Plasma treating apparatus, substrate treating method, and method of manufacturing a semiconductor device

• US 9,362,137 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2015
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kang, Sungho, Lee, Sunyoung, Lee, Jaehee, Lee, Han Ki, Choi, Geunkyu
• Primary Examiner(s): Oh, Jaehwan
• Application Number:
  US14/693,873
• Publication Number:
  US 20160049312A1
• Time in Patent Office: 411 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/332 Coating
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/334 Etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/335 Cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32192 Microwave generated discharge H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394, H01J37/32403 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3244 Gas supply means
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32853 Hygiene
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0262 Reduction or decomposition of gaseous compounds, e.g. CVD
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/302 to change their surface-physical characteristics or shape, e.g. etching, polishing, cutting
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31058 of organic layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/324 Thermal treatment for modifying the properties of semiconductor bodies, e.g. annealing, sintering H01L21/20 - H01L21/288 and H01L21/302 - H01L21/322 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/3247 for altering the shape, e.g. smoothing the surface

Abstract

A substrate treating method may be performed by a plasma treating apparatus. The substrate treating method may include: providing a substrate on a platform in a lower portion of an inner space of a process chamber; directing a first process gas upward from a first nozzle formed at an inner wall of the process chamber into an upper portion of the inner space, the first process gas being an inert gas and wherein the first nozzle is an obliquely upward-oriented nozzle structured to direct the first process gas upward; directing a second process gas downward from a second nozzle formed at a inner wall of the process chamber into a lower portion of the inner space, the second process gas being hydrogen gas and wherein the second nozzle is an obliquely downward-oriented nozzle structured to direct the second process gas downward; and applying a microwave to the upper portion of the inner space to excite the first process gas and the second process gas into plasma, and then processing the substrate.

Claims

1. A substrate treating method comprising:

providing a substrate on a platform in a lower portion of an inner space of a process chamber;

directing a first process gas upward from a first nozzle formed at an inner wall of the process chamber into an upper portion of the inner space, the first process gas being an inert gas and wherein the first nozzle is an obliquely upward-oriented nozzle structured to direct the first process gas upward;

directing a second process gas downward from a second nozzle formed at a inner wall of the process chamber into a lower portion of the inner space, the second process gas being hydrogen gas and wherein the second nozzle is an obliquely downward-oriented nozzle structured to direct the second process gas downward; and

applying a microwave to the upper portion of the inner space to excite the first process gas and the second process gas into plasma, and then processing the substrate.

2. The substrate treating method of claim 1, wherein the first nozzle is disposed under the second nozzle such that the first process gas and the second process gas proceed so as to intersect with each other.

3. The substrate treating method of claim 1, wherein the first nozzle has a ring shape, and the second nozzle has a ring shape.

4. The substrate treating method of claim 1, wherein the first nozzle sprays the first process gas through first spray parts that have a hole shape and are directed toward the inner space;

and the second nozzle sprays the second process gas through second spray parts that have a hole shape and are directed toward the inner space.

5. The substrate treating method of claim 4, wherein the first spray parts and the second spray parts are arranged so as not to overlap each other.

6. The substrate treating method of claim 1, wherein a process performed in the inner space is an annealing process, a depositing process, an ashing process, an etching process, or a washing process.

7. The substrate treating method of claim 1, wherein the first nozzle is formed of the inner wall of the process chamber, and the second nozzle is formed of the inner wall of the process chamber.

8. A method comprising:

placing a substrate on a platform in an inner space of a process chamber;

directing a first process gas upward from an inner wall of the process chamber into an upper portion of the inner space, the first process gas being an inert gas and the inner wall being structured to direct the first process gas obliquely upward;

directing a second process gas downward from the inner wall of the process chamber into a lower portion of the inner space where the substrate is located, the second process gas being hydrogen gas and the inner wall being structured to direct the second process gas obliquely downward;

applying a microwave to the upper portion of the inner space to excite the first process gas and the second process gas into plasma; and

processing the substrate in the plasma environment.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the inner wall of the process chamber includes a first nozzle oriented obliquely upward to direct the first gas upward from the inner wall of the process chamber; and

the inner wall of the process chamber includes a second nozzle oriented obliquely downward to direct the second gas downward from the inner wall of the process chamber.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first nozzle comprises a first opening in the inner wall of the process chamber, and the second nozzle comprises a second opening in the inner wall of the process chamber.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the first nozzle is vertically below the second nozzle.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the first nozzle is vertically above the second nozzle.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the first nozzle and second nozzle each include a plurality of outlets on the inner wall of the process chamber.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the plurality of outlets of the first nozzle are at the same height as the plurality of outlets of the second nozzle.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the outlets of the first nozzle are alternatingly arranged with the outlets of the second nozzle.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of outlets of at least one of the first nozzle or the second nozzle are formed from holes in the inner wall of the process chamber that are sideways-obliquely oriented.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

directing at least one of the first process gas and the second process gas obliquely-sideways in a spiral manner.

18. The method of claim 8, wherein processing the substrate includes one of an annealing process, a depositing process, an ashing process, an etching process, and a washing process.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising forming a semiconductor device from the substrate.