High flow conductance and high thermal conductance showerhead system and method

• US 6,565,661 B1
• Filed: 06/04/1999
• Issued: 05/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Original Assignee: Simplus Systems Corporation (Rennova Health, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Tue
• Primary Examiner(s): Mills, Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): MACARTHUR, SYLVIA
• Application Number:
  US09/325,835
• Time in Patent Office: 1,446 Days
• Field of Search: 118/715
• US Class Current: 118/715
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45565 Shower nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4557 Heated nozzles

Abstract

A vapor supply apparatus, for use in a semiconductor device manufacturing process, provides high flow conductance and high thermal conductance showerhead plate for supplying various precursors to a reaction chamber. The high flow conductance and high thermal conductance showerhead plate comprises a thick plate for high thermal conductance and variable size delivery hole for high flow conductance. A variation of the high flow conductance and high thermal conductance showerhead plate having the delivery holes tilted outward can be used as a baffle to diffuse the precursor to a large area. A showerhead system using high flow conductance and high thermal conductance showerhead plates is well suitable for delivering liquid precursors.

Claims

1. A showerhead plate of a showerhead like precursor delivery apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of delivery apertures placed in specified geometric pattern about the showerhead plate, where each delivery aperture is comprised of a large diameter bore to provide improved flow conduction across the showerhead plate and a smaller diameter bore that communicates with the large diameter bore to provide proper mixing of the precursor and a consistent pressure level across the entire showerhead plate to provide a uniform delivery of precursor to each delivery aperture; and

a heater means that maintains the showerhead plate at a specified constant temperature, where the heater means supply sufficient thermal energy to the showerhead plate to maintain the specified temperature and compensate for the dissipation of heat caused by the precursor as it moves through the plate,

wherein the heater means is embedded in the showerhead plate.

2. A precursor delivery system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the showerhead plate is between 3 mm and 20 mm thick.

3. A precursor delivery system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the smaller diameter bore of the delivery aperture is a hollow cylindrical bore having a diameter between 0.1 mm and 2 mm and a length of between 0.5 mm and 5 mm.

4. A precursor delivery system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the large diameter bore of the delivery aperture is a hollow cylindrical bore having a second diameter of between 2 mm and 15 mm.

5. A precursor delivery system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the large diameter bore of the delivery aperture has a cone shape with the largest size between 2 mm and 15 mm.

6. A precursor delivery system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the delivery apertures are perpendicular to the plane of the showerhead plate.

7. A precursor delivery system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the delivery apertures are tilted outward for delivering the precursor to a greater area than that of the delivery apertures.

8. A precursor delivery system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the delivery apertures of the showerhead plate form a plurality of concentric circles.

9. A precursor delivery system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the delivery apertures of the showerhead plate are placed in the form of plurality repeating polygons.

10. A showerhead system with improved flow conduction and thermal conductance for a precursor delivery apparatus comprising:

a plurality of precursor inlet ports;

a first showerhead plate having improved flow conduction and thermal conductance;

a baffle plate below the precursor inlet ports to diffuse the precursor dispensed from the inlet; and

a second showerhead plate with improved flow conduction and thermal conductance at the precursor inlet ports to diffuse the precursor dispensed from the inlet.

11. The showerhead system in accordance with claim 10, wherein an area containing the delivery apertures of the second showerhead plate is smaller than the area containing the delivery apertures of the first showerhead plate, and the delivery apertures of the second showerhead plate are tilted outward for delivering the precursor to a greater area than that of the delivery apertures.