Ion implanter with etch prevention member(s)

• US 7,560,712 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2007
• Issued: 07/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Sung-Wook, Huh, No-Hyun, Lee, Tae-Won, Yoon, Young-Ha, Yun, Ki-Young, Kim, Il-Kyoung, Lee, Won-Soon, Im, Tae-Sub
• Primary Examiner(s): Wells; Nikita
• Application Number:
  US11/845,187
• Publication Number:
  US 20080054194A1
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• Field of Search: 250/492.21, 250/492.2, 250/492.3, 156/345.39, 438/513
• US Class Current: 250/492.21
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32082 Radio frequency generated discharge H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394 and H01J37/32403 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32412 Plasma immersion ion implantation
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32495 Means for protecting the vessel against plasma

Abstract

An apparatus and method of doping ions into a substrate are disclosed and include a process chamber having an inner space in which an ion implantation process is performed, a support unit positioned in the process chamber, supporting a substrate and being electrically connected to a first power source for generating a high frequency pulse, a conductive unit separated from the support unit in such a manner that plasma associated with the ion implantation process is generated between the support unit and the conductive unit, wherein the conductive unit comprises a first etch prevention member preventing the conductive unit from being etched by a source gas used to generate the plasma, and a power port electrically connected to a second power source and generating radio frequency (RF) power applied to the conductive unit.

Claims

1. An apparatus for doping ions into a substrate, comprising:

a process chamber having an inner space in which an ion implantation process is performed;

a support unit positioned in the process chamber, supporting a substrate and being electrically connected to a first power source for generating a high frequency pulse;

a conductive unit separated from the support unit in such a manner that plasma associated with the ion implantation process is generated between the support unit and the conductive unit, wherein the conductive unit comprises a first etch prevention member preventing the conductive unit from being etched by a source gas used to generate the plasma; and

a power port electrically connected to a second power source and generating radio frequency (RF) power applied to the conductive unit.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conductive unit is formed from aluminum (Al) and is electrically grounded through the process chamber, such that secondary ions generated during the ion implantation process are discharged into the process chamber through the conductive unit.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first etch prevention member comprises at least one of a silicon plate, a silicon plate comprising a silicon-based material and conductive particles, and a silicon plate comprising a silicon-based material and aluminum particles formed on a surface of the conductive unit.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first etch prevention member comprises at least one of a silicon layer, a diamond-like carbon (DLC) layer, and a graphite layer formed on a surface of the conductive unit.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power port is formed from aluminum oxide and comprises a second etch prevention member preventing the power port from being etched by the source gas.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the second etch prevention member comprises a liner associated with the power port, the liner being from at least one material including silicon, quartz, and aluminum nitride.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the liner comprises quartz and has a dielectric constant substantially the same as the power port.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the second etch prevention member comprises a thin layer formed from at least one of yttrium oxide, pour-free aluminum oxide, and silicon.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the process chamber is formed from aluminum, and further comprises a third etch prevention member preventing the process chamber from being etched by the source gas.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the third etch prevention member comprises a liner associated with the process chamber and a thin layer formed on the liner.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the liner comprises aluminum, and the thin layer comprises at least one of silicon, yttrium oxide, and an anodized oxide.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the liner comprises polyimide.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the support unit comprises a platen on which the substrate is positioned and a platen bushing isolating the platen from the source gas and securing the platen to the process chamber.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the platen bushing is formed from aluminum oxide and further comprises a fourth etch prevention member preventing the platen bushing from being etched by the source gas.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the fourth etch prevention member comprises a quartz liner associated with the platen bushing.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the fourth etch prevention member comprises a diamond-like carbon (DLC) layer formed on a surface of the platen bushing.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the source gas comprises a fluorine-based gas.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the fluorine-based gas includes boron fluoride gas.

19. An apparatus for doping ions into a substrate, comprising:

a process chamber having an inner space in which an ion implantation process is performed and comprising a first etch prevention member preventing the process chamber from being etched by a source gas associated with the ion implantation process;

a support unit positioned in the process chamber, supporting a substrate, and being electrically connected to a first power source for generating a high frequency pulse;

a conductive unit separated from the support unit across the inner space and comprising a second etch prevention member preventing the conductive unit from being etched by the source gas; and

a power port electrically connected to a second power source generating RF power applied to the conductive unit and comprising a third etch prevention member preventing the power port from being etched by the source gas.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the process chamber is formed from aluminum (Al), and the first etch prevention member comprises a liner associated with the process chamber and a thin layer formed on a surface of the liner.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the liner comprises aluminum, and the thin layer comprises at least one of silicon, yttrium oxide, and an anodized oxide.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the conductive unit is formed from aluminum (Al) and is electrically grounded through the process chamber, such that secondary ions generated during the ion implantation process are discharged into the process chamber through the conductive unit.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the second etch prevention member comprises a silicon plate formed on a surface of the conductive unit, wherein the silicon plate comprises a silicon-based material and conductive particles.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the third etch prevention member comprises a quartz liner having a dielectric constant substantially the same as the power port.

25. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the support unit comprises a platen on which the substrate is positioned and a platen bushing isolating the platen from the source gas and securing the platen to the process chamber.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the platen bushing is formed from aluminum oxide and further comprises a fourth etch prevention member preventing the platen bushing from being etched by the source gas.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the fourth etch prevention member comprises a quartz liner.

28. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the source gas includes a fluorine-based gas.

29. A method of doping ions into a substrate, comprising:

preparing a process chamber having an inner space in which a doping process is performed, the process chamber including a conductive unit having a first etch prevention member and electrically connected to a first power source for generating radio frequency (RF) power, and a support unit having a second etch prevention member at a peripheral portion thereof and electrically connected to a second power source for generating a high frequency pulse, the process chamber having a third etch prevention member along a body wall that defines the inner space therein;

loading the substrate onto the support unit;

introducing a source gas into the inner space of the process chamber;

applying the RF power to the conductive unit and the high frequency pulse to the support unit, so that the source gas is transformed into plasma and doped into the substrate without an etching against the body wall of the process chamber, the conductive unit and the support unit.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the body wall of the process chamber further includes a power port that is electrically connected to the first power source and has a fourth etch prevention member, so that the power port is prevented from being etched in a doping process.

31. The method of claim 29, before loading the substrate, further comprising forming the inner space of the process chamber to be vacuous by discharging gas and byproducts in the process chamber through an exhaust unit.