Apparatus and method for use in manufacturing a semiconductor device

• US 6,576,063 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2001
• Issued: 06/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kokusai Electric Corp.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Incorporated (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Tsutomu, Toyoda, Kazuyuki, Shima, Nobuhito, Sakai, Masanori, Kasahara, Osamu, Sueyoshi, Mamoru
• Primary Examiner(s): GHYKA, ALEXANDER G
• Application Number:
  US09/768,663
• Publication Number:
  US 20010029112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 867 Days
• Field of Search: 118/723.MW, 118/719, 118/723.MA, 438/758, 438/685, 438/680, 438/681
• US Class Current: 118/719
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/452 by activating reactive gas streams before their introduction into the reaction chamber, e.g. by ionisation or addition of reactive species
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45563 Gas nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/56 After-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32357 Generation remote from the workpiece, e.g. down-stream
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67069 for drying etching

Abstract

An apparatus for use in manufacturing a semiconductor device allows one or more substrates treated substantially free of the metal particles released from the chamber wall and the high energy particles emitted from the plasma and also allows them to uniformly heated to a relatively high temperature. The apparatus comprises a reaction chamber wherein one or more substrates to be treated are disposed, a plasma source arranged outside of and in proximity to the reaction chamber, an active species supply port for providing active species generated by the plasma source to the reaction chamber and arranged at a side of the reaction chamber and an exhaust port provided at the opposite side to the active species supply port. The active species flows parallel to the surfaces of the substrates.

Claims

1. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, comprising:

a reaction chamber in which one or more substrates to be processed are disposed;

a plasma source arranged outside of and in proximity to the reaction chamber;

an active species supply port for providing active species generated by the plasma source to the reaction chamber and arranged at a side of the reaction chamber; and

an exhaust port provided at a substantially opposite side to the active species supply port,

wherein the substrates are disposed between the active species supply port and the exhaust port and the active species flow substantially parallel to the surfaces of the substrates and

wherein two or more substrates are simultaneously processed in the reaction chamber.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a first active species flow is generated by the active species supply port and the exhaust port, and the apparatus further comprising another active species supply port and another exhaust port arranged to generate a second active species flow having a flow direction opposite to that of the first active species flow, wherein the first and second active species flows are alternated a predetermined number of times during processing the substrates.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substrates are spaced apart from the plasma source at a distance where the concentration of the active species on surfaces of the substrates becomes substantially constant.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reaction chamber is heated by a hot-wall type method.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the active species supply port has an opening of a slit-shape elongated along a direction substantially parallel to the surfaces of the substrates or a plurality of holes formed along the direction.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reaction chamber includes two openings for introducing and removing the active species into and from the reaction chamber, the openings being positioned substantially at a same level, and the active species flow in a substantially horizontal direction from one opening to the other.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a distance between the substrates and the plasma source is adjusted by moving the plasma source.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for supplying a gas for use in depositing a film on each substrate into the reaction chamber, wherein the active species generated in the plasma source is used for performing plasma treatment to the film formed on each substrate.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein a temperature of the plasma treatment is equal to or higher than that of the film deposition.

10. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, comprising:

a reaction chamber in which one or more substrates to be processed are disposed;

a plasma source arranged outside of and in proximity to the reaction chamber;

an active species supply port for providing active species generated by the plasma source to the reaction chamber and arranged at a side of the reaction chamber; and

an exhaust port provided at a substantially opposite side to the active species supply port,

wherein the active species flow substantially parallel to the surface of each substrate from an edge in proximity to the active species supply port to another edge in proximity to the exhaust port and

wherein the reaction chamber includes two openings for introducing and removing the active species into and from the reaction chamber, the openings being positioned substantially at a same level, and the active species flow in a substantially horizontal direction from one opening to the other.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the substrates are spaced apart from the plasma source at a distance where the concentration of the active species on surfaces of the substrates becomes substantially constant.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein a distance between the substrates and the plasma source is adjusted by moving the plasma source.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising means for supplying a gas for use in depositing a film on each substrate into the reaction chamber, wherein the active species generated in the plasma source is used for performing plasma treatment to the film formed on each substrate.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein a temperature of the plasma treatment is equal to or higher than that of the film deposition.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein two or more substrates are simultaneously processed in the reaction chamber.

16. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, comprising:

a reaction chamber in which one or more substrates to be processed are disposed;

a plasma source arranged outside of and in proximity to the reaction chamber;

an active species supply port for providing active species generated by the plasma source to the reaction chamber and arranged at a side of the reaction chamber, and an exhaust port provided at a substantially opposite side to the active species supply port,

wherein the substrates are disposed between the active species supply port and the exhaust port and the active species flow substantially parallel to the surfaces of the substrates and

wherein a first active species flow is generated by the active species supply port and the exhaust port, and the apparatus further comprising another active species supply port and another exhaust port arranged to generate a second active species flow having a flow direction opposite to that of the first active species flow, wherein the fist and second active species flows are alternated a predetermined number of times during processing the substrates.