Plasma chamber having an upper electrode having controllable valves and a method of using the same

• US 9,840,778 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2012
• Issued: 12/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Su, Yen-Shuo, Xiao, Ying, Lin, Chin-Hsiang
• Primary Examiner(s): Lund, Jeffrie R
• Application Number:
  US13/486,374
• Publication Number:
  US 20130319612A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,020 Days
• Field of Search: 118715
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45561 Gas plumbing upstream of the reaction chamber
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45563 Gas nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45565 Shower nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/50 using electric discharges generation and control of plasma in discharge tubes for surface treatment H01J37/32, H01J37/34
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/52 Controlling or regulating the coating process C23C16/45557, C23C16/279 take precedence
• 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: H01J 37/32532 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32899 Multiple chambers, e.g. cluster tools

Abstract

This description relates to a plasma treatment apparatus including a vapor chamber, a gas supply and an upper electrode assembly. The upper electrode assembly includes a gas distribution plate having a plurality of holes in a bottom surface thereof and an upper electrode having at least one gas nozzle and at least one controllable valve connected to the at least one gas nozzle. The plasma treatment apparatus further includes a controller configured to generate a control signal. The at least one controllable valve is configured to be adjusted based on the control signal. A control system and a method of controlling a controllable valve are also described.

Claims

1. A plasma treatment apparatus comprising:

a vapor chamber;

an upper electrode assembly comprising;

a gas distribution plate having a plurality of holes in a bottom surface thereof; and

an upper electrode having at least one gas nozzle and at least one controllable valve connected to the at least one gas nozzle for controlling a flow of gas from a gas supply to the holes via the at least one gas nozzle, the at least one gas nozzle is an adjustable nozzle, and the at least one gas nozzle is separated from the gas distribution plate by a gap;

a measurement device configured to measure a thickness profile of a wafer; and

a controller configured to generate a control signal for processing a subsequent wafer based on the measured thickness profile,

wherein the at least one controllable valve is configured to be adjusted based on the control signal.

2. The plasma treatment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the upper electrode has a plurality of gas nozzles, and

each of the plurality of gas nozzles is connected to a corresponding controllable valve.

3. The plasma treatment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of holes are arranged in at least one pattern across the bottom surface of the gas distribution plate.

4. The plasma treatment apparatus of claim 1, when the plurality of holes are arranged in a first pattern proximate a center of the bottom surface of the gas distribution plate and a second pattern surrounding the first pattern, and the first pattern is different from the second pattern.

5. The plasma treatment apparatus of claim 1, further including a wafer support assembly configured to support a wafer within the vapor chamber.

6. The plasma treatment apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a gas inlet; and

a gas chamber connected to the at least one gas nozzle,

wherein the gas inlet is configured to conduct gas from the gas supply to the gas chamber.

7. The plasma treatment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the upper electrode assembly further comprises a gap between the upper electrode and the gas distribution plate.

8. A plasma treatment apparatus comprising:

a wafer treatment device, the wafer treatment device comprising;

a vapor chamber; and

an upper electrode assembly comprising;

a gas distribution plate having a plurality of holes in a bottom surface thereof; and

an upper electrode having at least one gas nozzle and at least one controllable valve connected to the at least one gas nozzle for controlling a flow of gas from a gas supply to the holes via the at least one gas nozzle, the at least one gas nozzle is an adjustable nozzle, and the at least one gas nozzle is separated from the gas distribution plate by a gap; and

a control system connected to the wafer treatment device, the control system comprising;

a measurement device configured to measure a thickness profile of a wafer; and

a controller configured to generate a control signal for processing a subsequent wafer based on the measured thickness profile,

wherein the at least one controllable valve is configured to be adjusted based on the control signal.

9. The plasma treatment apparatus of claim 8, wherein the measurement device is configured to transmit the measured thickness profile to the controller.

10. The plasma treatment apparatus of claim 8, wherein the plurality of holes are arranged in at least one pattern across the bottom surface of the gas distribution plate.

11. The plasma treatment apparatus of claim 8, when the plurality of holes are arranged in a first pattern proximate a center of the bottom surface of the gas distribution plate and a second pattern surrounding the first pattern, and the first pattern and the second pattern are different.

12. The plasma treatment apparatus of claim 8, wherein the upper electrode assembly further comprises a gap between the upper electrode and the gas distribution plate.

13. The plasma treatment apparatus of claim 8, wherein the gas distribution plate is between the vapor chamber and the at least one gas nozzle.

14. The plasma treatment apparatus of claim 8, wherein each hole of the plurality of holes is offset with respect to a discharge port of the at least one gas nozzle.

15. A plasma treatment apparatus comprising:

a vapor chamber;

an upper electrode assembly comprising;

a gas distribution plate having a plurality of holes in a bottom surface thereof; and

an upper electrode having a plurality of gas nozzles and a controllable valve connected to each corresponding gas nozzle of the plurality of gas nozzles for controlling a flow of gas from a gas supply to the holes via each gas nozzle of the plurality of gas nozzles, wherein a discharge direction of at least one gas nozzle of the plurality of gas nozzles is adjustable, and the at least one gas nozzle is separated from the gas distribution plate by a gap;

a measurement device configured to measure a thickness profile of a wafer; and

a controller configured to generate a control signal for processing a subsequent wafer based on the measured thickness profile,

wherein each gas nozzle of the plurality of gas nozzles is configured to be adjusted based on the control signal.

16. The plasma treatment apparatus of claim 15, wherein the plurality of holes in the gas distribution plate are arranged in a regular lattice pattern.

17. The plasma treatment apparatus of claim 15, wherein the plurality of holes in the gas distribution plate are arranged in a radial pattern.

18. The plasma treatment apparatus of claim 15, wherein the plurality of holes in the gas distribution plate are arranged in an inner pattern and an outer pattern different from the inner pattern, and the inner pattern is located closer to a center of the gas distribution plate than the outer pattern.

19. The plasma treatment apparatus of claim 18, wherein the inner pattern is a concentric pattern, and the outer pattern is a radial pattern.

20. The plasma treatment apparatus of claim 15, wherein a spacing between adjacent holes of the plurality of holes is irregular.