Method and apparatus for low temperature deposition of CVD and PECVD films

• US 5,628,829 A
• Filed: 06/03/1994
• Issued: 05/13/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Materials Research Corporation (Linde Plc)
• Inventors: Foster, Robert F., Arora, Rikhit, Hillman, Joseph T.
• Primary Examiner(s): BUEKER, RICHARD R
• Application Number:
  US08/253,714
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 118/715, 118/725, 118/723 E, 118/730
• US Class Current: 118/723.00E
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4417 Methods specially adapted for coating powder
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45504 Laminar flow
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45565 Shower nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4558 Perforated rings
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4584 the substrate being rotated
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/509 using internal electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/5096 Flat-bed apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 438/935 Gas flow control

Abstract

Method and apparatus are disclosed for low temperature deposition of CVD and PECVD films utilizing a gas-dispersing showerhead position within one inch of a rotating substrate. The showerhead is positioned a suitable distance below a gas-dispensing apparatus such as a steady stay flow of gas develops between the ring and showerhead. A cylindrical structure extends between the gas-dispersing ring and a showerhead to contain the gas over the showerhead yielding a small boundary layer over the substrate to ensure efficient uniform deposition of a film on a substrate surface. In the one embodiment of the present invention the showerhead is bias with RF energy such that it acts as an electrode to incite a plasma proximate with the substrate for PECVD. The cylinder is isolated from the showerhead such as by a quartz insulator ring to prevent ignition of a plasma within the cylinder, or alternatively, the cylinder is fabricated of zquartz material. The RF showerhead utilizes small gas-dispersing holes to further prevent ignition of a plasma within the cylinder. The very small showerhead-to-substrate spacing and the efficient delivery of the plasma and reacting gases produces low temperature CVD and PECVD of films on the substrate.

Claims

1. An apparatus for deposition of a film on a substrate inside a chemical vapor deposition chamber comprising:

a rotating susceptor to support and rotate said substrate inside said chamber, the rotating susceptor creating a pumping action toward the substrate;

a gas-dispersing showerhead opposite the susceptor and spaced about one inch or less from said susceptor and substrate and having holes to disperse reactant gases close to the rotating susceptor and said substrate so that the gases are drawn to said substrate by the susceptor pumping action;

a reactant gas supply element spaced from said gas-dispersing showerhead to supply reactant gas to be dispersed from the showerhead, the supply element being located at a position sufficiently spaced from the showerhead to create a generally linear reactant gas flow between the supply element and showerhead before the reactant gases are dispersed through the showerhead;

whereby to yield improved reactant gas flow over said substrate and a more efficient chemical vapor deposition of a film on said substrate.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a hollow cylinder located between the supply element and the gas-dispersing showerhead and having a first end coupled to the supply element and a second end coupled to the gas-dispersing showerhead to contain the linear gas flow between the supply element and showerhead.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an RF energy source coupled to the showerhead to bias the showerhead as an RF electrode, the RF showerhead electrode operable to excite reactant gas from said supply element to form a plasma for depositing a film on said substrate by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising an RF line connecting the RF energy source to the showerhead electrode proximate the center of the showerhead electrode to uniformly bias the showerhead electrode.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising a hollow cylinder between the supply element and the gas dispersing showerhead electrode, the cylinder having a first end coupled to the supply element and a second end coupled to the showerhead electrode to contain the linear gas flow between the supply element and showerhead and produce a concentrated plasma proximate the susceptor and substrate.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the showerhead electrode is connected to the cylinder second end, the apparatus further comprising a non-conductive element coupled between the cylinder and showerhead electrode to prevent biasing of the cylinder with RF energy.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the non-conductive element is a ring connected between the cylinder second end and a peripheral edge of the showerhead electrode.

8. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the holes of the gas-dispersing showerhead electrode are about 1/32 of an inch in diameter to confine the plasma to one side of said showerhead electrode between the susceptor and the showerhead electrode.

9. The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising a hollow cylinder between the supply element and the showerhead electrode, the cylinder having a first end coupled to the supply element and a second end coupled to the showerhead electrode to contain the linear gas flow between the supply element and showerhead electrode and produce a concentrated plasma proximate the susceptor and substrate, a potion of the RF line extending through said cylinder to the showerhead electrode.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the RF line includes a non-conductive covering over the portion of RF line extending through the cylinder to insulate the RF line section and prevent formation of a plasma within the cylinder.

11. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the cylinder is formed of a non-conductive material to prevent biasing of the cylinder with RF energy.

13. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the non-conductive element is formed of quartz.

12. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the non-conductive material quartz.

14. An apparatus for plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition of a film on a substrate inside a chemical vapor deposition chamber comprising:

a rotating susceptor to support and rotate said substrate inside said chamber, the rotating susceptor creating a pumping action toward the substrate within the chamber;

a gas-dispersing showerhead opposite the susceptor and spaced about one inch or less from said susceptor and substrate and having holes to disperse reactant gases close to the rotating susceptor and said substrate so that the gases are drawn to said substrate by the susceptor pumping action;

a reactant gas supply element spaced from the gas-dispersing showerhead to supply reactant gas to be dispersed from the showerhead, the supply element being located at a position sufficiently spaced from the showerhead to create a generally linear reactant gas flow between the supply element and showerhead;

a hollow cylinder located between the supply element and the showerhead, the cylinder having a first end coupled to the supply element and a second end coupled to the showerhead to contain the linear gas flow between the supply element and showerhead; and

an RF energy source coupled to the showerhead to bias the showerhead as RF electrode operable to excite reactant gas from the supply element to form a plasma between the showerhead and rotating susceptor whereby to deposit a film on said substrate by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the holes of the gas-dispersing showerhead electrode are about 1/32 of an inch in diameter to confine the plasma on one side of said showerhead electrode between the susceptor and the showerhead electrode.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising a non-conductive element coupled between the cylinder and showerhead electrode to prevent biasing of the cylinder with RF energy.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the non-conductive element is a ring connected between the cylinder second end and a peripheral edge of the showerhead electrode.

18. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the cylinder is formed of a non-conductive material to prevent biasing of the cylinder with RF energy.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the non-conductive material is quartz.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the non-conductive element is formed of quartz.