System for the plasma treatment of large area substrates

• US 6,632,324 B2
• Filed: 06/18/1997
• Issued: 10/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Silicon Genesis
• Original Assignee: Silicon Genesis
• Inventors: Chan, Chung
• Primary Examiner(s): ALEJANDRO MULERO, LUZ L
• Application Number:
  US08/878,005
• Publication Number:
  US 20020029850A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,309 Days
• Field of Search: 118/723.I, 118/723.IR, 118/723.AN, 118/723.E, 156/345, 156/345.48, 156/345.49, 315/111.51
• US Class Current: 156/345.48
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/20 Means for supporting or positioning the objects or the material; Means for adjusting diaphragms or lenses associated with the support introducing the objects H01J37/18
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32082 Radio frequency generated discharge H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394 and H01J37/32403 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32935 Monitoring and controlling tubes by information coming from the object and/or discharge

Abstract

A plasma system for processing large area substrates. In one embodiment the system includes a plurality of radiofrequency (rf) plasma sources removably attached to the rf transparent windows of a processing chamber. The number and distribution of sources is varied to provide the size and uniformity of the plasma field required to treat the substrate. A plurality of plasma probes, such as Langmuir probes, Faraday cups and optical sensor are positioned within the chamber and in electrical communication with the plasma sources adjust the rf field produced by the individual sources to maintain the desired degree of field uniformity.

Claims

1. A system for processing a substrate, said system comprising:

a vacuum chamber in which a plasma is generated;

a first dielectric window on a surface of said chamber, said dielectric window having a first side and a second side facing outside and inside of said chamber, respectively;

an rf generator;

a sensor to monitor a process condition as said substrate is being processed in said chamber and transmit a signal in response to said monitored process condition;

a controller to receive said signal from said sensor and adjust at least one process parameter; and

a removable plasma source located external to said vacuum chamber, said plasma source electrically coupled to said rf generator and operative to generate a plasma, said plasma source including an antenna provided over said first side of said first dielectric window, said antenna having a plurality of spiral portions extending in a substantially orthogonal direction from said dielectric window.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said plasma source is a pulsed plasma source.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said plasma source is a steady-state plasma source.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said system has a plurality of dielectric windows and a plurality of plasma sources.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein each of said plurality of plasma sources is configured to be tuned, so that each plasma source may be tuned in order to provide a plasma of the shape and uniformity desired for a particular process.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said plasma source comprises a shield having an opening that faces said first side of said dielectric window, said shield cooperating with said first side of said dielectric window to enclose said antenna.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said first dielectric window is constructed of quartz.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said first dielectric window is constructed of glass.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a voltage substrate holder configured to receive a plurality of substrates and provide bias to said plurality of substrates to facilitate implantation of ions into said plurality of substrates.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

a conveyor to transport said plurality of substrates from a first point to a second point within said chamber;

a loading dock to receive said plurality of substrates and transport said plurality of substrates into said chamber; and

an unload dock to receive said plurality of substrates from said chamber after said plurality of substrates has been processed in said chamber,

wherein said chamber includes a plurality of process zones.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

conveyor to transport said substrate from a first point to a second point within said chamber;

a loading dock to receive said substrate and transport said substrate into said chamber; and

an unload dock to receive said substrate from said chamber after said substrate has been processed in said chamber,

wherein said chamber includes a plurality of process zones and

each of said process zone performs a different process on said substrate.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein a first zone of said plurality of zones performs a chemical vapor deposition said substrate.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein a second zone of said plurality of zones an ion implantation on said substrate.

14. The system of claim 11, further comprising a baffle to separate said ones.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising a bias power supply operative to bias said substrate.

16. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second dielectric window provided over a substrate receiver configured to receive a substrate, said second dielectric window being configured to be a viewing port to view said substrate provided within said chamber on said substrate receiver, said second dielectric window being free of a plasma source.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein said plasma source located external to said chamber is configured to be replaced without disturbing the vacuum within said chamber.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of spiral portions of said antenna includes a first spiral portion that is proximate to said first dielectric window and a second spiral portion that is remote from said first dielectric window, said first spiral portion having a greater diameter than said second spiral portion.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

a gas feed tube extending through said antenna in said substantially orthogonal direction from said first dielectric window, so that said first spiral portion wraps around a first extending portion of said feed tube and said second spiral portion wraps around a second extending portion of said feed tube that is different from said first extending portion.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said antenna has 5 or 6 turns to define 5 or 6 portions.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein said antenna is a copper tube having diameter of ¼

inch.

22. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of plasma sources provided on a side wall of said chamber; and

a plurality of plasma sources provided on an upper surface of said chamber.

23. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of plasma sources provided on an upper surface of said chamber;

a high voltage substrate receiver configured to receive a plurality of substrates and provide bias to said plurality of substrates to facilitate implantation of ions into said plurality of substrates.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein each of said plurality of plasma sources are configured to be tuned in cooperation with each other to provide a plasma having a uniform shape within said chamber to process said plurality of substrate.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein said first dielectric window is configured to be viewing port into said chamber if said plasma source is removed from said first window.

26. A system for processing a substrate, comprising:

a vacuum chamber in which a plasma is generated;

a first dielectric window on a surface of said chamber, said first dielectric window having a first side and a second side facing outside and inside of said chamber, respectively;

a second dielectric window configured as a viewing port;

an rf generator;

a control system to monitor and adjust a process condition within said chamber; and

a plasma source located external to said vacuum chamber, said plasma source electrically coupled to said rf generator and operative to generate a plasma, said plasma source including a vertically-extending, removable antenna provided over said first side of said first dielectric window and a shield having an opening that faces said first side of said first dielectric window, said shield cooperating with said first side of said first dielectric window to enclose said antenna, said vertically extending antenna having first, second, and third spiral portions; and

a gas feed tube extending through said antenna and having a first extending portion proximate to said first dielectric window and a second extending portion remote from said first dielectric window,

wherein said first spiral portion wraps around said first extending portion of said feed tube and said second spiral portion wraps around said second extending portion, and

wherein said antenna and shield are removably attached to said dielectric window.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein said antenna and shield configured to be removed to clean the dielectric window without disturbing a vacuum environment of the chamber.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein said antenna is configured to be replaced with another antenna without disturbing a vacuum environment of the chamber.