Apparatuses and methods for atomic layer deposition

• US 8,291,857 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2009
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Lam, Hyman, Zheng, Bo, Ai, Hua, Jackson, Michael, Yuan, Xiaoxiong (John), Wang, Hou Gong, Umotoy, Salvador P., Yu, Sang Ho
• Primary Examiner(s): Zervigon, Rudy
• Application Number:
  US12/494,901
• Publication Number:
  US 20100003406A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,211 Days
• Field of Search: 118/723.ME, 118/715, 156/345.35, 156/345.33, 156/345.34
• US Class Current: 118/723.ME
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4412 Details relating to the exhausts, e.g. pumps, filters, scrubbers, particle traps
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45536 Use of plasma, radiation or electromagnetic fields
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45544 characterized by the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45565 Shower nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4558 Perforated rings
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32449 Gas control, e.g. control of the gas flow
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87265 Dividing into parallel flow paths with recombining

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide apparatuses and methods for atomic layer deposition (ALD), such as plasma-enhanced ALD (PE-ALD). In some embodiments, a PE-ALD chamber is provided which includes a chamber lid assembly coupled with a chamber body having a substrate support therein. In one embodiment, the chamber lid assembly has an inlet manifold assembly containing an annular channel encompassing a centralized channel, wherein the centralized channel extends through the inlet manifold assembly, and the inlet manifold assembly further contains injection holes extending from the annular channel, through a sidewall of the centralized channel, and to the centralized channel. The chamber lid assembly further contains a showerhead assembly disposed below the inlet manifold assembly, a water box disposed between the inlet manifold assembly and the showerhead assembly, and a remote plasma system (RPS) disposed above and coupled with the inlet manifold assembly, and in fluid communication with the centralized channel.

Claims

1. A chamber for plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition processes, comprising:

a substrate support containing a substrate receiving surface and disposed within a chamber body;

a chamber lid assembly coupled with the chamber body and comprising;

an inlet manifold assembly comprising an annular channel encompassing a centralized channel, wherein the centralized channel extends through the inlet manifold assembly, the inlet manifold assembly further comprises injection holes extending from the annular channel, through a sidewall of the centralized channel, and into the centralized channel;

a showerhead assembly comprising a showerhead plate disposed below the inlet manifold assembly;

a water box disposed between the inlet manifold assembly and the showerhead assembly; and

a remote plasma system disposed above and coupled with the inlet manifold assembly, and in fluid communication with the centralized channel; and

a processing region disposed between the substrate receiving surface and a lower surface of the showerhead plate.

2. The chamber of claim 1, wherein the injection holes comprise a first plurality of injection holes extending towards or substantially towards a central axis of the centralized channel.

3. The chamber of claim 2, wherein the first plurality of injection holes contains three or more injection holes.

4. The chamber of claim 2, wherein the injection holes comprise a second plurality of injection holes extending tangential or substantially tangential towards the sidewall of the centralized channel.

5. The chamber of claim 4, wherein the second plurality of injection holes are disposed along the sidewall of the centralized channel and between the first plurality of injection holes and the showerhead assembly.

6. The chamber of claim 2, wherein the injection holes comprise a second plurality of injection holes extending at a different angle than the first plurality of holes.

7. The chamber of claim 6, wherein the first plurality of injection holes contains three or more injection holes and the second plurality of injection holes contains three or more injection holes.

8. The chamber of claim 1, wherein each injection hole has a diameter within a range from about 0.06 inches to about 0.12 inches.

9. The chamber of claim 1, wherein the inlet manifold assembly comprises aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

10. The chamber of claim 9, wherein the inlet manifold assembly comprises an aluminum alloy, and the aluminum alloy further comprises magnesium and silicon.

11. The chamber of claim 1, further comprising a gas manifold assembly coupled with and in fluid communication with the inlet manifold assembly.

12. The chamber of claim 11, wherein the gas manifold assembly comprises a first conduit coupled with and in fluid communication with the annular channel.

13. The chamber of claim 12, wherein a valve assembly is coupled with and in fluid communication with the first conduit, and the valve assembly comprises a mass flow controller to enable an atomic layer deposition process.

14. The chamber of claim 12, wherein the gas manifold assembly comprises a second conduit coupled with and in fluid communication with the annular channel.

15. The chamber of claim 12, wherein the gas manifold assembly comprises a second conduit coupled with and in fluid communication with the remote plasma system.

16. The chamber of claim 1, wherein the remote plasma system is disposed at the upper end of the centralized channel and the showerhead assembly is disposed at the lower end of the centralized channel.