Plasma enhanced thermal treatment apparatus
First Claim
1. Apparatus for the nitridation of a silicon-bearing substrate which comprises:
- a double walled reaction vessel having first and second concentric walls and bounding a reaction volume;
resistance heating means positioned exterior to said vessel for heating material within said vessel;
plasma generating electrodes positioned between said first and second walls for generating a plasma within said reaction volume;
means for controlling the ambient between said first and second walls;
first means for supplying energy to said resistance heating means; and
second means for supplying rf energy to said plasma generating electrodes independent of said first means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for the nitridiation of a silicon-bearing substrate is disclosed. The apparatus includes a double walled reaction vessel having first and second concentric walls bounding a reaction volume. Temperature of the reaction volume is controlled by resistance heaters located outside the outermost of the two concentric tubes. Plasma electrodes are positioned about the reaction volume and between the two concentric tubes. The ambient between the two tubes is controlled to protect the electrodes from oxidation at the high temperatures to which they are exposed. An rf generator is coupled to the plasma electrodes and is controllable independently from the resistance heaters.
65 Citations
21 Claims
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1. Apparatus for the nitridation of a silicon-bearing substrate which comprises:
- a double walled reaction vessel having first and second concentric walls and bounding a reaction volume;
resistance heating means positioned exterior to said vessel for heating material within said vessel;
plasma generating electrodes positioned between said first and second walls for generating a plasma within said reaction volume;
means for controlling the ambient between said first and second walls;
first means for supplying energy to said resistance heating means; and
second means for supplying rf energy to said plasma generating electrodes independent of said first means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
- a double walled reaction vessel having first and second concentric walls and bounding a reaction volume;
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13. Apparatus for the plasma assisted thermal treatment of a substrate which comprises:
- a first reaction tube bounding a reaction volume;
a second tube surrounding said first reaction tube;
resistance heating means outside said second tube for controlling the temperature in said reaction volume;
plasma electrodes positioned proximate said reaction volume between said first reaction tube and said second tube for generating a plasma in said reaction volume;
means for reducing the oxidation of said plasma electrodes; and
rf generating means coupled to said plasma electrode and controllable independently of said resistance heating means. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
- a first reaction tube bounding a reaction volume;
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18. Apparatus for the plasma enhanced thermal treatment of a semiconductor device wafer which comprises:
- first and second concentric quartz tubes surrounding a reaction volume adapted for receiving a plurality of semiconductor device wafers;
plasma electrodes positioned between said first and second tubes about said reaction volume;
rf generating means coupled to said plasma electrodes for generating a plasma in said reaction volume;
means for limiting the oxidation of said electrodes;
resistance heating means surrounding said first and second concentric tubes; and
electrical means coupled to said resistance heating means for controlling the temperature in said reaction volume. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
- first and second concentric quartz tubes surrounding a reaction volume adapted for receiving a plurality of semiconductor device wafers;
Specification