Surface-treated shower head for use in a substrate processing chamber

• US 6,182,603 B1
• Filed: 07/13/1998
• Issued: 02/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Applied Komatsu Technology, Inc., Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Komatsu Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Sun, Sheng, Shang, Quanyuan, Beer, Emanuel, Law, Kam S.
• Primary Examiner(s): LUND, JEFFRIE ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US09/115,111
• Time in Patent Office: 939 Days
• Field of Search: 118/715, 118/723.ME, 118/723.GR, 118/723.IR, 118/723.I
• US Class Current: 118/723.0ME
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4404 Coatings or surface treatment on the inside of the reaction chamber or on parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4405 Cleaning of reactor or parts inside the reactor by using reactive gases
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45565 Shower nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70925 Cleaning, i.e. actively freeing apparatus from pollutants, e.g. using plasma cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/3325 large area
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/334 Etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32357 Generation remote from the workpiece, e.g. down-stream
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3244 Gas supply means
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32522 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 438/905 Cleaning of reaction chamber

Abstract

A substrate processing system includes a processing chamber and a plasma source located external to the chamber. A conduit connects the plasma source to an interior region of the chamber to provide a reactive species to the chamber interior for cleaning interior surfaces of the chamber. A shower head, disposed between the plasma source and an interior region of the chamber, can serve as an electrode and also can serve as a gas distribution mechanism. The shower head includes a surface treatment, such as a non-anodized aluminum outer layer, an electro-polished surface of bare aluminum, or a fluorine-based protective outer layer. The surface-treated shower head improves the rate of removal of materials deposited on the interior surfaces of the chamber during cleaning, reduces contamination of substrates during processing, and provides more efficient use of the power source used for heating the substrate during processing.

Claims

1. A substrate processing system comprising:

a processing chamber having an interior region;

a plasma source located external to the chamber;

a conduit connecting the plasma source to the interior region of the chamber to provide a reactive species to the chamber interior for cleaning interior surfaces of the chamber; and

a shower head disposed between the conduit and the interior region of the chamber, wherein the shower head includes a non-anodized aluminum surface presented to the interior region of the chamber.

3. The system of claim 1 or 2 wherein the aluminum surface of the shower head includes an electro-polished surface.

5. The system of claim 1, 2 or 4 wherein the chamber includes a plurality of radio frequency powered electrodes, wherein the shower head serves as one of the electrodes.

6. The system of claim 1, 2 or 4 wherein the shower head serves as a gas distribution mechanism.

2. A substrate processing system comprising:

a processing chamber having an interior region;

a plasma source located external to the chamber;

a conduit connecting the plasma source to the interior region of the chamber to provide a reactive species to the chamber interior for cleaning interior surfaces of the chamber; and

a shower head disposed between the conduit and the interior region of the chamber, wherein the shower head includes a bare aluminum surface presented to the interior region of the chamber.

4. A substrate processing system comprising:

a processing chamber;

a plasma source located external to the chamber;

a conduit connecting the plasma source to an interior region of the chamber to provide a reactive species to the chamber interior for cleaning interior surfaces of the chamber; and

a shower head disposed between the conduit and the interior region of the chamber, wherein the shower head includes a polytetrafluroroethylene (PTFE) outer layer presented to the interior region of the chamber, wherein the polytetrafluroroethylene (PTFE) outer layer is disposed on an aluminum material.