Plasma reactor cooled ceiling with an array of thermally isolated plasma heated mini-gas distribution plates
First Claim
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1. A plasma reactor for processing a semiconductor wafer, comprising:
- a plasma source power applicator;
a wafer support;
a chamber enclosure member having an interior surface generally facing said wafer support;
at least one miniature gas distribution plate for introducing a process gas into said reactor and supported on said chamber enclosure member and having an outlet surface which is a fraction of the area of said wafer support;
said chamber enclosure member comprising coolant passages for maintaining said chamber enclosure member at a low temperature;
a thermally resistant element between said miniature gas distribution plate and said chamber enclosure member; and
wherein said at least one miniature gas distribution plate confronts said chamber enclosure member along an interface, said thermally resistant element being interposed substantially along said interface.
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Abstract
A plasma reactor embodying the invention includes a wafer support and a chamber enclosure member having an interior surface generally facing the wafer support. At least one miniature gas distribution plate for introducing a process gas into the reactor is supported on the chamber enclosure member and has an outlet surface which is a fraction of the area of the interior surface of said wafer support. A coolant system maintains the chamber enclosure member at a low temperature, and the miniature gas distribution plate is at least partially thermally insulated from the chamber enclosure member so that it is maintained at a higher temperature by plasma heating.
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Citations
101 Claims
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1. A plasma reactor for processing a semiconductor wafer, comprising:
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a plasma source power applicator;
a wafer support;
a chamber enclosure member having an interior surface generally facing said wafer support;
at least one miniature gas distribution plate for introducing a process gas into said reactor and supported on said chamber enclosure member and having an outlet surface which is a fraction of the area of said wafer support;
said chamber enclosure member comprising coolant passages for maintaining said chamber enclosure member at a low temperature;
a thermally resistant element between said miniature gas distribution plate and said chamber enclosure member; and
wherein said at least one miniature gas distribution plate confronts said chamber enclosure member along an interface, said thermally resistant element being interposed substantially along said interface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26)
a source of a deposition precursor-containing process gas coupled to each of said miniature gas distribution plates, said process gas being a precursor of a deposition material having a condensation temperature;
wherein said miniature gas distribution plates are susceptible of being heated to a temperature above said condensation temperature by a plasma within chamber interior while permitting said ceiling to remain at a temperature below said condensation temperature.
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25. The reactor of claim 24 further comprising waffling on the interior surface of said ceiling, said waffling being sufficient to promote adhesion of said deposition material on the ceiling interior surface.
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26. The reactor of claim 25 wherein said waffling comprises plural bumps on said interior ceiling surface, said bumps having a typical height on the order of about 1 mm at a bump-to-bump spacing on the order of about 4 mm.
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23. A plasma reactor comprising:
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a chamber enclosure including a ceiling, said enclosure defining a chamber interior;
a wafer support within said chamber interior and underlying said ceiling;
a plasma source power applicator;
an array of plural miniature gas distribution plates on the interior side of said ceiling, each of said miniature gas distribution plates having an outlet surface facing said chamber interior with plural gas inlet holes for spraying respective streams of process gas into said chamber interior, said outlet surface having an area less than a fraction of the area of the interior of said ceiling; and
wherein said outlet surface is exposed to said chamber interior and generally facing a central region of said chamber interior such that the process gas is provided into the central region of the chamber interior. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A showerhead plug for mounting on an interior side of a plasma reactor chamber enclosure member, said plug comprising:
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plural gas inlet holes for spraying a process gas into said reactor at an outlet surface of said showerhead plug;
said showerhead plug being of a small fraction of the size of said chamber enclosure member; and
wherein said showerhead plug is adapted so that said outlet surface is capable of being positioned exposed to and generally facing a central region of said reactor chamber such that the process gas is provided into the central region of the chamber interior. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
a thermally insulating material for thermally insulating at least said outlet surface from said chamber enclosure member.
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44. The plug of claim 43 wherein said thermally resistant element is capable of extending substantially along an interface between said chamber enclosure member and said showerhead plug.
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45. The plug of claim 42 wherein said chamber enclosure member comprises a reactor chamber ceiling.
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46. The plug of claim 42 wherein said plural gas inlet holes are angled relative to said outlet surface to enhance gas turbulence in the vicinity of said outlet surface.
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47. The plug of claim 46 wherein said plural gas inlet holed provide a vortex spray pattern.
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48. The plug of claim 46 wherein said plural gas inlet holes provide a crossing spray pattern.
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49. The plug of claim 42 wherein said plug comprises a showerhead body and thermal insulation between said body said ceiling.
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50. The reactor of claim 49 wherein said thermal insulation is sufficient to permit plasma heating of said showerhead plug above a condensation temperature of a deposition precursor material contained in a process gas while said ceiling is below said condensation temperature.
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51. The reactor of claim 50 wherein said showerhead plug is of a sufficiently small size so that it is susceptible of being heated above said condensation temperature by plasma heating.
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52. The reactor of claim 49 wherein said thermal insulation has a thermal resistance on the order of that of aluminum nitride.
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53. The reactor of claim 42 herein said gas distribution plate has a diameter of about 0.25 inch.
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54. The reactor of claim 42 wherein said showerhead plug protrudes beyond an interior surface of said chamber enclosure by a fraction of the thickness of said showerhead plug.
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55. The reactor of claim 54 wherein said showerhead plug protrudes beyond an interior surface of said chamber by about 0.2 inches to 0.3 inches.
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56. The plug of claim 42 wherein said outlet surface comprises one of:
- (1) a generally planar surface, or (2) a substantially U-shaped surface capable of being exposed to said plasma processing chamber interior.
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57. A plasma reactor comprising:
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a chamber enclosure including a ceiling, said enclosure defining a chamber interior;
a wafer support within said chamber interior and underlying said ceiling;
a plasma source power applicator;
an array of plural miniature gas distribution plates on the interior side of said ceiling, each of said miniature gas distribution plates having an outlet surface facing said chamber interior with plural gas inlet holes for spraying respective streams of process gas into said chamber interior, said outlet surface having an area less than a fraction of the area of the interior of said ceiling;
wherein said gas inlet holes are angled relative to said outlet surface so as to enhance gas turbulence produced by said respective streams of process gas in the vicinity of said outlet surface; and
wherein said gas inlet holes are angled so as to provide a crossing pattern of said respective streams.
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58. A plasma reactor comprising:
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a chamber enclosure including a ceiling, said enclosure defining a chamber interior;
a wafer support within said chamber interior and underlying said ceiling;
a plasma source power applicator;
an array of plural miniature gas distribution plates on the interior side of said ceiling, each of said miniature gas distribution plates having an outlet surface facing said chamber interior with plural gas inlet holes for spraying respective streams of process gas into said chamber interior, said outlet surface having an area less than a fraction of the area of the interior of said ceiling;
wherein said gas inlet holes are angled relative to said outlet surface so as to enhance gas turbulence produced by said respective streams of process gas in the vicinity of said outlet surface; and
wherein said gas inlet holes are angled so as to provide a vortex pattern of said respective streams.
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59. A showerhead plug for mounting on an interior side of a plasma reactor chamber enclosure member, said plug comprising:
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plural gas inlet holes for spraying a process gas into said reactor at an outlet surface of said showerhead plug;
said showerhead plug being of a small fraction of the size of said chamber enclosure member;
wherein said plural gas inlet holes are angled relative to said outlet surface to enhance gas turbulence in the vicinity of said outlet surface; and
wherein said plural gas inlet holes provide a vortex spray pattern.
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60. A showerhead plug for mounting on an interior side of a plasma reactor chamber enclosure member, said plug comprising:
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plural gas inlet holes for spraying a process gas into said reactor at an outlet surface of said showerhead plug;
said showerhead plug being of a small fraction of the size of said chamber enclosure member;
wherein said plural gas inlet holes are angled relative to said outlet surface to enhance gas turbulence in the vicinity of said outlet surface; and
wherein said plural gas inlet holes provide a crossing spray pattern.
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61. A plasma reactor for processing a semiconductor wafer, the plasma reactor comprising:
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a) a chamber enclosure member defining a processing chamber;
b) a plasma source power applicator capable of providing a plasma region within the processing chamber;
c) a wafer support within the processing chamber;
d) the chamber enclosure member being adapted to allow cooling of the enclosure member;
e) at least one showerhead plug embedded within the chamber enclosure member, the at least one showerhead plug comprising;
(1) an outlet surface confronting the plasma region, the outlet surface having an area less than a fraction of the area of the wafer support; and
(2) a plurality of gas distribution holes extending through the at least one showerhead plug to the outlet surface;
f) a thermally resistant element located substantially along an interface between the at least one showerhead plug and the chamber enclosure member; and
g) wherein the at least one showerhead plug and the thermally resistant element are configured so as to allow plasma heating of the showerhead plug to inhibit accumulation of deposits on the outlet surface while the enclosure member is cooled to promote accumulation of deposits on the enclosure member. - View Dependent Claims (62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75)
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76. A plasma reactor for processing a semiconductor wafer, the plasma reactor comprising:
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a) a chamber enclosure member defining a processing chamber;
b) a plasma source power applicator capable of providing a plasma region within the processing chamber;
c) a wafer support within the processing chamber;
d) the chamber enclosure member being adapted to allow cooling of the enclosure member;
e) at least one showerhead plug embedded within the chamber enclosure member, the at least one showerhead plug comprising;
(1) an outlet surface confronting the plasma region;
(2) a plurality of gas distribution holes extending through the at least one showerhead plug to the outlet surface;
(3) wherein the outlet surface is limited in area so that the area is contained within a region in which turbulence from injected gas from the plurality of gas distribution holes inhibits accumulation of deposits thereon; and
(4) wherein the area of outlet surface is a fraction of the area of the wafer support;
f) a thermally resistant element located substantially along an interface between the at least one showerhead plug and the chamber enclosure member; and
g) wherein the at least one showerhead plug and the thermally resistant element are configured so as to allow plasma heating of the showerhead plug to inhibit accumulation of deposits on the outlet surface while the enclosure member is cooled to promote accumulation of deposits on the enclosure member. - View Dependent Claims (77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88)
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89. A plasma reactor comprising:
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a) a chamber enclosure member defining a processing chamber;
b) a plasma source power applicator capable of providing a plasma region within the processing chamber;
c) a wafer support within the processing chamber;
d) the chamber enclosure member being adapted to allow cooling of the enclosure member;
e) an array of plural miniature gas distribution plates embedded within the chamber enclosure member, each of the miniature gas distribution plates comprising;
(1) an outlet surface confronting the chamber interior, the outlet surface having an area less than a fraction of the area of the chamber enclosure member; and
(2) a plurality of holes extending through each of the miniature gas distribution plugs to the outlet surface;
f) a thermally resistant element between each of the miniature gas distribution plugs and the chamber enclosure member; and
g) wherein the miniature gas distribution plugs and the thermally resistant elements are configured such that the thermally resistant element is located substantially along an interface between the chamber enclosure and the miniature gas distribution plugs so as to allow plasma heating of the miniature gas distribution plugs to inhibit accumulation of deposits on the outlet surface while the enclosure member is cooled to promote accumulation of deposits on the enclosure member. - View Dependent Claims (90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101)
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Specification