Reconfigurable multi-zone gas delivery hardware for substrate processing showerheads

• US 9,540,731 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2010
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Noorbakhsh, Hamid, Carducci, James D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lund, Jeffrie R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yu, Yuechuan
• Application Number:
  US12/899,062
• Publication Number:
  US 20110162800A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,288 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45565 Shower nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32091 the radio frequency energy being capacitively coupled to the plasma
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3244 Gas supply means
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32449 Gas control, e.g. control of the gas flow
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49716 Converting

Abstract

Reconfigurable showerheads used in process chambers for substrate processing are provided herein. In some embodiments, a reconfigurable showerhead may include a body having one or more plenums disposed therein; and one or more inserts configured to be disposed within the one or more plenums, wherein the one or more inserts divide the reconfigurable showerhead into a plurality of zones. In some embodiments, a substrate processing system may include a process chamber having a reconfigurable showerhead coupled to a gas supply for providing one or more process gases to the process chamber, the reconfigurable showerhead including a body having one or more plenums disposed therein and one or more inserts configured to be disposed within the one or more plenums, wherein the one or more inserts divide the reconfigurable showerhead into a plurality of zones.

Claims

1. A reconfigurable showerhead, comprising:

a body having one or more annular plenums disposed therein and a plurality of passageways disposed outside of the one or more annular plenums and coupled to each plenum of the one or more annular plenums to allow gas to flow into the one or more annular plenums from each passageway, wherein each of the one or more annular plenums is coupled to a substrate-facing side of the body by a plurality of conduits disposed through the body; and

one or more annular inserts configured to be removably disposed within the one or more annular plenums, wherein at least one of the one or more annular inserts is configured to change the number of conduits coupled to a given passageway, wherein the one or more annular inserts comprise one or more flow paths formed therein to allow a flow of gas therethrough, wherein each of the one or more flow paths spread recursively from an inlet to a plurality of outlets within the one or more annular plenums via a plurality of passages, and wherein the one or more flow paths extend from an upper surface of each of the one or more annular inserts to a substrate-facing surface of the one or more annular inserts.

2. The reconfigurable showerhead of claim 1, wherein the body comprises a first plate removably coupled to a second plate, and wherein at least one of the first plate and second plate comprise one or more recesses formed therein to form the one or more annular plenums between the first plate and the second plate when the first plate and the second plate are coupled together.

3. The reconfigurable showerhead of claim 1, further comprising:

a faceplate disposed adjacent to the substrate-facing side of the body, wherein the faceplate comprises a plurality of holes corresponding to the plurality of conduits formed therein.

4. The reconfigurable showerhead of claim 3, further comprising:

a recess formed in at least one of the faceplate or the substrate-facing side of the body, wherein the recess is coupled between one conduit of the plurality of conduits and at least one of the plurality of holes.

5. The reconfigurable showerhead of claim 1, wherein the one or more annular inserts further comprise a body and a cap, wherein a first portion of the one or more flow paths is formed in the body and a second portion of the one or more flow paths is formed in the cap.

6. The reconfigurable showerhead of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more seals disposed between the one or more annular inserts and walls of the one or more annular plenums to split the one or more annular plenums into two or more zones, wherein each of the two or more zones includes at least one of the one or more flow paths.

7. The reconfigurable showerhead of claim 1, wherein the plurality of passages each have a substantially equal fluid conductance.

8. The reconfigurable showerhead of claim 1, wherein the plurality of passages each have a substantially equal flow length.

9. The reconfigurable showerhead of claim 1, wherein the plurality of passages each have a substantially equal cross-sectional area along an equivalent position there along.

10. The reconfigurable showerhead of claim 1, wherein the one or more annular inserts comprises a plurality of inserts, and wherein at least a first insert of the plurality of inserts is different than at least a second insert of the plurality of inserts such that the first insert reversibly divides the reconfigurable showerhead into a first plurality of zones when removably inserted in the plenum, and the second insert reversibly divides the reconfigurable showerhead into a second plurality of zones different than the first plurality of zones when the first insert is replaced with the second insert.

11. The reconfigurable showerhead of claim 1, wherein the body includes a plurality of passageways to provide one or more process gases to each of the one or more annular plenums.

12. A substrate processing system, comprising:

a process chamber having a reconfigurable showerhead coupled to a gas supply for providing one or more process gases to the process chamber, the reconfigurable showerhead comprising a body having a plurality of annular plenums disposed therein and a plurality of passageways disposed outside each of the plurality of annular plenums and fluidly coupled to the gas supply at a first end and to each plenum of the plurality of annular plenums at an opposite end to allow gas to flow into the plurality of annular plenums from each passageway, wherein each of the plurality of annular plenums is coupled to a substrate-facing side of the body by a plurality of conduits disposed through the body, and a plurality of annular inserts removably disposed within the plurality of annular plenums, wherein the plurality of annular inserts are configured to change the number of conduits coupled to a given passageway, wherein the plurality of annular inserts each comprise one or more flow paths formed therein to allow a flow of gas therethrough, and wherein the one or more flow paths extend from an upper surface of each of the plurality of annular inserts to a substrate-facing surface of the plurality of annular inserts.

13. The substrate processing system of claim 12, wherein the body comprises a first plate removably coupled to a second plate, and wherein at least one of the first plate and second plate comprise a plurality of recesses formed therein to form the plurality of annular plenums between the first plate and the second plate when the first plate and the second plate are coupled together.

14. The substrate processing system of claim 12, wherein each of the one or more flow paths spread recursively from an inlet to a plurality of outlets within the plurality of annular plenums via a plurality of passages.

15. The substrate processing system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of annular inserts divide the plurality of conduits into at least two smaller subsets of conduits.

16. A reconfigurable showerhead, comprising:

a body having a plurality of passageways and one or more annular plenums disposed therein, wherein the plurality of passageways are disposed outside of the one or more annular plenums, wherein each of the one or more annular plenums are coupled to a substrate-facing side of the body by a plurality of conduits disposed through the body, and wherein at least two of the plurality of passageways are coupled to at least one plenum of the one or more annular plenums to allow gas to flow into the at least one plenum from each of the at least two of the plurality of passageways; and

one or more annular inserts configured to be removably disposed within the one or more annular plenums, wherein the one or more annular inserts are configured to change the number of conduits coupled to a given passageway, wherein the one or more annular inserts comprise one or more flow paths formed therein to allow a flow of gas therethrough, and wherein the one or more flow paths extend from an upper surface of each of the one or more annular inserts to a substrate-facing surface of the one or more annular inserts.