Photo-assisted method for semiconductor fabrication
First Claim
1. A method of fabricating a semiconductor device, comprising:
- providing a substrate within a processing chamber;
forming a first layer over the substrate by generating an activated species in a remote plasma activation region and transferring said activated species from said remote plasma activation region through a conduit to said processing chamber, said activated species being maintained in an activated state by an array of photo-energy generators along at least a portion of said conduit; and
forming at least one second layer over said first layer by remotely generating said activated species and transferring said activated species to said processing chamber while maintaining its activated state.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a processing system comprising a remote plasma activation region for formation of active gas species, a transparent transfer tube coupled between the remote activation region and a semiconductor processing chamber, and a source of photo-energy for maintaining activation of the active species or providing photo-energy for a non-plasma species during transfer through the transparent tube to the processing chamber. The source of photo-energy preferably includes an array of UV lamps. Additional UV lamps may also be used to further sustain active species and assist processes by providing additional in-situ energy through a transparent window of the processing chamber. The system can be utilized for processes such as layer-by-layer annealing and deposition and also removal of contaminants from deposited layers.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method of fabricating a semiconductor device, comprising:
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providing a substrate within a processing chamber; forming a first layer over the substrate by generating an activated species in a remote plasma activation region and transferring said activated species from said remote plasma activation region through a conduit to said processing chamber, said activated species being maintained in an activated state by an array of photo-energy generators along at least a portion of said conduit; and forming at least one second layer over said first layer by remotely generating said activated species and transferring said activated species to said processing chamber while maintaining its activated state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 14)
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9. A method of fabricating a semiconductor device, comprising:
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providing a substrate; forming a layer over said substrate; annealing said first layer within a processing chamber by generating an activated species in a plasma discharge remote from said processing chamber and transferring said activated species through a conduit to said processing chamber, wherein photo-energy generated by an array along said conduit maintains said activated species in an activated state during said transferring; and repeating said forming and annealing steps to form a plurality of said layers of a desired total thickness. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of fabricating a semiconductor device, comprising:
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providing a substrate within a processing chamber; generating a first activated species in a plasma chamber at a remote location from said processing chamber; transferring said first activated species from said plasma chamber through a conduit to said processing chamber, said conduit having a length and being provided with an array of photo-energy generators along at least a portion of said length, wherein photo-energy generated by said array maintains said first activated species in an activated state during said transferring; depositing said first activated species over said substrate to form a first layer; generating a second activated species in said plasma chamber; transferring said second activated species from said plasma chamber through said conduit to said processing chamber, wherein said array maintains said second activated species in an activated state during said transferring; annealing said first layer in the presence of said second activated species; and repeating said depositing and annealing steps to form and anneal a second layer comprising a plurality of said first layers. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of forming a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
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forming a material layer over a substrate within a processing chamber, wherein said act of forming said material layer comprises exposing said substrate to a first precursor; and reacting said first precursor with a second precursor, wherein at least one of said first and said second precursors is in the form of a plasma and both said first and second precursors are energized by photo-energy during transport to said processing chamber, only one of said first and second precursors being present at a time in said processing chamber in gas form and said plasma being formed prior to said energizing by photo-energy during transport to said processing chamber. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of forming a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
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providing a substrate within a processing chamber; forming a first material layer over said substrate by exposing said substrate to a first precursor and at least one second precursor, wherein said first precursor is in the form of a plasma and both said first and at least one second precursors are energized by photo-energy during transport to said processing chamber, said plasma being formed prior to said energizing by photo-energy during transport to said processing chamber; and repeating said forming step to form at least one second material layer over said first material layer. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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28. A method of forming a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
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providing a substrate within a processing chamber; energizing a first and at least a second precursor by photo-energy during transport to said processing chamber, wherein at least one of said first and said second precursors is in the form of a plasma during said energizing; forming a first material layer over said substrate by exposing said substrate to said first and at least second precursors; and repeating said forming step to form at least a second material layer over said first material layer. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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Specification