Plasma enhanced pulsed layer deposition
First Claim
1. A process system for depositing a highly controlled layered film on a workpiece, the process system comprising:
- a process chamber;
a workpiece;
a plurality of first precursor sources coupled to the process chamber for providing a continous flow of at least one precursor therein;
an energy source coupled to the process chamber for generating a plasma;
a plasma adjusting system configured to repeat alternately the following sequence to turn on the plasma for about one second or longer to excite the precursors from the first precursor sources to promote a plasma-enhanced reaction of the precursors at the workpiece surface, and to turn off the plasma for about one second or longer to prevent plasma excitation of the precursors from the first precursor sources, whereby preventing a plasma-enhanced reaction of the precursors at the workpiece surface.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A process system and a deposition method for depositing a highly controlled layered film on a workpiece is disclosed. The basic component of the present invention apparatus is a pulsing plasma source capable of either exciting or not-exciting a first precursor. The pulsing plasma source includes an energy source to generate a plasma, and a plasma adjusting system to cause the plasma to either excite or not-excite a precursor. The precursor could flow continuously (an aspect totally new to ALD), or intermittently (or pulsing, standard ALD operation process). The present invention further provides a method to deposit highly controlled layered film on a workpiece. The method comprises the steps of pulsing the plasma to excite/not-excite the precursors and the ambient to deposit and modify the depositing layers. This procedure then can be repeated alternately until the film reaches a desired thickness.
513 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A process system for depositing a highly controlled layered film on a workpiece, the process system comprising:
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a process chamber;
a workpiece;
a plurality of first precursor sources coupled to the process chamber for providing a continous flow of at least one precursor therein;
an energy source coupled to the process chamber for generating a plasma;
a plasma adjusting system configured to repeat alternately the following sequence to turn on the plasma for about one second or longer to excite the precursors from the first precursor sources to promote a plasma-enhanced reaction of the precursors at the workpiece surface, and to turn off the plasma for about one second or longer to prevent plasma excitation of the precursors from the first precursor sources, whereby preventing a plasma-enhanced reaction of the precursors at the workpiece surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A process system for depositing a highly controlled layered film on a workpiece, the process system comprising:
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a process chamber;
a workpiece;
a plurality of first precursor sources coupled to the process chamber for providing a pulsed flow of at least one precursor therein;
an energy source coupled to the process chamber for generating a plasma;
a plasma adjusting system configured to repeat alternately the following sequence to turn on the plasma for about one second or longer to excite the precursors from the first precursor sources to promote a plasma-enhanced reaction of the precursors at the workpiece surface, and to turn off the plasma for about one second or longer to prevent plasma excitation of the precursors from the first precursor sources, whereby preventing a plasma-enhanced reaction of the precursors at the workpiece surface;
whereby the pulsed flow of the precursors from the first precursor sources is substantially synchronized with the plasma adjusting system so that there is no precursor flow when the plasma is off and there is precursor flow when the plasma is on. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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Specification