Multiple complementary gas distribution assemblies

• US 9,303,318 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2012
• Issued: 04/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Ng, Tuoh-Bin, Melnik, Yuriy, Tuncel, Eda, Chen, Lu, Pang, Lily L, Nguyen, Son T
• Primary Examiner(s): Fristoe, Jr., John K
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ballman, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US13/649,488
• Publication Number:
  US 20130098455A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,272 Days
• Field of Search: 137/561.A, 118/715, 118/720
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/303 Nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4488 by in situ generation of reactive gas by chemical or electrochemical reaction
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45574 Nozzles for more than one gas
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4558 Perforated rings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8593 Systems

Abstract

In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a first gas distribution assembly that includes a first gas passage for introducing a first process gas into a second gas passage that introduces the first process gas into a processing chamber and a second gas distribution assembly that includes a third gas passage for introducing a second process gas into a fourth gas passage that introduces the second process gas into the processing chamber. The first and second gas distribution assemblies are each adapted to be coupled to at least one chamber wall of the processing chamber. The first gas passage is shaped as a first ring positioned within the processing chamber above the second gas passage that is shaped as a second ring positioned within the processing chamber. The gas distribution assemblies may be designed to have complementary characteristic radial film growth rate profiles.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a first gas distribution assembly that includes a first gas passage for introducing a first process gas into a second gas passage that introduces the first process gas into a processing chamber; and

a second gas distribution assembly that includes a third gas passage for introducing a second process gas into a fourth gas passage that introduces the second process gas into the processing chamber, wherein the first and second gas distribution assemblies are each adapted to be coupled to at least one chamber wall of a processing chamber, wherein the second gas passage and the fourth gas passage each include a plurality of orifices to introduce the first and second process gases into the processing chamber, wherein the first gas passage is shaped as a first annular ring within the processing chamber at a first height above the second gas passage that is shaped as a second annular ring for uniform distribution of the first process gas at a different second height within the processing chamber, wherein the third gas passage is positioned within the processing chamber at a third different height below the first height of the first gas passage and above the second height of the second gas passage.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first gas passage is coupled to the second gas passage and the third gas passage is coupled to the fourth gas passage.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first gas distribution assembly has a different number of orifices than the second gas distribution assembly, wherein the first gas distribution assembly has a first set of uniformly distributed orifices with a first orifice diameter and with orifice orientations that direct process gases at an angle of 90 degrees to produce a linear film growth rate profile that is a center-fast film growth profile, wherein the second gas distribution assembly has a second set of uniformly distributed orifices with a second orifice diameter and with four different orifice orientations arranged in a plurality of sequences of orifice orientations.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the orifices of the first gas distribution assembly have different orifice diameters than the orifices of the second gas distribution assembly.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the orifices of the first and second gas distribution assemblies have orifice orientations that direct process gases into the processing chamber at a plurality of different angles.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a third gas distribution assembly that includes a fifth gas passage and a sixth gas passage.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the orifices of first gas distribution assembly have orifice orientations that direct process gases into the processing chamber at an angle that is parallel to a susceptor, and wherein the orifices of the second gas distribution assembly have orifice orientations that direct process gases into the chamber at a plurality of different angles.

8. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein each gas distribution assembly has a radial growth rate profile during process deposition that is dependent on the orifice characteristics of each respective gas distribution assembly'"'"'s orifices.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first gas distribution assembly has a first characteristic radial film growth rate profile having a faster growth rate near a center of the susceptor and the second gas distribution assembly has a second characteristic radial film growth rate profile having a faster growth rate near an edge of the susceptor to complement each other to produce a net uniform radial growth rate profile.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each gas distribution assembly is adapted to be coupled to a chamber wall of the processing chamber.

11. A method comprising:

introducing a first process gas into a first sidewall gas distribution assembly that includes a first gas passage and a second gas passage; and

introducing a second process gas into a second sidewall gas distribution assembly that includes a third gas passage and a fourth gas passage, wherein the first and second sidewall gas distribution assemblies are each adapted to be coupled to at least one chamber wall of a processing chamber, wherein the second gas passage and the fourth gas passage each include a plurality of orifices to introduce the first and second process gases respectively into the processing chamber, wherein the first sidewall gas distribution assembly has a first characteristic radial film growth rate profile having a faster growth rate near a center of a susceptor of the processing chamber and the second sidewall gas distribution assembly has a second characteristic radial film growth rate profile having a faster growth rate near an edge of the susceptor to complement each other to produce a net uniform radial growth rate profile.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first sidewall gas distribution assembly introduces the first process gas into the processing chamber followed subsequently by the second sidewall gas distribution assembly introducing the second process gas into the processing chamber.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the first and second sidewall gas distribution assemblies introduce process gases into the chamber simultaneously.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the first process gas comprises a reactive gas and the second process gas comprises an inert gas.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the first characteristic radial film growth rate profile across the susceptor of the processing chamber is dependent on the first gas distribution assembly'"'"'s orifice characteristics.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising rotating the susceptor during processing, wherein the resultant growth rate profiles of each gas distribution assembly have some radial symmetry and wherein the growth rate profiles of each gas distribution assembly complement each other to produce a net uniform growth rate profile across the susceptor.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

a first sidewall gas distribution assembly that includes a first plurality of orifices to introduce one or more process gases into a processing chamber; and

a second sidewall gas distribution assembly that includes a second plurality of orifices to introduce one or more process gases into the processing chamber, wherein the first and second gas distribution assemblies are each adapted to be coupled to at least one chamber wall of the processing chamber, wherein the first sidewall gas distribution assembly has a first characteristic radial film growth rate profile having a faster growth rate near a center of a susceptor of the processing chamber and the second sidewall gas distribution assembly has a second characteristic radial film growth rate profile having a faster growth rate near an edge of the susceptor to complement each other to produce a net uniform radial growth rate profile.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first plurality of orifices of the first sidewall gas distribution assembly has a different number of orifices than the second plurality of orifices of the second sidewall gas distribution assembly.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first characteristic radial film growth rate profile during process deposition is dependent on the first gas distribution assembly'"'"'s orifice characteristics.