Semiconductor processing reactor and components thereof

• US 9,394,608 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2010
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V. (ASM International NV)
• Original Assignee: ASM America Incorporated (ASM International NV)
• Inventors: Shero, Eric, Verghese, Mohith E., White, Carl L., Terhorst, Herbert, Maurice, Dan
• Primary Examiner(s): Lund, Jeffrie R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yu, Yuechuan
• Application Number:
  US12/754,223
• Publication Number:
  US 20100307415A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,297 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45502 Flow conditions in reaction chamber
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45504 Laminar flow
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45525 Atomic layer deposition [ALD]
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45544 characterized by the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45561 Gas plumbing upstream of the reaction chamber
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45591 Fixed means, e.g. wings, baffles
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0228 deposition by cyclic CVD, e.g. ALD, ALE, pulsed CVD
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/85938 Non-valved flow dividers

Abstract

A reactor having a housing that encloses a gas delivery system operatively connected to a reaction chamber and an exhaust assembly. The gas delivery system includes a plurality of gas lines for providing at least one process gas to the reaction chamber. The gas delivery system further includes a mixer for receiving the at least one process gas. The mixer is operatively connected to a diffuser that is configured to diffuse process gases. The diffuser is attached directly to an upper surface of the reaction chamber, thereby forming a diffuser volume therebetween. The diffuser includes at least one distribution surface that is configured to provide a flow restriction to the process gases as they pass through the diffuser volume before being introduced into the reaction chamber.

Claims

1. A gas delivery system for delivering at least one process gas to a reaction chamber, the gas delivery system comprising:

a diffuser in fluid communication with said reaction chamber, said diffuser being attached directly to an upper surface of said reaction chamber, wherein a diffuser volume for distributing said at least one process gas is defined between said diffuser and said upper surface of said reaction chamber, and wherein said reaction chamber comprises opposing side edges and a centerline, wherein said diffuser comprises a plurality of distribution surfaces, a deflecting surface, a first curved side surface, a second curved side surface, and a third curved side surface, wherein the third curved side surface comprises a curve in a lateral direction, and

wherein said diffuser comprises an increasing lateral width between the first curved side surface and the second curved side surface, wherein a first and a second distribution surface of the plurality of distribution surfaces are sloped downwards at different angles relative to the upper surface, wherein a third distribution surface of the plurality of distribution surfaces is sloped in a lateral direction with respect to a main flow direction along the centerline to cause the at least one process gas to become distributed laterally between the first curved side surface and the second curved side surface prior to the at least one process gas contacting the deflecting surface, and

wherein said upper surface comprises a curved inlet slot substantially corresponding to said third curved side surface, wherein gas flow velocities exiting the inlet slot are higher near the opposing side edges relative to a lower gas flow velocity near the centerline.

2. The gas delivery system of claim 1, wherein at least one distribution surface of the plurality of distribution surfaces is configured to restrict flow of said at least one process gas such that the at least one distribution surface reduces flow near a central axis of the diffuser and relative to flow at a lateral distance away from the centerline of the diffuser.

3. The gas delivery system of claim 2, wherein at least a portion of said at least one distribution surface is spaced a first distance away from said upper surface of said reaction chamber and another portion of said at least one distribution surface is spaced a second distance away from said upper surface of said reaction chamber.

4. The gas delivery system of claim 3, wherein said second distance is greater than said first distance.

5. The gas delivery system of claim 3, wherein said first distance is less than said second distance, and said first distance is measured between a centerline of said at least one distribution surface and said upper surface of said reaction chamber.

6. The gas delivery system of claim 5, wherein said first distance is between about 2.0 mm and 2.5 mm.

7. The gas delivery system of claim 6, wherein said first distance is about 2.24 mm.

8. The gas delivery system of claim 5, wherein said second distance is between about 3.5 mm and 4.8 mm.

9. The gas delivery system of claim 8, wherein said second distance is about 4.0 mm.

10. The gas delivery system of claim 1, wherein said first curved side surface comprises a first curvature and an adjacent second curvature, wherein said first curvature is different than said second curvature.

11. The gas delivery system of claim 1, wherein said diffuser comprises the first distribution surface, the second distribution surface, and the third distribution surface, wherein said first, second, and third distribution surfaces and the deflecting surface extend laterally between the first curved side surface and the second curved side surface, and wherein said first and second curved side surfaces extend between said first, second, and third distribution surfaces and the deflecting surface and a mounting surface.

12. The gas delivery system of claim 1, wherein said diffuser comprises the deflecting surface adjacent one of the plurality of distribution surfaces.

13. The gas delivery system of claim 1, wherein a shape of the first and second curved side surface is designed to reduce recirculation of process gasses.

14. The gas delivery system of claim 1, wherein said diffuser is fan-shaped.

15. The gas delivery system of claim 1, wherein said diffuser comprises a plurality of distribution surfaces.