Assembly line processing method

• US 7,153,542 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2002
• Issued: 12/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Original Assignee: Tegal Corp. (Rennova Health, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Tue, Nguyen, Tai Dung, Bercaw, Craig Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): PADGETT, MARIANNE L
• Application Number:
  US10/212,546
• Publication Number:
  US 20040026374A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,603 Days
• Field of Search: 427/592, 427/593, 427/594, 427/226, 427/248, 427/1, 427/252, 427/253, 427/255.15, 427/255.26, 427/255.28, 427/255.4, 427/255.7, 427/422, 427/402, 427/419.2, 118/719, 118/724, 118/725, 438/689, 438/758, 438/761, 438/762, 438/763, 438/764, 216 59- 81
• US Class Current: 427/248.1
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45551 for relative movement of the substrate and the gas injectors or half-reaction reactor compartments
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67173 in-line arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6719 characterized by the construction of the processing chambers, e.g. modular processing chambers

Abstract

An apparatus for sequential processing of a workpiece comprises an assembly line processing system. The apparatus comprises multiple workpieces moving in an assembly line fashion under multiple process stations. The multiple process stations provide different processes onto the workpieces for a sequential processing of the workpieces. The sequential processing action is carried out by the movement of the workpieces under the various process stations.

Claims

1. A method of sequentially processing a plurality of workpieces, the method comprising:

determining for the plurality of workpieces a sequential processing cycle including at least at two differing processing steps, said differing processing steps occuring at least two different processing stations arranged in a closed-loop path within an enclosed chamber, said different processing stations delivering at least one different precursor to the workpiece;

processing the workpieces sequentially at each of the different processing stations, wherein a workpiece conveyor supports the workpieces during processing and transports the workpieces between the different processing stations;

isolating the different processing stations with an isolation station positioned between the different processing stations, the isolating step comprising purging with a non-reactive gas between the different processing stations

wherein the purging non-reactive gas is introduced through an introduction port located between two exhaust pumping stations, said exhaust pumping stations exhausting the precursors from the different processing stations through exhaust ports and

wherein the introduction port of the isolation station protrudes close to a plane that contains the workpiece than the exhaust ports to restrict the communication between the different processing stations to minimize gas phase reaction of the precursors from the different processing stations; and

repeating the processing and isolating steps until a desired film is on the workpieces.

2. The method as in claim 1 further comprising the step of heating the workpieces with workpiece heaters coupled to a plurality of workpiece supports that support the plurality of workpieces.

3. The method as in claim 1 wherein the workpiece comprises a top processing surface, and the processing steps further comprise delivering the precursors from above and substantial parallel to the top surface.

4. The method as in claim 1 wherein the workpiece comprises a top processing surface, and the processing steps further comprise delivering the precursors from over the top of the workpieces.

5. The method as in claim 1 wherein the isolating step further comprises pumping to minimize gas phase reaction of the precursors from the different processing stations.

6. The method as in claim 1 wherein the purging gas comprises creating a gas curtain between the different processing stations.

7. The method as in claim 1 wherein the processing stations and the isolations are sub-atmospheric.

8. The method as in claim 1 further comprising heating the plurality of workpieces at a plurality of heating stations.

9. The method as in claim 1 wherein the method further comprises delivering the precursors to the workpiece with a gas delivery system, a liquid precursor delivery system, or a solid precursor delivery system.

10. The method as in claim 1 wherein at least one processing step is a deposition step.

11. The method as in claim 10 wherein the deposition step is one of chemical vapor deposition (CVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), nanolayer deposition (NLD), and sputtering deposition.

12. The method as in claim 1 wherein at least one processing step is a treatment step, wherein an existing thin film on the workpiece is treated.

13. The method as in claim 12 wherein the treatment is one of thermal annealing, rapid thermal annealing, laser annealing, and plasma exposure.

14. The method as in claim 1 wherein at least one processing step is an etching step to etch an existing thin film on the workpiece.

15. The method as in claim 14 wherein the etching step is one of metal etching, oxide etching, atomic layer etching, and plasma etching.

16. A method of sequentially processing a plurality of workpieces, the method comprising:

determining for the plurality of workpieces a sequential processing cycle including at least a thin film deposition step in a deposition station and a thin film treatment step in a treatment station, said different processing stations arranged in a closed-loop path within an enclosed chamber;

processing the workpieces sequentially at each of the different processing stations, wherein a workpiece conveyor supports the workpieces during processing and transports the workpieces between the different processing stations;

isolating the different processing stations with an isolation station positioned between the different processing stations, the isolating step comprising purging with a non-reactive gas between the different processing stations

wherein the purging non-reactive gas is introduced through an introduction port located between two exhaust pumping stations, said exhaust pumping stations exhausting the precursors from the different processing stations through exhaust ports and wherein the introduction port of the isolation station protrudes closer to a plane that contains the workpiece than the exhaust ports to restrict the communication between the different processing stations to minimize gas phase reaction of the precursors from the different processing stations; and

repeating the processing and isolating steps until a desired film is on the workpieces.

17. The method as in claim 16 wherein the isolating step further comprises pumping to minimize gas phase reaction of the precursors from the different processing stations.

18. The method as in claim 16 wherein the purging gas comprises creating a gas curtain between the different processing stations.

19. The method as in claim 16 wherein the processing stations and the isolations are sub-atmospheric.

20. The method as in claim 16 further comprising heating the plurality of workpieces at a plurality of heating stations.

21. The method as in claim 16 wherein the deposition step is one of chemical vapor deposition (CVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), nanolayer deposition (NLD), and sputtering deposition.

22. The method as in claim 16 wherein the treatment is one of thermal annealing, rapid thermal annealing, laser annealing, and plasma exposure.

23. A method of sequentially processing a plurality of workpieces, the method comprising:

determining for the plurality of workpieces a sequential processing cycle including at least a thin film deposition step in a deposition station and a thin film etching step in an etching station, said different processing stations arranged in a closed-loop path within an enclosed chamber;

processing the workpieces sequentially at each of the different processing stations, wherein a workpiece conveyor supports the workpieces during processing and transports the workpieces between the different processing stations;

isolating the different processing stations with an isolation station positioned between the different processing stations, the isolating step comprising purging with a non-reactive gas between the different processing stations

wherein the purging non-reactive gas is introduced through an introduction port located between two exhaust pumping stations, said exhaust pumping stations exhausting the precursors from the different processing stations through exhaust ports and

wherein the introduction port of the isolation station protrudes closer to a plane that contains the workpiece than the exhaust ports to restrict the communication between the different processing stations to minimize gas phase reaction of the precursors from the different processing stations; and

repeating the processing and isolating steps until a desired film is on the workpieces.

24. The method as in claim 23 wherein the etching step is one of metal etching, oxide etching, atomic layer etching, and plasma etching.

25. The method as in claim 23 wherein the isolating step further comprises pumping to minimize gas phase reaction of the precursors from the different processing stations.

26. The method as in claim 23 wherein the purging gas comprises creating a gas curtain between the different processing stations.

27. The method as in claim 23 wherein the processing stations and the isolations are sub-atmospheric.