Gas distribution system for cyclical layer deposition

• US 6,821,563 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2003
• Issued: 11/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Yudovsky, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Niebling, John F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Luk, Olivia T.
• Application Number:
  US10/354,849
• Publication Number:
  US 20040067641A1
• Time in Patent Office: 664 Days
• Field of Search: 438/758, 438/908, 427/248.1
• US Class Current: 427/248.1
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4412 Details relating to the exhausts, e.g. pumps, filters, scrubbers, particle traps
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45551 for relative movement of the substrate and the gas injectors or half-reaction reactor compartments
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45561 Gas plumbing upstream of the reaction chamber
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/54 Apparatus specially adapted for continuous coating
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 25/14 Feed and outlet means for the gases; Modifying the flow of the reactive gases
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67017 Apparatus for fluid treatment H01L21/67126, H01L21/6715 take precedence

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to a cyclical layer deposition system, which includes a processing chamber, at least one load lock chamber connected to the processing chamber, a plurality of gas ports disposed on the processing chamber. The gas ports are configured to transmit one or more gas streams into the processing chamber. The system further includes a plurality of vacuum ports disposed on the processing chamber between the gas ports. The vacuum ports are configured to transmit the gas streams out of the processing chamber.

Claims

1. A cyclical layer deposition system, comprising:

a processing chamber;

at least one load lock chamber connected to the processing chamber;

a plurality of gas ports disposed on the processing chamber, the gas ports being configured to transmit one or more gas streams into the processing chamber; and

a plurality of vacuum ports disposed on the processing chamber between each gas port, the vacuum ports being configured to transmit the gas streams out of the processing chamber.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the gas ports and the vacuum ports are disposed on a top portion of the processing chamber.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the gas ports are connected to a plurality of gas injectors configured to deliver gases into the processing chamber.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the vacuum ports are connected to a pumping system configured to evacuate the gas streams out of the processing chamber.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of partitions disposed between each port.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the partitions extend from a top portion of the processing chamber to a position proximately above a substrate surface.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein a lower portion of each partition is separated from a substrate surface by a distance sufficient to allow the gas streams to flow around the lower portion toward the vacuum ports after reacting with a substrate surface.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the partitions are positioned so as to limit cross-contamination between the gas streams.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the gas streams flow in a direction vertical to a substrate movement direction.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the gas ports are configured to transmit one of a precursor gas stream and a purge gas stream.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one shuttle movable between the at least one load lock chamber and the processing chamber.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one shuttle configured to move bidirectionally between the at least one load lock chamber and the processing chamber.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one shuttle is configured to carry a substrate between the at least one load lock chamber and the processing chamber.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the gas streams comprise at least one of a first compound, a second compound and a purge gas.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the first compound comprises one or more compounds selected from a group consisting of titanium tetrachloride (TiCl₄), tungsten hexafluoride (WF₆), tantalum pentachloride (TaCl₅), titanium iodide (TiI₄), titanium bromide (TiBr₄), tetrakis (dimethylamido) titanium (TDMAT), pentakis (dimethyl amido) tantalum (PDMAT), tetrakis (diethylamido) titanium (TDEAT), tungsten hexacarbonyl (W(CO)₆), tungsten hexachloride (WCl₆), tetrakis(diethylamido) titanium (TDEAT), pentakis (ethyl methyl amido) tantalum (PEMAT), and pentakis(diethylamido)tantalum (PDEAT).

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the second compound comprises one or more compounds selected from a group consisting of ammonia (NH₃), hydrazine (N₂H₄), monomethyl hydrazine (CH₃N₂H₃), dimethyl hydrazine (C₂H₆N₂H₂), t-butylhydrazine (C₄H₉N₂H₃), phenylhydrazine (C₆H₅N₂H₃), 2,2′

-azoisobutane ((CH₃)₆C₂N₂), ethylazide (C₂H₅N₃), and nitrogen (N₂).

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the purge gas comprises at least one of hydrogen, nitrogen, argon, and helium.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing chamber has an annular configuration.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising at least one shuttle configured to carry a substrate around a perimeter of the processing chamber.

20. The system of claim 18, further comprising a plurality of partitions radially disposed between an inner perimeter of the processing chamber and an outer perimeter of the processing chamber.

21. A cyclical layer deposition system, comprising:

a processing chamber;

a wheel disposed inside the processing chamber, the wheel having a plurality of circumferentially distributed substrate carriers; and

a module disposed inside the processing chamber, the module comprising;

a plurality of gas ports configured to transmit one or more gas streams into the processing chamber; and

a plurality of vacuum ports configured to transmit the gas streams out of the processing chamber.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the vacuum ports are disposed between the gas ports.

23. The system of claim 21, further comprising a plurality of gas injectors connected to the gas ports, the gas injectors being configured to deliver the gas streams into the processing chamber.

24. The system of claim 21, further comprising a pumping system connected to the vacuum ports, the pumping system being configured to evacuate the gas streams out of the processing chamber.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the module further comprises a plurality of partitions disposed between each port.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein a lower portion of each partition extends to a position proximately above a substrate surface.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein a lower portion of each partition is separated from a substrate surface by a distance sufficient to allow the gas streams to flow around the lower portion toward the vacuum ports after reacting with a substrate surface.

28. The system of claim 21, wherein the gas streams flow in a direction perpendicular to a substrate surface.

29. The system of claim 21, wherein the gas ports are configured to transmit one of a precursor gas stream and a purge gas stream.

30. The system of claim 21, wherein the gas streams comprise at least one of a first compound, a second compound and a purge gas.