Chemical vapor deposition system and method

• US 6,206,973 B1
• Filed: 01/06/2000
• Issued: 03/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avid Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Silicon Valley Group Thermal Systems LLC (ASML Holding NV)
• Inventors: Kane, Thomas E., Bailey, Robert J., Michael, Lisa H.
• Primary Examiner(s): LUND, JEFFRIE ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US09/480,730
• Time in Patent Office: 446 Days
• Field of Search: 118/715, 118/718
• US Class Current: 118/718
• 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 16/54 Apparatus specially adapted for continuous coating
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 28/321 with at least one metal alloy layer
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 28/345 with at least one oxide layer

Abstract

A chemical vapor deposition (CVD) system is provided for processing a substrate 110. The system 100 includes a heated muffle 115, a chamber 120 having an injector assembly 130 for introducing chemical vapor to process the substrate 110, and a belt 105 for moving the substrate through the muffle and chamber. The belt 105 has an oxidation-resistant coating 175 to reduce formation of deposits thereon. The coating 175 is particularly useful for resisting formation of chromium oxides on belts made from a chromium-containing alloy. In one embodiment, the oxidation-resistant coating 175 comprises a securely-adhered oxide layer 185 that is substantially free of transition metals. Preferably, the oxidation-resistant coating 175 comprises aluminum oxide. More preferably, the coating 175 comprises an aluminum oxide layer 185 securely adhered over a nickel aluminide layer 180.

Claims

1. A chemical vapor deposition system for processing substrates, the system comprising:

(a) at least one chemical vapor deposition chamber having an injector assembly adapted to introduce a chemical vapor into the chemical vapor deposition chamber to process the substrates; and

(b) a belt adapted to move the substrates to be processed through the vapor deposition chamber, the belt having an oxidation-resistant coating so that formation of deposits on the belt and adjacent system components and generation of particles is reduced, wherein the oxidation-resistant coating comprises nickel aluminide.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein the belt comprises a chromium-containing alloy, and wherein the oxidation-resistant coating resists the formation of chromium oxides.

3. A system according to claim 2 wherein the chromium-containing alloy is a nickel, iron and aluminum containing alloy.

4. A system according to claim 3 wherein the chromium-containing alloy has a composition in weight percent of 58.0-63.0% nickel, 21.0-25.0% chromium, 1.0-1.7% aluminum, iron as balance with a maximum of 0.10% carbon, 1.0% magnesium, 0.015% sulfur, 0.50% silicon, and 1.0% copper.

5. A system according to claim 3 wherein the chromium-containing alloy has a composition in weight percent of approximately 75% nickel, 16.0% chromium, 3.0% iron, 4.5% aluminum, a maximum of 0.5% magnesium, 0.2% silicon, 0.01% boron, 0.1% zirconium, and 0.01% yttrium, and 0.05% carbon.

6. A system according to claim 1 wherein the oxidation-resistant coating further comprises a securely adhered oxide layer that is substantially free of transition metals.

7. A system according to claim 6 wherein the oxidation-resistant coating comprises aluminum oxide.

8. A system according to claim 1 wherein the oxidation-resistant coating further comprises a securely adhered oxide layer over the layer of nickel aluminide.

9. A system according to claim 1 wherein the nickel aluminide comprises NiAl₃ or Ni₂Al₃.

10. A system according to claim 1 wherein the oxidation-resistant coating comprises a mean thickness of at least 5 μ

m.

11. A system according to claim 1 wherein the chemical vapor deposition system comprises an atmospheric chemical vapor deposition system, and wherein the substrates comprise semiconductor wafers.

12. A chemical vapor deposition system for processing substrates, the system comprising:

(a) a muffle having a chamber with an injector assembly adapted to inject a chemical vapor into the chamber to react on a surface of the substrate;

(b) a belt adapted to move the substrates to be processed through the muffle into the chamber; and

(c) means for reducing formation of deposits on a surface of the belt so that a mean time between muffle etches (MTBME) is increased said means comprising an oxidation-resistant coating including nickel aluminide.

13. A system according to claim 12 wherein the belt comprises a chromium-containing alloy, and wherein the oxidation-resistant coating resists the formation of chromium oxides.

14. A system according to claim 13 wherein the belt comprises chromium, and wherein the oxidation-resistant coating reduces the formation of a chromium-containing oxide on the belt.

15. A system according to claim 13 wherein the oxidation-resistant coating comprises a stable oxide layer that is substantially free of transition metals.

16. A system according to claim 12 wherein the MTBME is increased by a factor of at least three over a system not having a means for reducing formation of deposits on the surface of the belt.

17. A system according to claim 12 wherein the oxidation-resistant coating comprises a layer of nickel aluminide.

18. A system according to claim 17 wherein the oxidation-resistant coating further comprises a securely adhered aluminum oxide layer over the layer of nickel aluminide.

19. A chemical vapor deposition system for processing substrates, the system comprising:

(a) a muffle having at least one chamber with an injector assembly adapted to inject a chemical vapor into the chamber to process the substrates;

(b) a belt adapted to move the substrates to be processed through the muffle into the chamber; and

(c) an exhaust system adapted to exhaust spent chemical vapor from the muffle,

wherein at least one of the belt, the muffle and the exhaust system have an oxidation-resistant coating so that formation of deposits thereon and generation of particles is reduced, the oxidation-resistant coating comprising nickel aluminide.

20. A system according to claim 19 wherein the oxidation-resistant coating comprises a layer of nickel aluminide and a securely adhered aluminum oxide layer over the layer of nickel aluminide.