Methods, systems, and apparatus for uniform chemical-vapor depositions
First Claim
1. A chemical-vapor-deposition system comprising:
- a first chamber;
a gas-distribution fixture in the first chamber, the fixture including a gas-distribution surface having a plurality of holes and a gas-confinement member extending from the gas-distribution surface around the plurality of holes, and the fixture being movable from at least a first operating position to a second operating position; and
a wafer holder having a wafer-support surface confronting the gas-distribution surface.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Integrated circuits, the key components in thousands of electronic and computer products, are generally built layer by layer on a silicon substrate. One common technique for forming layers is called chemical-vapor deposition (CVD.) Conventional CVD systems not only form layers that have non-uniform thickness, but also have large chambers that make the CVD process wasteful and slow. Accordingly, the inventor devised new CVD systems, methods, and apparatuses. One exemplary CVD system includes an outer chamber, a substrate holder, and a unique gas-distribution fixture. The fixture includes a gas-distribution surface having holes for dispensing a gas and a gas-confinement member that engages or cooperates with the substrate holder to form an inner chamber within the outer chamber. The inner chamber has a smaller volume than the outer chamber, which not only facilitates depositions of more uniform thickness, but also saves gas and speeds up the deposition process.
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Citations
47 Claims
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1. A chemical-vapor-deposition system comprising:
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a first chamber;
a gas-distribution fixture in the first chamber, the fixture including a gas-distribution surface having a plurality of holes and a gas-confinement member extending from the gas-distribution surface around the plurality of holes, and the fixture being movable from at least a first operating position to a second operating position; and
a wafer holder having a wafer-support surface confronting the gas-distribution surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A chemical-vapor-deposition system comprising:
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a first chamber;
a gas-distribution fixture in the first chamber, the fixture movable from at least a first operating position to a second operating position and including;
a gas-distribution member comprising;
a first plate having one or more gas-distribution channels; and
a second plate adjacent the first plate and having a plurality of holes that define a gas-distribution surface; and
a gas-confinement member extending from the gas-distribution surface around the plurality of holes; and
a wafer holder having a wafer-support surface confronting the gas-distribution surface. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A chemical-vapor-deposition system comprising:
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a first chamber having an interior sidewall; and
a second chamber within the first chamber, the second chamber including;
a gas-distribution member having a plurality of holes that define a gas-distribution surface; and
a gas-confinement surface partly enclosing the plurality of holes, the gas-confinement surface spaced from the interior sidewall of the first chamber, nonparallel to the gas-distribution surface, and movable in unison with the gas-distribution member from a first to a second operating position; and
a wafer-support surface confronting the gas-distribution surface. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A chemical-vapor deposition system comprising:
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first means for confining one or more gases;
second means for confining one or more gases, the first means at least partly contained within the first means and movable from a first operating position to a second operating position. - View Dependent Claims (33)
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34. A gas-distribution fixture for a chemical-vapor-deposition system, the fixture comprising:
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a first non-metallic plate including one or more gas-distribution channels for coupling to a gas source;
a second non-metallic plate including one or more gas-distribution holes in fluid communication with the gas-distribution channels of the first plate; and
a gas-confinement wall extending outward relative the gas-distribution surface and surrounding the one or more gas-distribution holes. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A gas-distribution fixture for use in a chemical-vapor-deposition chamber having a first volume, the fixture comprising:
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means for distributing gas in at least a first dimension across a surface within the chamber, with the means for distributing gas movable from a first operating position to a second operating position; and
means for at least partly confining the distributed gas to a second volume which is less than the first volume. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42)
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43. A chemical-vapor-deposition system comprising:
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a first chamber;
a gas-distribution fixture in the first chamber, the fixture including a gas-distribution surface having a plurality of holes and a gas-confinement member extending from the gas-distribution surface around the plurality of holes, and the fixture being movable from at least a first operating position to a second operating position;
a wafer holder having a wafer-support surface confronting the gas-distribution surface, wherein at the second operating position, the gas-distribution surface, the gas-confinement member, and the wafer-support surface defines a second chamber within the first chamber;
a first pump coupled to evacuate the first chamber; and
a second pump coupled to evacuate the second chamber through the gas-distribution fixture. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47)
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Specification