Apparatus for etching high aspect ratio features

• US 8,440,049 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2006
• Issued: 05/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Zhou, Xiaoping, Dietz, Jeffrey William
• Primary Examiner(s): Lund, Jeffrie R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chandra, Satish
• Application Number:
  US11/421,208
• Publication Number:
  US 20070256786A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,540 Days
• Field of Search: 118/715, 156/345.34
• US Class Current: 156/345.34
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32477 characterised by the means for protecting vessels or internal parts, e.g. coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02002 Preparing wafers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67069 for drying etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67109 mainly by convection
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67253 Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6831 using electrostatic chucks

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide a method and apparatus, such as a processing chamber, suitable for etching high aspect ratio features. Other embodiments include a showerhead assembly for use in the processing chamber. In one embodiment, a processing chamber includes a chamber body having a showerhead assembly and substrate support disposed therein. The showerhead assembly includes at least two fluidly isolated plenums, a region transmissive to an optical metrology signal, and a plurality of gas passages formed through the showerhead assembly fluidly coupling the plenums to the interior volume of the chamber body.

Claims

1. A showerhead assembly, comprising:

a gas distribution plate having an outer set of gas flow holes, an inner set of gas flow holes, and a set of optical metrology holes;

an upper section coupled to the gas distribution plate and having a first plenum fluidly coupled to the outer set of gas flow holes and a second plenum fluidly coupled to the inner set of gas flow holes, the plenums being fluidly isolated within the upper section, wherein the upper section further comprises;

a base having a stepped recess;

a first plate disposed in the recess;

a second plate disposed in the recess between the first plate and the base; and

a barrier wall disposed between the first and second plates and separating the first and second plenums;

concentric rings of adhesive coupling the gas distribution plate to the upper section, wherein the concentric rings maintaining the gas distribution plate spaced from the upper section to form radially isolated concentric plenums defined between the gas distribution plate and the upper section;

beads of adhesive disposed between the concentric rings of adhesive, wherein gases present between the gas distribution plate, the upper section and a pair of adhesive rings may flow around the beads; and

a ceramic plug disposed within the upper section and having an optically transmissive region having a plurality of passages aligned with the optical metrology holes;

wherein a window disposed through the upper section and aligned with the plug;

and wherein the gas distribution plate covers the stepped recess, and the window is disposed in the stepped recess.

2. The showerhead assembly of claim 1, wherein the window further comprises:

a material transmissive to a signal utilized by an optical monitoring system.

3. The showerhead assembly of claim 1, wherein the window further comprises quartz.

4. The showerhead assembly of claim 1, wherein the gas distribution plate is fabricated from bulk Yttria.

5. The showerhead assembly of claim 1, wherein the optically transmissive region further comprises a plurality of high aspect ratio holes.

6. The showerhead assembly of claim 1, wherein the upper section further comprises:

a plurality of pins spacing the first plate from the second plate.

7. The showerhead assembly of claim 6, wherein the pins are press fit into the first and second plates.

8. The showerhead assembly of claim 6, wherein the first plate comprises a plurality of gas passages, wherein each gas passage further comprises:

an orifice hole disposed between a first bore hole and a second bore hole, wherein bore holes have substantially greater diameter and depth relative to the orifice hole.