reactor vessels having impervious side walls
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00313 the reactor vessels being formed by arrays of wells in blocks
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0038 Drawing
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00382 Stamping
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00416 Vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00418 using pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00527 Sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00585 Parallel processes
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/04 Cleaning involving contact with liquid
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/08 Oxides C23C14/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/22 characterised by the process of coating
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/34 Sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 18/1619 Apparatus for electroless plating
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 18/1682 Control of atmosphere
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 17/02 Tanks; Installations therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 13/0004 comprising amorphous/crystalline phase transition cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02104 Forming layers deposition in general C23C; crystal growth in general C30B
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/30 : Treatment of semiconductor bodies using processes or apparatus not provided for in groups H01L21/20 - H01L21/26 manufacture of electrodes thereon H01L21/28
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/30604 : Chemical etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67051 : using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67057 : with the semiconductor substrates being dipped in baths or vessels
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6719 : characterized by the construction of the processing chambers, e.g. modular processing chambers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/10 : Measuring as part of the manufacturing process burn-in G01R31/2855
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/12 : for structural parameters, e.g. thickness, line width, refractive index, temperature, warp, bond strength, defects, optical inspection, electrical measurement of structural dimensions, metallurgic measurement of diffusions electrical measurement of diffusions H01L22/14
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/14 : for electrical parameters, e.g. resistance, deep-levels, CV, diffusions by electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 63/80 : Arrangements comprising multiple bistable or multi-stable switching components of the same type on a plane parallel to the substrate, e.g. cross-point arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/021 : Formation of the switching material, e.g. layer deposition

Abstract

Remote-plasma treatments of surfaces, for example in semiconductor manufacture, can be improved by preferentially exposing the surface to only a selected subset of the plasma species generated by the plasma source. The probability that a selected species reaches the surface, or that an unselected species is quenched or otherwise converted or diverted before reaching the surface, can be manipulated by introducing additional gases with selected properties either at the plasma source or in the process chamber, varying chamber pressure or flow rate to increase or decrease collisions, or changing the dimensions or geometry of the injection ports, conduits and other passages traversed by the species. Some example processes treat surfaces preferentially with relatively low-energy radicals, vary the concentration of radicals at the surface in real time, or clean and passivate in the same unit process.

Claims

1. A method of plasma-treating a surface of a substrate, the method comprising:

positioning the substrate in a process chamber;

creating a plurality of plasma activated species;

selecting a species from the plurality of the plasma activated species while leaving another species unselected; and

preferentially exposing the surface to the selected species by modifying at least one of a relative concentration of the selected species and the unselected species, an expected lifetime of the unselected species, or an expected travel time from a plasma generating source to the surface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected species comprises a radical.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected species is selected for low energy dissipation.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the surface comprises a layer formed by atomic layer deposition.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the layer is less than about 10 nm thick.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the surface comprises germanium, germanium oxide, a III-V material, or a III-V material oxide.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the relative concentration of the selected species and the unselected species is modified at the plasma generating source.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein modifying the relative concentration comprises introducing an inert gas.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the inert gas comprises argon or helium.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein modifying the relative concentration comprises introducing a reactive gas.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the reactive gas comprises oxygen or hydrogen.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the reactive gas preferentially quenches the unselected species compared to the selected species.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the expected lifetime or the expected travel time comprises adjusting a composition, flow rate, pressure, or temperature of a buffer gas.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the expected lifetime or the expected travel time comprises adjusting a composition, flow rate, pressure, or temperature of a plasma at the plasma generating source.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the expected lifetime or the expected travel time comprises changing a gas conductance of the plasma generation source, a showerhead body, a showerhead, or a chamber interior.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the expected lifetime or the expected travel time comprises changing a gas conductance of a showerhead by changing the size, position, or geometry of an injection port in the showerhead.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising measuring an effect of the plasma activated species on the surface by a method comprising one of:

a sheet resistance of a film over or under the surface;

a line resistance of a feature on the surface;

an I-V curve of a diode created by depositing a conductive film on the surface;

a C-V curve of a capacitor structure created on the surface;

a characteristic of an atomic-layer-deposition film on the surface

a Fourier transform infrared spectrum taken near the surface;

or

an optical emission spectrum of the plasma generating source.

3. The method of claim 3, wherein the selected species comprises a nitrogen radical.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the selected species comprises an oxygen radical or a hydrogen radical.

20. A method of cleaning a surface of a substrate, comprising:

positioning the substrate in a process chamber;

pre-conditioning by removing trapped water from the substrate and from the process chamber; and

exposing the surface to an alternating sequence of O* and H* radicals from a plasma generating source until the surface is clean;

wherein higher-energy species than the O* and H* radicals are generated by the plasma generating source but are prevented from reaching the surface.