Low contamination plasma chamber components and methods for making the same

• US 6,805,952 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2000
• Issued: 10/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Inventors: Steger, Robert J., Chang, Christopher C.
• Primary Examiner(s): UHLIR, NIKOLAS J
• Application Number:
  US09/749,917
• Publication Number:
  US 20020086118A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,390 Days
• Field of Search: 428/334, 428/335, 428/457, 428/458, 428/469, 428/473.5, 428/480, 428/6.88, 427/487-489, 438/9, 216/67, 118/723.R, 523/351, 524/412
• US Class Current: 428/334
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 4/00 Coating by spraying the coating material in the molten state, e.g. by flame, plasma or electric discharge build-up welding B23K, e.g. B23K5/18, B23K9/04
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 4/04 characterised by the coating material
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 4/10 Oxides, borides, carbides, nitrides or silicides; Mixtures thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32477 characterised by the means for protecting vessels or internal parts, e.g. coatings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24355 Continuous and nonuniform or irregular surface on layer or component [e.g., roofing, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/26 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component, the element or component having a specified physical dimension
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/263 Coating layer not in excess of 5 mils thick or equivalent
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/264 Up to 3 mils
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31678 Of metal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31681 Next to polyester, polyamide or polyimide [e.g., alkyd, glue, or nylon, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31721 Of polyimide

Abstract

Components for use in plasma processing chambers having plasma exposed surfaces with surface roughness characteristics that promote polymer adhesion. The roughened surfaces are formed by plasma spraying a coating material such as a ceramic or high temperature polymer onto the surface of the component. The plasma sprayed components of the present invention can be used for plasma reactor components having surfaces exposed to the plasma during processing. Suitable components include chamber walls, chamber liners, baffle rings, gas distribution plates, plasma confinement rings, and liner supports. By improving polymer adhesion, the plasma sprayed component surfaces can reduce the levels of particle contamination in the process chamber thereby improving yields and reducing down-time required for cleaning and/or replacing chamber components.

Claims

1. A component of a plasma etch reactor, the component being selected from the group consisting of a plasma confinement ring, a focus ring, a pedestal, a chamber wall, a chamber liner and a gas distribution plate, the component having one or more surfaces exposed to the plasma during processing, the component comprising an as-sprayed plasma sprayed coating on a plasma exposed surface of the component, the coating being a ceramic material selected from the group consisting of, yttria, zirconia, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, boron carbide and boron nitride, and the coating having an as-sprayed surface roughness that promotes the adhesion of polymer deposits formed during etching of semiconductor substrates in the plasma etch reactor.

2. The component of claim 1, wherein the component is made from a metallic material or a ceramic material.

3. The component of claim 1, wherein the coating is of yttria.

4. The component of claim 1, wherein the coating has an arithmetic mean surface roughness value (Ra) of from 150 to 190 micro-inches.

5. A plasma etch reactor comprising at least one component according to claim 1.

6. A method of processing a semiconductor substrate in the plasma etch reactor of claim 5, the method comprising contacting an exposed surface of a semiconductor substrate with a plasma.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising steps of:

positioning the substrate on a substrate support in the reactor;

introducing a process gas into the reactor;

applying RF energy to the process gas to generate a plasma adjacent an exposed surface of the substrate; and

etching the exposed substrate surface with a plasma.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the exposed surface of the substrate comprises a metallic material or an oxide.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the process gas comprises at least one polymer forming species.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the component is a gas distribution plate, the method further comprising introducing the process gas into the reactor through openings in the gas distribution plate.

11. The component of claim 1, wherein the component comprises a ceramic material.

12. A component of a plasma etch reactor, the component comprising aluminum having an anodized or non-anodized plasma exposed surface, the component comprising an as-sprayed plasma sprayed coating on a plasma exposed surface of the component, the coating being a ceramic material selected from the group consisting of, yttria, zirconia, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, boron carbide and boron nitride, and the coating having an as-sprayed surface roughness that promotes the adhesion of polymer deposits formed during etching of semiconductor substrates in the plasma etch reactor.

13. The component of claim 12, wherein the coating is of yttria.

14. The component of claim 13, wherein the coating has a thickness of 2 to 5 mils.

15. A component of a plasma etch reactor, the component being made from a ceramic material selected from the group consisting of alumina, yttria, zirconia, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, boron carbide and boron nitride, the component having one or more surfaces exposed to the plasma during processing, the component comprising an as-sprayed plasma sprayed coating on a plasma exposed surface of the component, the coating being a ceramic material selected from the group consisting of, yttria, zirconia, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, boron carbide and boron nitride, and the coating having an as-sprayed surface roughness that promotes the adhesion of polymer deposits formed during etching of semiconductor substrates in the plasma etch reactor.

16. The component of claim 15, wherein the coating is.

17. A component of a plasma etch reactor, the component having one or more surfaces exposed to the plasma during processing, the component comprising an as-sprayed plasma sprayed coating on a plasma exposed surface of the component, the component and the coating both comprising the same ceramic material selected from the group consisting of yttria, zirconia, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, boron carbide and boron nitride, and the coating having an as-sprayed surface roughness that promotes the adhesion of polymer deposits formed during etching of semiconductor substrates in the plasma etch reactor.

18. A component of a plasma reactor, the component having one or more surfaces exposed to the plasma during processing, the component comprising an as-sprayed plasma sprayed polyimide coating on a plasma exposed surface of the component, wherein the coating has an as-sprayed surface roughness that promotes the adhesion of polymer deposits.

19. The component of claim 18, wherein the coating has a thickness of 10 to 30 mils.

20. A component of a plasma etch reactor, the component having one or more surfaces exposed to the plasma during processing, the component comprising a coating formed by a process consisting essentially of plasma spraying a coating material on a plasma exposed surface of the component that has not been roughened, the coating being a ceramic material comprising at least one material selected from the group consisting of yttria, zirconia, silicon carbide and boron carbide, the coating having an as-sprayed surface roughness that promotes the adhesion of polymer deposits formed during etching of semiconductor substrates in the plasma etch reactor.

21. The component of claim 20, wherein the coating has an surface roughness value (Ra) of between 150 and 190 micro-inches.