Inductively coupled HDP-CVD reactor

• US 6,182,602 B1
• Filed: 05/29/1997
• Issued: 02/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Detrick, Troy, Pinson, Jay Dee II, Redeker, Fred C., Nowak, Romuald, Ishikawa, Tetsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Mills, Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALEJANDRO MULERO, LUZ L
• Application Number:
  US08/865,018
• Time in Patent Office: 1,349 Days
• Field of Search: 118/723.I, 118/723.R, 118/723.AN, 118/723.MW, 118/723.ME, 118/723.MR, 118/723.MA, 118/723.E, 118/723.ER, 118/715, 118/728, 156/345, 315/111.51
• US Class Current: 118/723.00R
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/507 using external electrodes, e.g. in tunnel type reactors
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/321 the radio frequency energy being inductively coupled to the plasma
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32449 Gas control, e.g. control of the gas flow
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32467 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32522 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32862 In situ cleaning of vessels and/or internal parts

Abstract

The present invention provides an HDP-CVD tool using simultaneous deposition and sputtering of doped and undoped silicon dioxide capable of excellent gap fill and blanket film deposition on wafers. The tool of the present invention includes: a dual RF zone inductively coupled plasma source; a dual zone gas distribution system; temperature controlled surfaces within the tool; a symmetrically shaped turbomolecular pumped chamber body; a dual cooling zone electrostatic chuck; an all ceramic/aluminum alloy chamber; and a remote plasma chamber cleaning system.

Claims

1. An apparatus for processing substrates, comprising:

(a) a chamber having;

(i) a sidewall;

(ii) a lid disposed at one end of the sidewall; and

(iii) a bottom disposed at an opposite end of the sidewall;

(b) a substrate support member cantilever mounted on the sidewall;

(c) one or more gas distributors disposed through the lid to admit one or more process gases into the chamber;

(d) one or more gas distributors disposed through the sidewall to admit one or more process gases into the chamber;

(e) a cleaning gas inlet disposed on an interior surface of the sidewall to admit a cleaning gas into the chamber; and

(f) an exhaust port disposed in the bottom of the chamber.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cleaning gas inlet comprises one or more openings formed on an interior surface of the sidewall.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising:

(g) one or more cleaning gas channels disposed in the sidewall connecting the one or more openings to a remote cleaning plasma source.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the remote cleaning plasma source comprises a microwave plasma generator.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

(g) a first coil and a second coil disposed on an exterior surface of the lid.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the first coil comprises a concentrically wound helical coil disposed above the lid and the second coil comprises an axially wound helical coil disposed around the lid.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising:

(h) a first frequency-tuning RF power supply electrically connected to the first coil and a second frequency-tuning RF power supply electrically connected to the second coil.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising:

(i) first and second RF matching networks disposed between the RF power supplies and the coils.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the substrate support member comprises an electrostatic chuck mounted on a cantilever arm extending from the sidewall of the chamber.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising:

(g) a substrate RF power supply and a substrate RF matching network coupling RF power to the substrate support member, the substrate RF power supply and the substrate RF matching network disposed outside of the chamber and connected to the substrate support member through one or more cables extending through the cantilever arm.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising:

(g) a substrate lift system comprising;

i) a mounting plate having a plurality of lift pins movably disposed in the substrate support member, a portion of the mounting plate extending through the cantilever arm; and

ii) an actuator disposed outside of the chamber and connected to the mounting plate to provide vertical movement of the lift pins.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising:

(g) a cooling system comprising one or more coolant channels disposed in the substrate support member, the cooling channels connected through one or more coolant conduits extending through the cantilever arm to a coolant source disposed outside of the chamber.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the exhaust port is disposed substantially axially below the substrate support member.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the exhaust pumping stack comprises a throttle assembly connected to the exhaust port, a valve connected to the throttle assembly and a vacuum pump connected to the valve.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

(g) a heater plate and a cold plate disposed in thermal communication with the chamber lid.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the substrate support member includes a substrate receiving surface having a substrate temperature control system comprising a dual zone gas cooler having a first set of gas grooves disposed in a central portion of the substrate receiving surface and a second set of gas grooves disposed in a peripheral portion of the substrate receiving surface.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising a pressure seal disposed between the first set of gas grooves and the second set of gas grooves.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the lid comprises a ceramic dielectric material.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the one or more gas distributors disposed through the lid comprise one or more nozzles having a central gas passage surrounded by an annular gas passage.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the one or more gas distributors disposed through the sidewall comprise an annular gas ring having a plurality of nozzle, disposed on an interior surface of the annular gas ring.