Plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) equipment and method of forming a conducting thin film using the same thereof
First Claim
1. A plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) apparatus for depositing a thin film on a substrate, the apparatus comprising:
- a substrate carrier for supporting a substrate;
a reactor wall defining the interior of a reactor together with said substrate carrier and said reactor wall having an opening at the top thereof;
a gas inlet tube for supplying a gas into said reactor;
a showerhead assembly to which said gas inlet tube is connected and installed within said reactor wall and defining a reaction space together with said substrate carrier and said showerhead assembly for supplying a gas to said reaction space;
a micro-feeding tube assembly made of insulating materials mounted between said gas inlet tube and the showerhead assembly for preventing generation of plasma due to potential difference between said gas inlet tube and the showerhead assembly while maintaining flow of gas supplied through said gas inlet tube, the micro feeding tube having a plurality of small tubes mounted in parallel, the plurality of small tubes configured to suppress plasma generation therein;
a gas outlet tube for discharging a gas from the reaction space; and
a radio frequency (RF) connection terminal for generating plasma.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) apparatus and a method of forming a conductive thin film using the same are disclosed. According to the present invention of a PEALD apparatus and a method, a process gas inlet tube and a process gas outlet tube are installed symmetrically and concentrically with respect to a substrate, thereby allowing the process gas to flow uniformly, evenly and smoothly over the substrate, thereby forming a thin film uniformly over the substrate. A uniquely designed showerhead assembly provides not only reduces the volume of the reactor space, but also allows the process gases to flow uniformly, evenly and smoothly throughout the reation space area and reduces the volume of the reaction space, and the smaller volume makes it easier and fast to change the process gases for sequential and repeated process operation.
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Citations
46 Claims
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1. A plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) apparatus for depositing a thin film on a substrate, the apparatus comprising:
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a substrate carrier for supporting a substrate; a reactor wall defining the interior of a reactor together with said substrate carrier and said reactor wall having an opening at the top thereof; a gas inlet tube for supplying a gas into said reactor; a showerhead assembly to which said gas inlet tube is connected and installed within said reactor wall and defining a reaction space together with said substrate carrier and said showerhead assembly for supplying a gas to said reaction space; a micro-feeding tube assembly made of insulating materials mounted between said gas inlet tube and the showerhead assembly for preventing generation of plasma due to potential difference between said gas inlet tube and the showerhead assembly while maintaining flow of gas supplied through said gas inlet tube, the micro feeding tube having a plurality of small tubes mounted in parallel, the plurality of small tubes configured to suppress plasma generation therein; a gas outlet tube for discharging a gas from the reaction space; and a radio frequency (RF) connection terminal for generating plasma. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) apparatus for depositing a thin film on a substrate, the apparatus comprising:
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a substrate carrier for supporting the substrate; a reactor wall defining the interior of the reactor together with the substrate carrier and the reactor wall having an opening at the top thereof; a gas inlet tube for supplying a gas into the reactor; a showerhead assembly to which the gas inlet tube is connected and is installed within the reactor wall for defining a reaction space together with the substrate carrier and the showerhead assembly for supplying a gas to the reaction space; a showerhead insulating wall surrounding the top part and the sides of the showerhead assembly; a plasma generation barrier wall installed between the showerhead insulating wall and the reactor wall and having the same potential as the reactor wall, plasma generation barrier wall having a gap to the showerhead insulating wall; a gas outlet tube for discharging a gas from the reaction space; and a radio frequency (RF) connection terminal connected to the showerhead in order to apply an RF power. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 33, 34)
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19. A plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) apparatus for depositing a thin film on a substrate, the apparatus comprising:
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a substrate carrier for supporting the substrate; a reactor wall defining the interior of reactor together with said substrate carrier and having an opening at the top thereof; a gas inlet tube for supplying a gas into said reactor; a showerhead assembly having a volume adjusting horn for minimizing the volume of a reaction space and for allowing smooth and even flow of a gas; a gas outlet tube for removing gas from said reaction space; and a radio frequency (RF) power connection terminal connected to the showerhead assembly in order to apply RF power. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) apparatus for depositing a thin film on a substrate, the apparatus comprising:
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a substrate carrier for supporting a substrate; a reactor wall defining the interior of the reactor together with said substrate carrier and having an opening at the top thereof; a gas inlet tube for supplying a gas into said reactor; a showerhead, assembly to which a gas inlet is connected and installed within said reactor wall defining a reaction space together with said substrate carrier and for supplying a gas to said reaction space; a micro-feeding tube assembly made of insulating material disposed between the gas inlet tube and the shower head for preventing generation of plasma due to potential difference between the gas inlet tube and the shower head while maintaining the flow of gas introduced from the gas inlet tube, the micro feeding tube having a plurality of narrow tubes connected in parallel; a showerhead insulating wall surrounding the top and sides of said showerhead assembly; a plasma generation barrier wall installed with a gap between said showerhead insulating wall and said reactor wall and having no potential difference with respect to said reactor wall; a gas outlet tube for removing a gas from said reaction space; and a radio frequency (RF) power connection terminal connected to the showerhead assembly for applying RF power. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A method of forming a conductive thin film on a substrate, the method comprising the steps of:
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preparing a process gas containing desired metallic components; loading a substrate into a reaction space defined in part by a gas injection assembly, and a reactor wall, the gas injection assembly having a gas injection face and an adjacent side wall, the gas injection assembly protruding from the reactor wall such that a space is formed between the side wall of the gas injection assembly and the reactor wall; supplying said source gas containing metallic components to said reaction space through a gas inlet tube; ceasing to supply said source gas and supplying H2 or H2 containing purge gas to said reaction space through said gas inlet tube; generating plasma to activate said purge gas for a specified period of time while said purge gas is continuously supplied; exhausting gas from the reaction space through the space between the gas injection assembly side wall and the reactor wall; and purging said reaction space using said purge gas; wherein the step of supplying said source gas, the step of supplying said purge gas, the step of generating plasma, and the step of purging are repeated specified number of times. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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Specification